The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah's Book Club)

Book Description

"I have no wish to play the pontificating fool, pretending that I've suddenly come up with the answers to all life's questions. Quite that contrary, I began this book as an exploration, an exercise in self-questing. In other words, I wanted to find out, as I looked back at a long and complicated life, with many twists and turns, how well I've done at measuring up to the values I myself have set."
âSidney Poitier

In this luminous memoir, a true American icon looks back on his celebrated life and career. His body of work is arguably the most morally significant in cinematic history, and the power and influence of that work are indicative of the character of the man behind the many storied roles. Sidney Poitier here explores these elements of character and personal values to take his own measureâas a man, as a husband and a father, and as an actor.

Poitier credits his parents and his childhood on tiny Cat Island in the Bahamas for equipping him with the unflinching sense of right and wrong and of self-worth that he has never surrendered and that have dramatically shaped his world. "In the kind of place where I grew up," recalls Poitier, "what's coming at you is the sound of the sea and the smell of the wind and momma's voice and the voice of your dad and the craziness of your brothers and sisters...and that's it." Without television, radio, and material distractions to obscure what matters most, he could enjoy the simple things, endure the long commitments, and find true meaning in his life.

Poitier was uncompromising as he pursued a personal and public life that would honor his upbringing and the invaluable legacy of his parents. Just a few years after his introduction to indoor plumbing and the automobile, Poitier broke racial barrier after racial barrier to launch a pioneering acting career. Committed to the notion that what one does for a living articulates to who one is, Poitier played only forceful and affecting characters who said something positive, useful, and lasting about the human condition.

Here is Poitier's own introspective look at what has informed his performances and his life. Poitier explores the nature of sacrifice and commitment, price and humility, rage and forgiveness, and paying the price for artistic integrity. What emerges is a picture of a man in the face of limitsâhis own and the world's. A triumph of the spirit, The Measure of a Man captures the essential Poitier.

Customer Reviews:

Nice man, wandering story..........2007-10-04

I had to force myself to finish this book, simply because I didn't want to waste my money by leaving it when I was tempted to. It was interesting to realize that an actor whose work I had appreciated came from such a spare beginning, but by halfway through the book, the continuous wandering asides and disclaimers of the author so overwhelmed the narrative that I could barely tolerate it. It seems to me that the story could have been told to greater effect with half the words!

****LOVED IT****.......2007-09-24

Kept me interested...I really enjoyed this book...I couldn't put the book down until I finished reading it!!!!

MEASURE OF A MAN does not measure up.......2007-09-21

Wow, a book about Sidney Poitier. An outstanding actor with a book that just does not give him true justice. The reading tends to be dry and lacks substance. His life struggles could have been the story of any man or woman, black or white. The writing and editing are weak in some sections.

You should rent or buy one of Poitier's movies instead. His movie roles show his true skills.

SPIRITUAL "Of, Relating to, Consisting of, or Affecting the Spirit" MERRIAM-WEBSTER.......2007-08-30

I've always been smitten with Poitier's voice--his diction and control on film, the flow of his words as they travel in and around ideas during interviews--so I read THE MEASURE OF A MAN with an ear for his voice. I wondered, Is it translatable to print? It is, but that means allowing Poitier's thoughts to meander until they find their point, and that his thoughts are less formulated (or formal) and more "in his own words," than they might be if they were written by a biographer. (I read just enough "You know?"s "You hear me when I tell you?"s and "You follow?"s to feel like he was talking to me, but not too many to be annoyed.) I read to imagine what it might be like to have a conversation with Poitier. The book reinforced what I already knew--I'd be as intimidated as heck--but it also gave me the courage to think I'd be able to speak my mind.

As an editor, I read Poitier's book because I wanted to know how he defines a "spiritual" autobiography. Is it a I-Was-A-Sinner-But-I-Found-Jesus-And-Now-I'm-Saved chronology? Is it about how Christianity or another faith influenced his life? Neither. Poitier examines the people, events, circumstances, beliefs, and so on, which have related to, consisted of, or affected his "spirit," and, in doing so, he writes about childhood experiences in the Bahamas, his changing perceptions of his parents, how he adapts to living in the United States, his approach to acting and filmmaking, and his attitude toward fatherhood. He also shares a debate a friend and he had about the Basic Truth of Nature, a debate worth every second of reading it takes to get to.

Is THE MEASURE OF A MAN going to satisfy readers interested only in Poitier's film career? No, but I urge them to read it anyway, if for no other reason than to find out how his "spirit" influenced the films he starred in.

Books.......2007-08-21

I purchased this book for my daughter and she loved it!
She is a teacher and plans to teach this story in her English class fall 2007.
A great story with a great moral.

Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny

Average customer rating:

Inspiring
Managing Money
Great gift!
Suze is Five Stars......
Suze Orman Shares Investing Common Sense with Her Book Women & Money

Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny
Suze Orman
Manufacturer: Spiegel & Grau
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Motivational | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0385519311
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Amazon.com

Money maven Suze Orman's latest book, Women & Money addresses the complicated (and often dysfunctional) relationship women have with personal finance. Orman's direct, non-condescending style is perfect for this subject matter--she begins with the premise that "Women can invest, save, and handle debt as well and skillfully as any man" and then tackles the important question--"So why don't they?" Designed to educate and inspire, Women & Money also offers a "Save Yourself Plan," a five-month program that "delivers genuine long-term financial security." Want to know more? Watch a video message from Suze below, and take a gander at the first chapter of Women & Money--you'll be "controlling your destiny" in no time. --Daphne Durham

An Exclusive Video Message from Suze Orman

Watch the video

Read the First Chapter of Women & Money

For Women Only

I never thought I'd write a book about money just for women. I never thought it was necessary. So then why am I doing just that in my eighth book? And why now? Let me explain. All my previous books were written with the belief that gender is not a factor on any level in mastering the nuts and bolts of smart financial management. Women can invest, save, and handle debt just as well and skillfully as any man. I still believe that--why would anyone think differently? So imagine my surprise when I learned that some of the people closest to me in my life were in the dark about their own finances. Clueless. Or, in some cases, willfully resisting doing what they knew needed to be done. I'm talking about smart, competent, accomplished women who present a face to the world that is pure confidence and capability. Do you mean to tell me that I, Suze Orman, who make my living solving the financial problems of total strangers, couldn't spot the trouble brewing so close to home? I don't think I'm blind; I just think that these women became very, very good at hiding their troubles from me.Why not? They had years of practice hiding them from themselves.

Read more from Chapter 1...

Book Description

Why is it that women, who are so competent in all other areas of their lives, cannot find the same competence when it comes to matters of money?

Suze Orman investigates the complicated, dysfunctional relationship women have with money in this groundbreaking new book. With her signature mix of insight, compassion, and soul-deep recognition, she equips women with the financial knowledge and emotional awareness to overcome the blocks that have kept them from making more out of the money they make. At the center of the book is The Save Yourself Plan—a streamlined, five-month program that delivers genuine long-term financial security. But what’s at stake is far bigger than money itself: It’s about every woman’s sense of who she is and what she deserves, and why it all begins with the decision to save yourself.

Join the Movement to Save Yourself with this Unprecedented Offer to Readers of Women & Money:

Suze Orman believes that having an account of your own is the cornerstone of long-term financial security, and so she has begun a national movement called Save Yourself to turn this wish—that every woman have an account in her own name—into a reality. She is joined in this crusade by the financial brokerage firm TD Ameritrade, which has come up with an extraordinary offer for readers of WOMEN & MONEY. Follow Suze’s Save Yourself Plan and open an account in your name with TD Ameritrade. Commit to an automatic deposit of at least $50 per month for twelve consecutive months, and TD Ameritrade will provide the incentive in the form of a $100 deposit into your account in the thirteenth month. In other words, you save $600 or more over the course of a year, and TD Ameritrade will reward that effort with a $100 bonus. Learn more inside the book or at www.saveyourself.com.

Offer valid for one new TD AMERITRADE account (non-retirement) opened between 2/27/07 and 3/31/08, and funded by 12 monthly consecutive automatic electronic deposits of $50 or more. First $50 must be deposited within 30 days of opening account. To be eligible, you must be a U.S. resident aged 18 or older. See www.saveyourself.com for obligations and limitations and to accept this offer. This is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction where TD AMERITRADE is not authorized to do business. Random House, Inc., does not endorse, is not associated with, and has no responsibility for the TD AMERITRADE offer. TD AMERITRADE, Random House, Inc., and Suze Orman are separate and not affiliated, and each of them is not responsible for the services and information provided by the other(s). TD AMERITRADE, Inc., member NASD/SIPC.

Customer Reviews:

Inspiring.......2007-10-18

After reading this book I am instilled with the confidence to look at my personal and financial situation head on and is finding the courage to go out and do something positive about it. I plan to keep this book and use it as a bible to help guide my financial future. Ms Orman is truly an inspiration. She shows you how to face the challenges of our current environment. Thanks so much for this awesome masterpiece, Ms Orman...Keep them coming...you have a lifetime fan in me.

Managing Money.......2007-10-17

This book is an excellent tool for women of any age to learn how to manage money; how to make responsible choices for the present and informed choices for the future.

Great gift!.......2007-10-01

Bought this for a good friend who was widowed a year ago and had not been involved in finances during the marriage. She is digging herself out of some financial challenges and she said the book made her feel really good about her progress. Highly recommend!!

Suze is Five Stars.............2007-09-21

I've listened to Suze Orman on TV and I bought this book for my wife who doesn't want to manage her portfolio. She still won't manage her portfolio, but she's getting smarter about investments.

Suze Orman Shares Investing Common Sense with Her Book Women & Money.......2007-09-20

Suze Orman Shares Investing Common Sense with Her Book Women & Money ~ Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny

By Lisa Manyon [...]

Money is a topic you either embrace or avoid. Orman's book delivers straight talk on investing for women and building individual wealth.

Personally I've always know just enough about investing to put some money away each month and I rely on financial advisors to steer me in the right direction.

Suze shares a candid look at her life and how she got to where she is now. Plus she offers a no nonsense approach to making sure women begin to really think about taking care of their own business.

With an uplifting vein of optimism about what is possible throughout the book, Orman successfully illustrates traits and tactics to help women thoughtfully approach investing.

Orman's 8 qualities of wealthy women have been shared on national talk shows and cannot be stressed enough.

Qualities 1 and 2 are harmony and balance. These are said to be the most important qualities because they are the foundation for all other qualities.

Quality 3 is courage. Orman writes that "Courage gives harmony expression. When your thoughts and feelings are one, courage helps you manifest them in the form of words and actions."

Quality 4 is generosity. Orman points out that woman tap into this almost too quickly. We tend to be overly generous with our time, support, love and money. The true measure of generosity, according to Orman, is being able to allow money to come into your hands and out through your heart.

This was a concept I can relate to. Orman challenges women to look at why and what they give and how it makes them feel. She also offers six rules for giving (but, you'll have to grab a copy of the book to find out what these are).

Quality number 5 is happiness. According to Orman when you find the courage to live your life in harmony and balance, you understand and practice generosity, happiness will spontaneously appear.

And perhaps the most important point she shares about happiness is this; "Happiness is not a luxury. It is a necessity for true wealth."

Quality number 6 comes in the form of wisdom. Who doesn't want to be wiser?

According to Orman, wisdom is more than intellectual and not directly related to education. Wisdom is an express result of tapping into your core beliefs to make the right decisions for yourself.

The 7th quality is cleanliness and is all about the importance of order and organization. A laundry list of situations that subtract from your wealth status include;

- Not knowing where your money is
- Not having a systematized filing system for important documents
- Pulling crumpled bills and receipts out of your purse
- Maintaining a vehicle that looks like a garbage can
- Having closets that are filled with junk and clutter.

I am sure most of us can relate to at least one area we need to work on. I have to admit, as organized as I am, I could relate to a couple of those scenarios. Orman's philosophy really makes sense and I've corrected my personal problem areas. My first order of business was donating clothing I had not used or worn in the past year to charity.

The final quality is beauty. Orman ties all the qualities together by noting beauty is what you achieve when all the qualities are combined.

To some it may seem strange that the qualities of wealthy women are included in a book on investing. However, if you personally don't possess the qualities it will not be as easy for you to achieve your wealth potential.

In addition to the foundational building blocks Orman shares solid advice on choosing the right investor, the importance of having one personal savings account in your name only and discusses investment options in layman's terms so anyone can get started right way.

This Moment on Earth: Today's New Environmentalists and Their Vision for the Future

Average customer rating:

May A Republican Say Something?
Required Reading
Stories of Hope
KERRY gETS IT RIGHT
Encouragement for activism

This Moment on Earth: Today's New Environmentalists and Their Vision for the Future
John Kerry , and Teresa Heinz Kerry
Manufacturer: PublicAffairs
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1586484311

Book Description

An inspiring celebration of courageous American innovators who are transforming the way we protect and care for the world we live in.

The environment, and the movement that grew up to protect it, is under attack--concerted and purposeful. Yet the need for solutions to pressing environmental problems grows more urgent each day. Teresa Heinz Kerry and Senator John Kerry traveled across the country in a national campaign to see at first hand how these issues unite people across party and ideological lines. From the San Juan Basin to the Gulf of Mexico to the South Bronx, from mothers on Cape Cod to Colorado ranchers, they found a vibrant coalition of people and communities deploying ingenuity, technology, and sheer will power to save the world they know and love. Now, in this passionate and personal book, Senator John Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry shine the spotlight on an inspiring crosssection of these new environmental pioneers.

The book combines intensive research with keenly observed personal experiences to present a portrait of Americans devoted to the natural diversity and spectacular uniqueness of our country. It also includes an extensive guide on where and how readers can get involved.

Customer Reviews:

May A Republican Say Something?.......2007-10-06

Senator Kerry, this is one of the best books I've read in a long time, and I read a lot of books. The common sense, lack of passion, and optimism did my old heart good. Since I'm not as optimistic as you, I believe if we're to come out of this tailspin that my party has put us in, your approach, not mine, is the key. As a Vietnam veteran who was shot down twice in Vietnam 1968-69, I hope you understand that the Swift Boat guys were exploited by sociopaths. The weak minded simply cannot refuse even the briefest moment in the limelight. They well forsake God and country without hesitation. Supporting you in 2004 has turned out to be one of the smartest things I have ever done. Believe me, it wasn't easy. It temporarily cost me the goodwill of friends and family. Thousands of Americans are still cheering Bush and Cheney not even aware that all their savings may be wiped out before these two leave office. Saudi Arabia on this very day--10/06/2007--has refused to cut interest rates in lockstep with the US Federal Reserve for the first time, signaling that the oil-rich Gulf kingdom is preparing to break the dollar currency peg in a move that risks setting off a stampede out of the dollar across the Middle East. As you know, Israel has already refused aid (free money) in Dollars. When Americans turned their backs on International laws, they turned their backs on God's laws as well. The price for doing so will be incomprehensible for most. Another book, please.

Required Reading.......2007-08-08

The material in this book should be put in the public's face daily via media, billboards, etc. It should be required reading. Every mother should understand that a disposable diaper takes 500 years to biodegrade (and as those chemicals in the diaper biodegrade, they pollute and cause potential carcinogens).

I would not call the book "bipartisan" as per some of the other reviews, and I think its bashing of the Bush administration (even though I am not a fan) detracted from the overall book. However, it is important reading; it had an impact on my behavior.

Stories of Hope.......2007-08-02

I was a little skeptical with this book being written by John Kerry. I wasn't sure what to expect. It gives some really good stories of everyday people who just wanted to make a change for the better. They weren't any sort of extremists or hippies. Just people with common sense and the determination to stand up for their right to live in a clean world.

KERRY gETS IT RIGHT.......2007-06-18

Kerry analyzes today;s environmental experts and gets it right. The book is passionate, well researched, spot on and well written. I was pleasantly surprised.

I think Kerry was at his best early in the book when he evaluated some of the current plans for saving the Earth. He got a little off track as the book progressed, then veered back on track in the last 100 pages.

I highly recommend this book for anybody who cares about the planet. Also recommended: "Earth In The Balance" by Al Gore. Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit

Encouragement for activism.......2007-06-09

This book is both inspiring and upsetting. Inspiring for the stories of success in opposing pollution and degradation of the environment and restoration to a more healthy one. It is upsetting to read of the abuses and pollution creating dangerous places to live.

It is a call to action that we all need to consider. I got many good ideas about issues I hadn't thought about and it made me think about my local situation. It's good to know people have won battles and corrected abuses.

Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--And Doesn't

Average customer rating:

A misleading book, should have been titled "Christian Literacy"
Makes the case but never tells us *what* we need to know
disguised argument....
Teach ABOUT Religion instead of Teaching Religion ...
Important yes -- but a Fourth R?

Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--And Doesn't
Stephen Prothero
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0060846704
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Book Description

The United States is one of the most religious places on earth, but it is also a nation of shocking religious illiteracy.

Only 10 percent of American teenagers can name all five major world religions and 15 percent cannot name any.
Nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that the Bible holds the answers to all or most of life's basic questions, yet only half of American adults can name even one of the four gospels and most Americans cannot name the first book of the Bible.

Despite this lack of basic knowledge, politicians and pundits continue to root public policy arguments in religious rhetoric whose meanings are missed—or misinterpreted—by the vast majority of Americans.

"We have a major civic problem on our hands," says religion scholar Stephen Prothero. He makes the provocative case that to remedy this problem, we should return to teaching religion in the public schools. Alongside "reading, writing, and arithmetic," religion ought to become the "Fourth R" of American education.

Many believe that America's descent into religious illiteracy was the doing of activist judges and secularists hell-bent on banishing religion from the public square. Prothero reveals that this is a profound misunderstanding. "In one of the great ironies of American religious history," Prothero writes, "it was the nation's most fervent people of faith who steered us down the road to religious illiteracy. Just how that happened is one of the stories this book has to tell."

Prothero avoids the trap of religious relativism by addressing both the core tenets of the world's major religions and the real differences among them. Complete with a dictionary of the key beliefs, characters, and stories of Christianity, Islam, and other religions, Religious Literacy reveals what every American needs to know in order to confront the domestic and foreign challenges facing this country today.

Customer Reviews:

A misleading book, should have been titled "Christian Literacy".......2007-10-08

I was so upset with this book. Even the cover is misleading. The first half of this work is basically a history of Christianity in AMERICA (and often you feel that the author is waxing nalstalgic for the good 'ol days of "Christian" America) and then the second half is a mediocre dictionary of Religion. Money would be better spend on a cheap dictionary of Eastern or world religion. If this book had been marketed as "Religious Literacy for Christians" I would understand the direction of the book. As it is, I felt like this book was marketed as an attempt to pull in the reader (such as myself) who is interested in expanding their comprehension of WORLD religions, but once having your attention it tries to convice you that we are living in a Christian country and that it has always been so.

Makes the case but never tells us *what* we need to know.......2007-09-27

Despite the lack of religion taught in public schools or the anti-relgion impressions given by the media, America is a very religious nation. It was founded by religious people and it's history is entwined with religon. Even today, politicians frequently invoke religion and cite scriptural references and most Americans will report that they regularly attend religious services and pray. The problem is that not many of those people actually have much religious knowledge (an assertion supported by a just-released Sept 2007 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center). Few can name all Ten Commandments or any Apostles, not to mention even cursory knowledge about Eastern religions. Contrast this with Europeans, who have broad religious knowledge but don't attend church or pray. Mr. Prothero explains how religion factored in early American life, the affects of secularism and how America shifted away from valuing religious knowledge, and clears up the confusion over the legalities of teaching religion. He also makes a case for the need for greater religious literacy without showing any favoritism.

The problem is that the title is terribly misleading: "Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know - and Doesn't" infers that this book will tell us what we NEED to know. It doesn't. It sounds like I know more about scriptures and my own church than most people do about theirs, but I know very little about other churches. I would like to learn some basics about Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and Christian religions such as the Catholics, Protestants, and Evangelicals and was hoping for summaries to help me better understand. All the book has to offer is a "dictionary" that was nice, but not really what I was hoping for. I already agree with the author that knowledge of religion is lacking - myself included - but the book doesn't really take the next step. Mr. Prothero complains that even many churches today teach only broad "touchy-feely" concepts like "love" and "Jesus" but fail to impart a deeper understanding, but he's guilty of the same sin.

The discussions of religion in Colonial America and how we became a secular nation was interesting, but I think most people who pick up this book will also agree with the author, and as such it ends up being little more than preaching to the choir.

disguised argument.... .......2007-09-13

The title is misleading. I expected to be educated regarding the myriad religions in the world, many of them with a substantial presence in the United States. Instead, the author works to convince the reader The Bible should be required study in America's public schools. The author did place much of the blame for religious illiteracy on religion itself and not so much on secularism. He also did not mention America's woeful failing regarding science literacy, but then this is a book whose emphasis is religion.

Americans most certainly are ignorant regarding religion, even their own, but this book does not live up to the goal stated in its title. The title should have been "My argument for Bible Study in public schools."

Teach ABOUT Religion instead of Teaching Religion ..........2007-09-02

A persuasive argument for teaching about religion, not proselytizing. Author Stephen Prothero traces the degradation in religious knowledge, not necessarily observance, in the United States over the past 150 years.

Nowadays, the gods of Political Correctness must be appeased. People are reluctant to bring up or discuss the topic of religion. As a result, it has largely left the school system. He offers some salient examples of illiteracy and ignorance with regard to basic religious concepts (for example, some people believe that the epistles were the wives of the apostles!!).

Prothero spends more time making his argument than advancing solutions, the chief example of which is restoring education about religion in the public schools and beyond. He makes a salient point and differentiation between teaching about religion and pushing religious beliefs on to people. It is a persuasive case and timely, since so many modern conflicts and foreign-policy issues are shaped by religious belief.

The majority of the book is comprised of a glossary of religious concepts and terms. This alone provides a valuable reference. There is also a quiz in the Appendix so that readers can gauge their own degree of religious literacy.

A thought-provoking and persuasive book!

Important yes -- but a Fourth R?.......2007-09-01

The Professor of Religion effectively proves that we need more religious education. Yes, his department of religion should be more important but is there not a crying need for the more basic Three Rs to be taken care of first before we divert resources?
And what about the lack of Financial Literacy? Not knowing about Whahhabism could certainly hurt us again, but not understanding the dangers to borrowers and the economy contained in the fine print in sub-prime real estate loans could, it turns out, drive us into recession (some economists think recession will hit us next year) and that could even hurt us more.
The application of limited educational resources should be well balanced. It comes down to a question of priorities. And the author of this fine book is overstating the priority of his department and career field.

Average customer rating:

The Glass Castle
Courageous But Sad
Glass Castle
Writing on eggshells
The Glass Castle

The Glass Castle: A Memoir
Jeannette Walls
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 074324754X

Amazon.com

Jeannette Walls's father always called her "Mountain Goat" and there's perhaps no more apt nickname for a girl who navigated a sheer and towering cliff of childhood both daily and stoically. In The Glass Castle, Walls chronicles her upbringing at the hands of eccentric, nomadic parents--Rose Mary, her frustrated-artist mother, and Rex, her brilliant, alcoholic father. To call the elder Walls's childrearing style laissez faire would be putting it mildly. As Rose Mary and Rex, motivated by whims and paranoia, uprooted their kids time and again, the youngsters (Walls, her brother and two sisters) were left largely to their own devices. But while Rex and Rose Mary firmly believed children learned best from their own mistakes, they themselves never seemed to do so, repeating the same disastrous patterns that eventually landed them on the streets. Walls describes in fascinating detail what it was to be a child in this family, from the embarrassing (wearing shoes held together with safety pins; using markers to color her skin in an effort to camouflage holes in her pants) to the horrific (being told, after a creepy uncle pleasured himself in close proximity, that sexual assault is a crime of perception; and being pimped by her father at a bar). Though Walls has well earned the right to complain, at no point does she play the victim. In fact, Walls' removed, nonjudgmental stance is initially startling, since many of the circumstances she describes could be categorized as abusive (and unquestioningly neglectful). But on the contrary, Walls respects her parents' knack for making hardships feel like adventures, and her love for them--despite their overwhelming self-absorption--resonates from cover to cover. --Brangien Davis

Book Description

Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever.

Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town -- and the family -- Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.

What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.

For two decades, Jeannette Walls hid her roots. Now she tells her own story. A regular contributor to MSNBC.com, she lives in New York and Long Island and is married to the writer John Taylor.

TO INQUIRE ABOUT SCHEDULING JEANNETTE WALLS FOR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS PLEASE CONTACT:

Keppler Speakers

Dustin L. Jones

Associate, College & University Division

703.516.4000 (P)

703.516.4819 (F)

Customer Reviews:

The Glass Castle.......2007-10-18

This is an amazing book. The life experiences of the author and her siblings really makes you wonder how they turned out as well as they did. It also raises the question of whether the parents suffered from mental illness, were criminally neglectful of their chilren or just truly outside of the box thinkers.

Courageous But Sad.......2007-10-18

Wow...this book is just amazing, i cant believe all the stuff this woman had to go threw as a child...and I'm glad i do not have Rex & Rosemary as my parents....Truly great book and made me cry half of the time.

If I hadn't read this book I would not have thought of what its like to those who hardly eat and are with no money.

This story is amazing and took an impact on me...and I will always remember this amazingly courageous sad story...

Glass Castle.......2007-10-17

Wow... haven't we all held out for the moment we commence to build our Glass Castle? "Just as soon as".... we get the perfect plans, enough time, money, etc. FABULOUS book that was written (just like I'd like to write one!) to give us glimses into our own grandiosity, missed opportunities, fixed beliefs, and rationalizations. I saw EVERYONE in my family in this book; maybe the whole human race makes an appearance, but it definitely will come alive for anyone raised by alcoholics. Couldn't stop reading it and now can't stop talking about it.

Writing on eggshells.......2007-10-17

I read all memoirs with a grain of salt mainly because I have a terrible memory and I don't understand how people can remember things they said when they were 3 yrs old (before the digital photography age of course). As far as memoirs go, this one is very interesting and does move fast. It also poses very interesting questions about parenting because the kids turn out okay despite growing up poorer than "po," in environments I shudder to think about, and with completely self-obsessed neglectful parents. It also put a new interesting face on homelessness.

However, the author is horrible about maintaining a believable/easy to follow timeline in the first half of the book. It seems she was 3-5 yrs old for much of that time. How reliable is a 3-5 yr old's memory? There were also several places where the writing lacked transition. That just annoyed the schoolmarm in me.

My main complaint is that the author seemed to be trying not hurt anyone's feelings as she wrote. Maybe she's a better person than me, but I don't understand how she could be so free of resentment despite the upbringing she described. She tried to show every family member in a positive light up until the end. I can understand forgiving her parents for neglecting, starving, and generally abusing her and her siblings, but I'm not sure she told the whole truth about her feelings. Then again, maybe half truths are par for the course when it comes to memoir.

Overall, I did like this and would recommend it.

The Glass Castle.......2007-10-16

One of the best books I have ever read. I just could not put it down. One life event while growing up just tops another.To rise above her circumstances and make a postive life for herself is just a tribute to the strength she has within her spirit. It was so inspiring to see them make the best of themselves even thou the example they had was so poor. My hat is off to Jeanette Walls and her siblings.

Average customer rating:

Funny and profound
Grace (Eventually) thoughts on Faith
Not her best, but still brilliant
No thank you, no good.
She's the Best

Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith
Anne Lamott
Manufacturer: Riverhead Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1594489424
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Amazon.com

Through Anne Lamott's many books (including six novels, her bestselling parenting memoir, Operating Instructions, and her popular guide to writing, Bird by Bird) the subject she keeps returning to is her faith, her deeply personal--"erratic," she says--journey in Christianity. Her latest book, Grace (Eventually), is her third collection of her "thoughts on faith," and she took the time to answer a few of our questions.

Questions for Anne Lamott

Amazon.com: This is your third book on faith. How has your perspective changed since you wrote your first one?

Lamott: I wrote my first book on faith when Bill Clinton was president, and I was in a much better mood. I wrote Plan B during the run-up to war in Iraq, and the ensuing catastrophe, so I was very angry, but trying to reconcile that pain and hostility to Jesus's insistence that we are made of love, to love, and be loved, to forgive and be forgiven. Some days went better than others. Also, my son Sam was in his early teens, and that was a LOT easier than when he turned 16 and 17, his ages when I was writing the pieces in Grace (Eventually).

In general, I think Grace (Eventually) is a less angry book. I like how I'm aging, except that my back hurts more often, my knees crack like twigs when I squat, and my memory fails more frequently, in more public and therefore humiliating ways. But I think I complain less. As my best friend said when she was dying, and I was obsessing about my butt, "You just don't have that kind of time."

Amazon.com: What does grace mean for you? How can we better communicate it to each other?

Lamott: Grace is that extra bit of help when you think you are really doomed; also, not coincidentally, when you have finally run out of good ideas on how to proceed, and on how better to control the people or circumstances that are frustrating or defeating you. I experience Grace as a cool ribbon of fresh air when I feel spiritually claustrophobic. Sometimes I experience it as water-wings, something holding me up when I am afraid that I'm going down, or the tide is carrying me away. I know that Grace meets us whereever we are, but does not leave us where it found us. Sometimes it is so small--a couple of seconds relief here, several extra inches there. I wish it were big and obvious, like sky-writing. Oh, well. Grace is not something I DO, or can chase down; but it is something I can receive, when I stop trying to be in charge.

We communicate grace to one another by holding space for people when they are hurt or terrified, instead of trying to fix them, or manage their emotions for them. We offer ourselves as silent companionship, or gentle listening when someone feels very alone. We get people glasses of water when they are thirsty.

Amazon.com: Many of the essays in Grace (Eventually) first appeared in Salon, the online magazine, and that's the way that many readers first found you. How do you see the Internet changing the way people read and write?

Lamott: The Internet makes everything so immediate and spontaneous, which I totally love--UNLESS it has to do with the immediacy of people's negative response to me. Several of the Salon pieces in Grace--for instance, the story about the horrible fight with my son, and the piece about turning the other cheek while being ripped off by The Carpet Guy--generated a couple hundred letters, many of them extremely hostile. Perhaps "spewy" would be a better description. I also sometimes get knee-jerk responses to my mentions of Jesus in my Salon pieces that seem to lump me in the same tradition as Jerry Falwell. But for the most part, I love the populism and egalitarian nature of the Internet: everyone counts the same.

Amazon.com: What stories do people tell you, when they've read your books or know you are a writer?

Lamott: People tell me how relieved they are that I try to tell the truth about how hard it can be to be a mother, or a daughter, or an American in these times. They tell me stories about how awful their own teenagers can be, or how awful they themselves behaved towards their kids or parents; how hard it was to finally be able to adore their mothers, or to forgive their fathers. They tell me their sobriety dates. They whisper to me that they are Christians, too.

Also, they ask if I am able to read their manuscripts, and the name of my agent, and my e-mail address. They ask if we are going to survive the current political difficulties--and I promise them we are. They ask how old my son is now--17 and a half--and how he is doing, which is fantastically, after some of the hard months I wrote about in Grace.

Amazon.com:What lessons do you think you can pass on to others: to your readers, to your son? What lessons does it seem like people have to learn for themselves?

Lamott: All I have to offer is my own truth, my own experience, strength and hope. I can pass on the tool of a God Box, and how for 20 years I have been putting tiny notes in mine and promising God I will keep my sticky fingers off the controls until I hear God's wisdom: sometimes I get an answer because the phone rings, or the mail comes, but at any rate, during every single terrible problem and tragedy, I have been given enough guidance and stamina and even humor to bear up, and be transformed, for the good. I always tell Sam that if you want to make God laugh, tell Her your plans. I tell Sam that if he listens to his best thinking, he will suffer: and to listen to his heart instead, to listen in the silence, and to seek wise counsel.

Amazon.com: You've written nearly a dozen books (including an incredibly popular guide to writing): does writing get any easier? Does it get harder?

Lamott: In a very important way, writing gets easier, because I've been doing it full time now for thirty-plus years, and just as you would get better and better if you practiced your scales on a piano, I've gotten better, and can try harder and harder pieces. But writing is always hard. It does not come naturally to me at all. I sit down at the same time every day, which lets my subconscious realize it's time to get to work. I give myself very short assignments, and let myself write really terrible first drafts. But I grapple with the exact same problems every writer does, which is having equal proportions of self-loathing and grandiosity. I sort of live by the Nike ads: Just Do It. So I sit down. I show up. I do it by pre-arrangement with myself, because I know I'll feel sad and terrible if I shirk on that days writing. I do it as a debt of honor, to myself, and to whatever it is that has given me this gift of being able to tell stories, and to make people laugh. Laughter is carbonated holiness. Other people's good writing is medicine for me, and I hope mine is too, for my readers.

Book Description

The sharp, funny, and heartfelt follow-up to her bestselling Plan B, Anne Lamott's newest collection is a personal exploration of the faith and grace all around us.

In Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith, Lamott examines the ways we're caught in life's most daunting predicaments: love, mothering, work, politics, and maybe toughest of all, evolving from who we are to who we were meant to be. This is a complicated process for most of us, and Lamott turns her wit and honesty inward to describe her own intimate, bumpy, and unconventional road to grace and faith.

"I wish grace and healing were more abracadabra kinds of things," she writes in one of her essays, "that delicate silver bells would ring to announce grace's arrival. But no, it's clog and slog and scootch, on the floor, in silence, in the dark."

Whether she's writing about her unsuccessful efforts to get her money back from an obstinate carpet salesman, grappling with the tectonic shifts in her relationship with her son as he matures, trying to maintain her faith and humor during politically challenging times, or helping a close friend die with dignity, Lamott seeks out both the divinity and the humanity in herself and everything around her. Throughout these essays, she writes of her struggle to find the essence of her faith, which she uncovers in the unlikeliest places. By turns insightful and hilarious, pointed and poignant, Grace (Eventually) is Anne Lamott at her perceptive and irreverent best.

Customer Reviews:

Funny and profound.......2007-08-12

Anne Lamott is honest and engaging. This book is a beautiful testament to a real life lived in faith and hope in the midst of inevitable disappointments and hardships.

Grace (Eventually) thoughts on Faith.......2007-08-08

I bought this book thinking I would get an inspiritial read. Instead I found that the title totally misrepresented the book. This is nothing but a self-centered, self-indulgent, whiny bunch of writings from a drug user/alcoholic, over age hippy, feeling (what?). Certainaly not faith!
Title should read "Poor Me, I can't Think Straight"

Not her best, but still brilliant.......2007-08-01

One of the most popular voices in contemporary spirituality, Anne Lamott has a remarkable gift at handling serious and unfunny topics - religion, motherhood, eating disorders, death - in a witty and disarming way.

Lamott's new book, "Grace Eventually: Further Thoughts On Faith," is a collection of essays, many of which Lamott wrote as a columnist for Salon.com. If you haven't read anything by Lamott before, the best places to start would be "Traveling Mercies" (her bestselling memoir), and "Bird by Bird," (one of the best guide to writing anywhere, another bestseller). But the two things you should know before reading Anne Lamott is that 1) she is an incredible prose artist, quirky and profound, with a style that seems all her own. And 2) she is almost completely neurotic.

"Grace Eventually," is a special book in that Lamott's description of ordinary events make them feel sacred. She is a writer with an ability to make the reader pay attention, feel present, and tune in to the story taking place around them. Although she refers to Jesus consistently, there is little that seems orthodox about Lamott's spiritual journey, and perhaps that is one of the reasons she has such a wide readership.

You'd have to be made out of granite not to find something that moves you in this unique collection of essays. You would also need to adhere to Lamott's precise and strident political positions not to find at least one portion of this book infuriating. Either way, "Grace Eventually" is a provocative and unique read, and any avid reader owes it to themselves to become familiar with one of the country's top writers.

No thank you, no good........2007-07-25

I read another one of Anne's books. The first one I did not like much, and really did not want to read this one, but when you already own it, you feel you must with 16 dollars into the book. It was some repeating of stories I really did not like in the first place, there were a few highlights or good moments, but not enough. I still feel bad for her, but most times I was like "get over it." Now I loved Donald Miller's book, which was along the same mindset, but he seemed deep or maybe just a man. Sorry Anne, you are twice if not more the writer that I am, but I was just not into the book.

She's the Best.......2007-07-25

Her words are equivalent to the phrase "A sight for sore eyes." My copy now has so many underlines and dog ears that I just don't know where to start with quotable quotes--

"IT FEELS AS IF SOMEONE FINALLY CRACKED OPEN A WINDOW THAT HAD BEEN JAMMED."
"...taught me a willingness to help clean up the mess we've made is a crucial part of adult living; that our scary, selfish, damging behavior litters the planet."
"...we get mad at each other, over and over, then we apologize, become friends again: I see how each time this is redemption. How amazing it is to share that."
"Joy is the best makeup."
"Prayer is not asking for what you think you want, but asking to be changed in ways you can't imagine."

I use this like a Bible when I need to be called to a higher place. It soothes me, calms me down, and calls me to a (much) higher place. Buy this, Bird By Bird, and the other two from this series. They are GIFTS.

It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy

Average customer rating:

Highly Applicable and Practical
Yet another management book
It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy
3 words rating
Engaging, Insightful, Inspiring

It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy
Michael Abrashoff
Manufacturer: Business Plus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Leadership | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0446529117

Amazon.com

Other than the sobering fact that real lives are regularly at stake, running a navy ship is a lot like running a business: leaders of both must get the most out of their crews to operate at peak efficiency and complete the tasks at hand. As commander of the highly acclaimed USS Benfold, Captain D. Michael Abrashoff irrefutably demonstrated how progressive management can succeed at sea; in It's Your Ship, he translates his methods into an approach that can also be applied by land-bound captains of commerce and industry. Describing "the ideas and techniques that I used to win my sailors' trust and, eventually, their enthusiastic commitment to our joint goal of making our ship the best in the fleet," Abrashoff cites embarrassing failures along with subsequent triumphs to illuminate the keys to his accomplished 20-month tenure aboard the guided missile destroyer. His suggestions: lead by example; listen aggressively; communicate purpose and meaning; create a climate of trust; look for results, not salutes; take calculated risks; go beyond standard procedure; build up your people; generate unity; and improve your people's quality of life. While hardly original on the surface, Abrashoff's course should provide practical direction and inspiration for any leader hoping for similarly positive results in similarly rigid organizations. --Howard Rothman

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

Highly Applicable and Practical.......2007-10-17

Very straightforward and practical approach to helping your team achieve more than they think is possible. While reading the book you're struck by just how "common sense" some of Captain Abrashoff's philosophies and apprpoaches are. However, it's staggering how few managers and leaders successfully employe his methodolgy.

This is a good read for anyone wanting to develop into a better leader or even for parents raising children. I highly recommend it!

Yet another management book.......2007-09-14

Yet another book on management-this time a naval perspective! Despite the criticism of such books in the research article by Dr Peter Teiman,"The many varieties of management",I have to admit that this book has a lot of practical value.
Dr Peter Teiman
Switzerland

It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy.......2007-09-04

I thought this was a very well written book, considering that it was highlighting management techniques. Those types of books are ususally very boring, prop your eyelids open type of books. Michael Abrashoff explained his style of management in a manner which would make it interesting to a broad range of readers and it is told as a well written story should be.

3 words rating.......2007-08-31

" I DONT KNOW", how to rate this book because i have not received it. I was told that i would receive this product between 16 AUG and 29 AUG. it is now SEPT 1ST and still no product.

Engaging, Insightful, Inspiring.......2007-08-31

I really enjoyed this book---Abrashoff does an excellent job of weaving his Navy story with practical business insights, without going overboard on the analogies, if you'll excuse the nautical pun.

What I appreciate about the author is that he turned the Navy culture upside down by seeking input from everyone on his ship (slightly over 300), insisting on being told when people disagreed with him, and `mixing with the masses' at lunch and in other contexts.

Note: below I touch on excerpts from the book, so if you don't want a "spoiler" review, then you may wish to stop reading.

"Look For Results, Not Salutes" was the name of one of his chapters, and encapsulates much of his guiding philosophy.

Abrashoff understands the importance of getting in other people's shoes. He motivated his crew to attain cross-training expertise (which would greatly improve the ship's battle readiness and abilities) by noting that for those under 21, getting the expertise would enable them to have later curfews time to more thoroughly enjoy ports of call when they were abroad.

One of my favorite stories came when a four-star Marine General, Anthony Zinni, toured the ship and Abrashoff picked Fireman Joseph Cotton, 20, not only to receive a special pin marking his expertise, but also to give Zinni a tour of the ship.

"Zinni was stunned that I would give up my face-time and let an enlisted man escort a four-star. That this poised 20-year-old neither choked nor forgot his lines, and that his knowledge of the ship was quite sophisticated, shocked the general, but pleased him enormously. It was a grand slam."

That night, Zinni tore up his prepared speech at the Navy's birthday ball and talked about leadership on the Benfold, "specifically how we empowered our young sailors to assume major responsibilities."

Abrashoff talks about the impact of praising sailors--describing the encounters as highlights of his day that built up trust and morale--and "they didn't cost me or the navy a dime."

Abrashoff mixes good examples with bad examples, and isn't above noting where he slipped up or let his ego get in the way on his career journey.

He stresses the importance of doling out praise in person. E-mail and other forms of communication fall short of the mark. Abrashoff told the story of his sister's boss at a major bank. He sent an e-mail congratulating and thanking one of her assistants for a job well done. "That very afternoon, he rode the elevator with her and didn't even acknowledge her existence. It completely wiped out any good his e-mail could have done," Abrashoff wrote.

Another tale also spoke volumes about the importance of being authentic, and not simply going through the motions of authenticity:

Abrashoff found out the names and birthdays of sailors' spouses, and sent a card to each one. It sparked goodwill, with many sailors letting him know how much the gesture touched their families.

Another ship tried to mimic the approach but bungled it because they sent all the cards on the same day (bureaucrats who had not been empowered to think outside the confines of directives).

I zipped through this book in less than a week---it's easy reading, engaging reading, and enlightening reading.

Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army

Average customer rating:

A predetermined outcome
Left Wing Lunacy
Not about blackwater but what the author thinka about blackwater.
American Journalism At Its Best
Lazy hippie critizes American hero!!!!

Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army
Jeremy Scahill
Manufacturer: Nation Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Company Profiles | Biography & History | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Iraq | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1560259795

Book Description

Meet BLACKWATER USA, the world's most secretive and powerful mercenary firm. Based in the wilderness of North Carolina, it is the fastest-growing private army on the planet with forces capable of carrying out regime change throughout the world. Blackwater protects the top US officials in Iraq and yet we know almost nothing about the firm's quasi-military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and inside the US. Blackwater was founded by an extreme right-wing fundamentalist Christian mega-millionaire ex- Navy Seal named Erik Prince, the scion of a wealthy conservative family that bankrolls far-right-wing causes.
Blackwater is the dark story of the rise of a powerful mercenary army, ranging from the blood-soaked streets of Fallujah to rooftop firefights in Najaf to the hurricane-ravaged US gulf to Washington DC, where Blackwater executives are hailed as new heroes in the war on terror. This is an extraordinary exposé by one of America's most exciting young radical journalists.

Customer Reviews:

A predetermined outcome.......2007-10-18

From the first few pages it's obvious that the auther did not intend to seriously investigate Blackwater, but instead wanted to write a hit piece. The book lacks authoritative references, interviews and facts but instead focuses on his own opinions of a few events and his "interpretation" of Blackwater's web site.
From a journalistic and investigative standpoint this book is a failure. From a literary standpoint the quality of writing is just about average. It's easy to read, but difficult to believe. If you really want to learn more about Blackwater you'd be better off reading the walls in a public toilet. More truth is printed there than in this book.

Left Wing Lunacy.......2007-10-16

If you agree with the autors' description of Islamic jihadist that are shot while amushing American personnel as "victims", then you'll love this crapball of a book. Bin Laden probably loves Scahill almost as much as he does the moronic Michael Moore. Please recycle :)

Not about blackwater but what the author thinka about blackwater........2007-10-15

I bought the book even after hearing it was an attack peice towards Conservatives and blackwater hoping to find out more about the goup but sad to say it was ntohing more than a rhetoric filled hack job about what the author feels about the right and not what blackwater does or is truly about.
Check out licensed to kill if you want a more in depth and non biased look into the world of security operators.

American Journalism At Its Best.......2007-10-15

A book that every self respecting American should read. This is absolutely the best book I've read in months.

Lazy hippie critizes American hero!!!! .......2007-10-08

How to describe Erik Prince? A man who grew up with tons of money and still decided to serve this country, in the Navy SEALs no less, risking his life in serveral engagements. Continuing his father's legacy of putting Americans to work and building this country by providing security and support to our military which Clinton gracefully gutted for us. A true American to the core!!!!
How dare Jeremy Scahill bash this man????!!!!! What has Jeremy Scahill done for this country lately??? Must be that liberal sense of "if you don't do anything, nobody can critize you since nothing is almost impossible to screw up". Blackwater employees have held out against terrorist with our conventional military, has a spotless record in regards to never loosing a person they had to protect under contract, and only lost less than 30 employees during the entirely of the Iraq War. Liberals like Jeremy Scahill want nothing more than Blackwater employees to be subjected to lynch mobs and ridicuolous RoEs (Rules of Engagement). Liberals love nothing more than court martialing our troops for performing their duties while watching from afar.
Jeremy Scahill seems to think New Orleans after the Hurricane was just daisies until Blackwater showed up. Does he critize the looting, rapes, murders, or any other of the horrid behavior that occurred in the aftermath of Katrina? No he is more concerned that Blackwater is not "accountable".
News flash!!! Blackwater is a private company meaning it is always accountable to their customers. They arn't the government who can take you money away through force. Long live Erik Price!!! This country needs more men like him.

Second Chance: Three Presidents and the Crisis of American Superpower

Average customer rating:

The idealism is better than the realism
DR. BRZEZINSKI SHOULD BE RUNNING THIS COUNTRY
Second Chance: 3 presidents and the Crisis of American Superpower
J'Accuse
Brilliant. A must read as we approach the future election they are boring us with ...

Second Chance: Three Presidents and the Crisis of American Superpower
Zbigniew Brzezinski
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0465002528

Book Description

From the most highly respected analyst of foreign policy writing today, a story of wasted opportunity and squandered prestige: a critique of the last three U.S. presidents' foreign policy.

America's most distinguished commentator on foreign policy, former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski, offers a reasoned but unsparing assessment of the last three presidential administrations' foreign policy. Though spanning less than two decades, these administrations cover a vitally important turning point in world history: the period in which the United States, having emerged from the Cold War with unprecedented power and prestige, managed to squander both in a remarkably short time. This is a tale of decline: from the competent but conventional thinking of the first Bush administration, to the well-intentioned self-indulgence of the Clinton administration, to the mortgaging of America's future by the "suicidal statecraft" of the second Bush administration. Brzezinski concludes with a chapter on how America can regain its lost prestige. This scholarly yet highly opinionated book is sure to be both controversial and influential.

Customer Reviews:

The idealism is better than the realism .......2007-08-29

Intelligence is no substitute for integrity. In surveying the world - situation and the role three U.S. Presidents had after the fall of the Soviet Union Brezinski fails to give prominent place to one major development he himself had considerable responsibility for i.e. the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. It was he who as Carter's foreign policy chief - advisor supervised the fall of the Shah in Iran, and did nothing to prevent the rise of the radical Islamic regime there. He also helped put into place the Mujadeen in Afghanistan, and they have been a key element in the rise of Global Islam worldwide.
In this book he focuses on what he considers the missed opportunities of the U.S. after the fall of the Soviet Union. He is especially critical of the current President.
Brezinski does have interesting things to say about current American weaknesses including the balance of payments problem, the problem of a loss of kind of moral discipline.
His idea of the United States leading mankind to a new era of dignity and freedom is a good one. And for his 'idealism' expressed most fully in the final chapter the book is worth reading.

DR. BRZEZINSKI SHOULD BE RUNNING THIS COUNTRY.......2007-07-25

I feel strongly, that this book says what most rational people in the "world!" are thinking. It is pure and clear truth. It could have been a lot less disasterous for our country, if Dr. Brzezinski could have tutored bush/cheney/rice, on how to lead a great nation with "integrity, honor and some backbone." Can we find a way for a man like Dr. Brzezinski,(who was born in Europe/Poland), to run for President?! Fantastic book! I read it in one sitting.

Second Chance: 3 presidents and the Crisis of American Superpower.......2007-07-21

Grim yet fairly non-biased assessment of the administrations since the fall of the wall. There is some hope at the end of the book, but it will take an extraordinary turn of events to keep America from losing its place in global stature.
His critical eye on the current administration is no nonsense and, sadly, accurate.

J'Accuse.......2007-07-08

This is nothing more than a scathing indictment on eight years of GWB misrule.

To distinguish his indictment from other partisan rhetoric, ZB has placed his argument in a much wider and rational perspective. He has reviewed also the missteps of the previous two US Presidents in the foreign policy arena, and the lost chances of securing and cementing a true global leadership position for USA.

What is so different with the current regime is of course not just a matter of lost chances but colossal cost to US interests abroad. Not to mention lack of any significant progress in any key domestic agenda issues to balance it all.

ZB tries to make the argument at the end that all is not lost, and US still has a chance to regain its leadership position following certain steps.

His argument is not very credible though. He ignores the fact that US, as a nation, thinks and feels very differently than the one of 50s and 60s which put US on a moral path to global leadership. Things are indeed different, and second chance seems to be wishful thinking mostly.

Writing is excellent as expected, delivery and reasoning forceful and complete. Interesting reading for those of us contemplating the next chapter.

Brilliant. A must read as we approach the future election they are boring us with ..........2007-06-28

I happen to hear this guy on Charlie Rose the other night and went out and bought his book. The book isnt as interesting as he is in an interview live but its well worth the read.

His analysis of the past three administrations is superb. It is balanced and I think offers great insight into the hits and misses of our leaders. He goes on to explain his views on the world post Russia and our missed opportunites. His close of post 2008 I would love to hear discussed by him and others.

An important book for this country. Get it and read it and act.

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

Average customer rating:

The Audacity of Hope
A must read!
awesome
Obama Stakes Out Centrist Ground
Hope and Compromise

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
Barack Obama
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0307237699
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Amazon.com

Barack Obama's first book, Dreams from My Father, was a compelling and moving memoir focusing on personal issues of race, identity, and community. With his second book The Audacity of Hope, Obama engages themes raised in his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, shares personal views on faith and values and offers a vision of the future that involves repairing a "political process that is broken" and restoring a government that has fallen out of touch with the people. We had the opportunity to ask Senator Obama a few questions about writing, reading, and politics--see his responses below. --Daphne Durham

20 Second Interview: A Few Words with Barack Obama

Q: How did writing a book that you knew would be read so closely by so many compare to writing your first book, when few people knew who you were?
A: In many ways, Dreams from My Father was harder to write. At that point, I wasn't even sure that I could write a book. And writing the first book really was a process of self-discovery, since it touched on my family and my childhood in a much more intimate way. On the other hand, writing The Audacity of Hope paralleled the work that I do every day--trying to give shape to all the issues that we face as a country, and providing my own personal stamp on them.

Q: What is your writing process like? You have such a busy schedule, how did you find time to write?
A: I'm a night owl, so I usually wrote at night after my Senate day was over, and after my family was asleep--from 9:30 p.m. or so until 1 a.m. I would work off an outline--certain themes or stories that I wanted to tell--and get them down in longhand on a yellow pad. Then I'd edit while typing in what I'd written.

Q: If readers are to come away from The Audacity of Hope with one action item (a New Year's Resolution for 2007, perhaps?), what should it be?
A: Get involved in an issue that you're passionate about. It almost doesn't matter what it is--improving the school system, developing strategies to wean ourselves off foreign oil, expanding health care for kids. We give too much of our power away, to the professional politicians, to the lobbyists, to cynicism. And our democracy suffers as a result.

Q: You're known for being able to work with people across ideological lines. Is that possible in today's polarized Washington?
A: It is possible. There are a lot of well-meaning people in both political parties. Unfortunately, the political culture tends to emphasize conflict, the media emphasizes conflict, and the structure of our campaigns rewards the negative. I write about these obstacles in chapter 4 of my book, "Politics." When you focus on solving problems instead of scoring political points, and emphasize common sense over ideology, you'd be surprised what can be accomplished. It also helps if you're willing to give other people credit--something politicians have a hard time doing sometimes.

Q: How do you make people passionate about moderate and complex ideas?
A: I think the country recognizes that the challenges we face aren't amenable to sound-bite solutions. People are looking for serious solutions to complex problems. I don't think we need more moderation per se--I think we should be bolder in promoting universal health care, or dealing with global warming. We just need to understand that actually solving these problems won't be easy, and that whatever solutions we come up with will require consensus among groups with divergent interests. That means everybody has to listen, and everybody has to give a little. That's not easy to do.

Q: What has surprised you most about the way Washington works?
A: How little serious debate and deliberation takes place on the floor of the House or the Senate.

Q: You talk about how we have a personal responsibility to educate our children. What small thing can the average parent (or person) do to help improve the educational system in America? What small thing can make a big impact?
A: Nothing has a bigger impact than reading to children early in life. Obviously we all have a personal obligation to turn off the TV and read to our own children; but beyond that, participating in a literacy program, working with parents who themselves may have difficulty reading, helping their children with their literacy skills, can make a huge difference in a child's life.

Q: Do you ever find time to read? What kinds of books do you try to make time for? What is on your nightstand now?
A: Unfortunately, I had very little time to read while I was writing. I'm trying to make up for lost time now. My tastes are pretty eclectic. I just finished Marilynne Robinson's Gilead, a wonderful book. The language just shimmers. I've started Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which is a great study of Lincoln as a political strategist. I read just about anything by Toni Morrison, E.L. Doctorow, or Philip Roth. And I've got a soft spot for John le Carre.

Q: What inspires you? How do you stay motivated?
A: I'm inspired by the people I meet in my travels--hearing their stories, seeing the hardships they overcome, their fundamental optimism and decency. I'm inspired by the love people have for their children. And I'm inspired by my own children, how full they make my heart. They make me want to work to make the world a little bit better. And they make me want to be a better man.

Book Description

“A government that truly represents these Americans–that truly serves these Americans–will require a different kind of politics. That politics will need to reflect our lives as they are actually lived. It won’t be pre-packaged, ready to pull off the shelf. It will have to be constructed from the best of our traditions and will have to account for the darker aspects of our past. We will need to understand just how we got to this place, this land of warring factions and tribal hatreds. And we’ll need to remind ourselves, despite all our differences, just how much we share: common hopes, common dreams, a bond that will not break.”
–from The Audacity of Hope

In July 2004, Barack Obama electrified the Democratic National Convention with an address that spoke to Americans across the political spectrum. One phrase in particular anchored itself in listeners’ minds, a reminder that for all the discord and struggle to be found in our history as a nation, we have always been guided by a dogged optimism in the future, or what Senator Obama called “the audacity of hope.”

Now, in The Audacity of Hope, Senator Obama calls for a different brand of politics–a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship and alienated by the “endless clash of armies” we see in congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of “our improbable experiment in democracy.” He explores those forces–from the fear of losing to the perpetual need to raise money to the power of the media–that can stifle even the best-intentioned politician. He also writes, with surprising intimacy and self-deprecating humor, about settling in as a senator, seeking to balance the demands of public service and family life, and his own deepening religious commitment.

At the heart of this book is Senator Obama’s vision of how we can move beyond our divisions to tackle concrete problems. He examines the growing economic insecurity of American families, the racial and religious tensions within the body politic, and the transnational threats–from terrorism to pandemic–that gather beyond our shores. And he grapples with the role that faith plays in a democracy–where it is vital and where it must never intrude. Underlying his stories about family, friends, members of the Senate, even the president, is a vigorous search for connection: the foundation for a radically hopeful political consensus.

A senator and a lawyer, a professor and a father, a Christian and a skeptic, and above all a student of history and human nature, Senator Obama has written a book of transforming power. Only by returning to the principles that gave birth to our Constitution, he says, can Americans repair a political process that is broken, and restore to working order a government that has fallen dangerously out of touch with millions of ordinary Americans. Those Americans are out there, he writes–“waiting for Republicans and Democrats to catch up with them.”

Customer Reviews:

The Audacity of Hope.......2007-10-18

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
Wonderful and thoughtfull book that should be read now before the election. It will make you think. Great book!

A must read!.......2007-10-10

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I read this book a while back, and I re-read it just last week now that Obama is a major Presidential contender. This book is very well written in terms of style and syntax, plus it takes us on a journey of man grappling serioulsy with issues of hope, worth, justice, patriotism and social obligation. It seems that whatever the outcome of the election, Obama believes in decency and hope and has pledged to do his part to make this a better society. It reads well, makes you think and makes you actually glimpse an American living closer to its ideal. This is a must read!

awesome.......2007-10-10

This was am amazing book by an amazing man. Really unique viewpoint and an interesting perspective with which to view American politics. Obama is obviously brilliant and is an American political historian...love that aspect, especially. His passion for this country and making the lives of the American people better shines through on every page. His humility, honesty and humanity are refreshing. He's idealistic, but no doormat. The man has drive and ambition...wonderful qualities for someone looking to make the lives of others better. He's smart, genuine and sees the big picture...what's best for America as a whole. He gives the reader not just his opinions or snippets of American history, but also a candid look at his own personal journey. He's obviously a Democrat, but shows appreciation and admiration for some individual Repbulicans, too. Wonderfully refreshing change from the usual hatemongering between parties that has become the ugly norm in America in recent years.

Obama Stakes Out Centrist Ground.......2007-10-09

I routinely give history books five stars, but I am compelled to limit this one to four. The political manifesto is limited as a genre, and I was not quite ready after Obama's last book to be brought back down to earth. The stories in this book, while by turns sad and funny, are no longer told for their own sakes like the ones in "Dreams from my Father," but to illustrate a point. Still, Obama manages to be polemical without being strident. When they deserve it in his view, he bestows credit and even praise on individual Republicans, and quotes the sage advice that President Bush once gave him -- that he was rising so spectacularly that people on his own side might come to see him as a threat. He also has a lot of praise for his staff members, listing the more senior ones by name and telling stories of things he and they discovered at the same time.

The leading characteristic of this book is that Obama strives to be Informed about every issue he comments on. Accordingly, he attacks those on the extreme poles of the debate on all these issues for encouraging their constituents not to be informed. He will frequently say, in so many words, that while Republicans need to acknowledge X, Democrats equally need to acknowledge Y. The eighth chapter, "The World Beyond Our Borders," indicates even if his more recent rhetoric did not that if you are looking for a candidate who will get our troops out of Iraq quickly, Barack Obama is probably not your man. He reminds me of no one, in fact, so much as Bill Clinton in his knowledgeable approach to the issues, bolstered frequently by statistics.

My favorite chapters were the third chapter -- in which Obama sets forth his view of the Constitution, and talks of his respectful meeting with onetime Klansman Sen. Robert Byrd -- and the sixth chapter, where he talks about religion and his race against Alan Keyes (having discussed most of his other political opponents in the previous four chapters). While he beat Keyes handily, Keyes made him more uncomfortable than the others for his implicit charge that Obama's faith is insincere or "adulterated," the word Obama uses. From this chapter, however, I gleaned that Obama's faith is hard-won. He had higher expectations of religion perhaps than most, a higher threshhold that he insisted it meet before he would embrace it; but he is sincere. Keyes has now entered the Presidential race (his third try for his party's nomination); I suspect that more than anything he wants another crack at Obama. In the last chapter before the epilogue, we see Obama as a family man, a side of him which didn't make it into his first book.

Obama writes far more readable and entertaining books than the Clintons do -- which doesn't necessarily mean he would make a better President than either of them. But I am glad he exists. He is one of those singular people who seek to prove we as a nation are who we say we are. If I was teaching American history in an inner-city school, and was not compelled to use the same books as everyone else in the state, Obama would be one of five or so authors I would assign. (Did I mention his insights on the need to completely restructure public education, shared in the fifth chapter, "Opportunity"? He's a bit short on details of his solution here, however.) As mentioned above, I give this book four stars.

Hope and Compromise.......2007-10-04

I am particularly struck by the contrast of Obama and George W. Bush. Obama stays in touch with the masses by talking in air terminals and wherever he finds them in public. Jim Wallis (author of "God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It") comments from his meeting the President:

"And he (George W. Bush) really did listen, more than presidents often do. He also asked questions. One sounded lofty, yet it resonated with those of us seated around the room: 'How do I speak to the soul of America?' My answer to that was simple: Focus on the children. Their plight is our shame, I told him, and their promise is our future. Reach them and you reach our soul. Bush nodded in agreement. The conversation was rich and deep for more than an hour and a half.

When the discussion officially ended, Bush moved around the room, talking with us individually or in small groups for another hour. I could see that his staff was anxious to whisk him away (cabinet appointments were being made that week and there were key departments yet to fill). Yet he lingered and continued to ask questions. At one point, he turned to me and said, with what I could only read as complete sincerity, 'Jim, I don't understand poor people. I've never lived with poor people or been around poor people much. I don't understand what they think and feel about a lot of things. I'm just a white Republican guy who doesn't get it. How do I get it?'"

Here, in Obama's book, Obama is an ordinary American who has entered a lofty position in Washington, but he has not forgotten the people, not only the people of America, but of Indonesia and Kenya as well.

Obama's style is assertive, with a stunning line or two for each chapter.

Still, I believe Obama isn't spot on. When he speaks of hope, for example, the word opportunity would be more exacting and prospective. While Obama speaks of compromise, it would be appropriate to examine areas of agreement, but work towards independent solutions rather than compromise.

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