Book Description
In his critically acclaimed bestseller Shadow Divers, Robert Kurson explored the depths of history, friendship, and compulsion. Now Kurson returns with another thrilling adventure–the stunning true story of one man’s heroic odyssey from blindness into sight.
Mike May spent his life crashing through. Blinded at age three, he defied expectations by breaking world records in downhill speed skiing, joining the CIA, and becoming a successful inventor, entrepreneur, and family man. He had never yearned for vision.
Then, in 1999, a chance encounter brought startling news: a revolutionary stem cell transplant surgery could restore May’s vision. It would allow him to drive, to read, to see his children’s faces. He began to contemplate an astonishing new world: Would music still sound the same? Would sex be different? Would he recognize himself in the mirror? Would his marriage survive? Would he still be Mike May?
The procedure was filled with risks, some of them deadly, others beyond May’s wildest dreams. Even if the surgery worked, history was against him. Fewer than twenty cases were known worldwide in which a person gained vision after a lifetime of blindness. Each of those people suffered desperate consequences we can scarcely imagine.
There were countless reasons for May to pass on vision. He could think of only a single reason to go forward. Whatever his decision, he knew it would change his life.
Beautifully written and thrillingly told, Crashing Through is a journey of suspense, daring, romance, and insight into the mysteries of vision and the brain. Robert Kurson gives us a fascinating account of one man’s choice to explore what it means to see–and to truly live.
Customer Reviews:
Story 5 + Writing 3 = 4.......2007-09-30
This story was so great. It's absolutely amazing what Mike May went through and his drive to be a pioneer. The writing style really left much to be desired. The dialog was cheesy and forced. The way the author referred to the main character at May was distracting and weird. I did love the technical details of vision and sight and the author did a great job explaining git in a way that made it reader friendly.
What does it mean to "see"?.......2007-09-28
This is the true story of Mike May who becomes blind at the age of 3 in a chemical explosion. His mother never shields him from reality, and in fact she encourages him to be adventuresome and to find a way around his disability. When May is in his 40's, he is told that a rare surgical procedure might give him back his sight. With typical courage, May enters into this adventure, not anticipating some of the ramifications of his decision. He is a very rare patient, and doctors gain a lot of insight into what "seeing" is really all about by studying May. Author Kurson seems to get into the head and heart of May and his descriptions of May's experiences are vivid and compelling. Kurson includes just enough medical and research information to make the book even more interesting and informative. This book is highly recommended!
John Sutphen MD.......2007-09-21
fascinating piece of research within a fascinating candid biography describing the basics of true vision
The difference between style and content.......2007-09-09
There are few books that can claim more fascinating heroes than does Crashing Through. Blinded by a chemical explosion at age three, Mike May "crashes through" life (sometimes literally!) with breathtaking recklessness until a cutting-edge surgery restores his vision decades later. Blind, Mike lives life with more gusto and success than the majority of sighted people. He skis, invents, travels, loves, and learns with the best of them, in locales as exotic as Ghana as dangerous as a self-built radio tower, and as familiar as the laid-back university setting at UC Santa Cruz. This is a man who forcefully rejected the restrictions of blindness and became a Renaissance man to be reckoned with. So far, so good; we all love a good underdog story.
Disappointingly, however, the execution falters. The narrative is choppy and ham-handed at points, with repetitive exposition and stilted, fabricated dialogue. Kurson hero-worships Mike, and the constant emphasis on Mike's myriad risks and successes feels a little like sitting in a long church service. We should all be happy with what we have, Kurson seems to be saying. Just look at Mike. That's a valid reason to write a book, but it detracts from Mike's situation, which is what we're really interested in. Exactly what does he do to overcome all these challenges? Kurson does tell us, but buries it all among too many accolades.
The last few chapters of the book, arguably the best written, are devoted to the problems Mike has after his surgery. Kurson allows us a glimpse of the myriad tests that Mike underwent to determine the extent of the neurological deficiencies he suffers (a result of going blind at such an early age). Here, finally, there is science, a definite plot to follow, rather than just tracing out Mike's life in a strung-out series of anecdotes.
A minor quibble: Kurson insists on referring to Mike as "May" throughout the book. Every other character is referenced by a first name or a title; the discrepancy is curious as well as distracting.
On the whole, Crashing Through manages to convey the exuberance and eagerness with which Mike May tackled his life, both while blind and sighted. The story comes through, although perhaps a more skilled biographer would have produced a cleaner narrative. Probably not worth going out and buying new. With its optimistic message, simple language, and straightforward story, it's not a book to really sink your teeth into, but if you're looking for a quick mood booster, it's a good pick at your local used bookshop.
The Flight of The Phoenix.......2007-09-05
Robert Kurson has produced another winner in this inspirational account of a 46 year old accomplished athlete and businessman who was blinded at age 3 from a chemical accident that left him nearly dead. Not to be denied a productive life, Mike May accomplished more than most people since that accident. In 1999, he was married with two sons when he chose to participate in a risky surgical procedure to restore his eye sight. What followed was a series of unexpected results that required cutting edge science to explain.
Most readers will probably be surprised at the extent to which vision is dependent on early experiences. Depth and face perceptions are developed based on trial and error. Humans can recognize minute differences in facial structures of any two people, but telling apart various animals such as sheep is a daunting task because most humans do not grow up among sheep, and therefore, lack the visual sensitivity to the subtle facial differences of sheep. This and other intriguing information about the development of vision in humans were discussed in chapter 14, where the entertainment and educational value of the book took a giant leap.
Kurson laid the foundation of May's pre and post operation life, but wrote nonchalantly of some of May's peculiar behavior: Prior to his surgery, May never read up on the 20 cases of the terminally blind patients with restored vision who became deeply depressed from realizing how ugly the visual world was, and in one case how ugly a patient's wife had turned out. Despite a perfectly functioning eye, May was unable to distinguish between his two sons, males from females and fell victim to a host of other uncommon vision abnormalities related purely to perception. Six months after the operation, he still hadn't read about these cases while his frustration and despair mounted.
As the title of the book suggests, May crashed through this physically and psychologically risky procedure hoping to experience sight, but ended up facing seemingly insurmountable odds. With the help of his able eye doctor and a neuroscientist, he set out to restore normal vision that had eluded him for decades and avoid following in the footsteps of his predecessors.
While "Crashing Through" didn't carry the punch of Kurson's previous book, "Shadow Divers", it was a story begging to be told, and Kurson did a decent job of telling it. The jacket design left a lot to be desired.
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- Thank You For Writing The Disposable Male
- DARWIN EXPLAINED, MORE OR LESS
- Just one man's opinion
- At Last, Someone's Written it All Down
- Gender stereotypes recast in scientific jargon
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The Disposable Male: Sex, Love, and Money--Your World Through Darwin's Eyes
Michael Gilbert
Manufacturer: The Hunter Press
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Product Description
In its fast paced, entertaining pages you will learn about the deep-seated forces that shape the behavior of today's men and women, and develop valuable tools for getting the most out of your relationships, your work, and your life. A rollicking ride--from the Big Bang to the day after tomorrow--The Disposable Male delivers a searching examination of what it means to be human in our modern, high-tech wonderland. It will have you looking at your world in a whole new and exciting way.
Customer Reviews:
Thank You For Writing The Disposable Male.......2007-06-19
As a 37 single male living in Hollywood, CA, your book provided me with an insightful and invaluable perspective into "how come" we men are where we are today without being "preachy" or redundant. By means of pragmatic logic, light hearted anecdotes and statistical analysis you paint an uncanny holistic "snapshot" of many sentiments that i too have felt about being "disposable" in modern society. Indeed, it is a relief to have some of these pent-up concerns finally unearthed and validated by someone with legitimate expertise on the subject.
Now that you have firmly established the "how come" part, I'm hoping you next delve further into the "how to's" of attaining, sustaining and mastering the more enticing role of "Indispensable Man". Perhaps a follow up book is in the works? I sincerely hope so...KS
DARWIN EXPLAINED, MORE OR LESS.......2007-02-01
I am an assistant professor teaching in a field related, but not directly applicable, to the book, which was brought to my attention by one of my students. I am, however, familiar with much of the science.
I would give this book an A for effort, with an overall grade of B+ (which I guess means 4 stars). The deductions are for the lack of footnotes (the author says above that they're coming to the book's web site, but there's simply too much here that's controversial to excuse the delay). The book also would have been better if opposing views were featured more often and if the language didn't occasionally sacrifice precision in favor of style.
That said, The Disposable Male is a very bold and highly-readable book. It may succeed where many others have failed and win the prize for conveying the story of evolution to the general public. It's been almost 150 years since Darwin's The Origin of Species was first published, and its implications couldn't be more relevant. The theory of evolution is still wildly controversial, at least in America, just look at some of our faithful school boards. This is where Gilbert shines. The impact of our ancient past, the crucial role our genes and hormones play, not to mention our biological predispositions, count for a whole lot, says the author, even in the way we live our hectic lives today. Near as I can tell, the underlying science is mostly within mainstream thinking and general references are sprinkled throughout the book. Deploying casual language, humor (sometimes side-splitting) and some vivid metaphors in the service of a very ambitious undertaking, Michael Gilbert lays out the Darwinian version of the creation story, educating readers about many crucial aspects of our modern existence. Placing the evolutionary spotlight he develops on contemporary times yields a diagnosis best summed up in his comment that, despite our social progress, "there are cavemen and cavewomen at the keyboards."
This ground has been tread by other writers. Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus actually uses evolutionary principles but it is several leagues beneath this book. Scholars such as Richard Dawkins, Steven Pinker, and Matt Ridley (as well as Robert Wright) aim their work above the heads of the ordinary American reader. Gilbert, who has a disarmingly casual way of talking about some very controversial things, gets it just about right, I think, even if he cuts the odd corner.
At its heart, The Disposable Male is a credo, a way of looking at life. The problem comes when you attempt to apply the philosophy to individual lives. There he, and the many thinkers in the field of evolutionary psychology, is on less firm ground. He's almost certainly correct when he argues that we've gotten too far away from nature. He also makes a point of saying that there is a great deal of variation within each gender when nature's laws are viewed in human terms. This can't be said enough and he probably doesn't.
Perusing the reviews here confirms my sense that this is a provocative, informative and entertaining book. It will elicit a wide range of genuinely heartfelt but not always sympathetic responses. To my way of thinking, that makes it a pretty good read. Here's how one thoughtful reviewer puts it below. "If there's a more accessible, broader, and enjoyable presentation of sociobiology/evolutionary insights, I don't know it." Neither do I.
Just one man's opinion.......2007-01-28
Not only was this book homophobic, the whole book was fiction strung together with quotes and studies that are not footnoted. Some of the studies I recognized and have been debunked. This is not to say that the topic is not a worthy one for discussion. However, the book was boring and amaturish. I was expecting the caliber of Jared M. Diamond or Sperm War by Robin Baker
A heterosexual male
At Last, Someone's Written it All Down.......2007-01-25
This book lays out a Darwinian view of life that says just about everything I think and feel about women and men, sex and romance and what family life is all about. In the first half the author takes you literally from the Big Bang to today. He lays out the evolutionary point-of-view in a funny and very interesting way, explaining how the original relationship evolved between the sexes. There are many interesting diversions along the way, about everything from how our brains developed, to the role our genes play in our make-up now, to the meaning of our sexual fantasies.
In the second half of the book Gilbert turns to our modern lives. Thats when he analyzes how our lives look when you look at it from this evolutionary position. How the lives of men and women today are in harmony with the past and how our lives now vary from it. This leads in to a lot of common sense ideas but also some controversial issues. In a way, its a conservative book but the more traditional values he puts forth are based on science, not on religion.
Feminists are going to hate this book but, as a woman, I found it very fair. In fact, he's pretty hard on men and often exalts the feminine values, especially in relationships. The author also makes a point of saying how these classical gender roles based on our natural history do not apply to everyone--that there are big differences among each gender. I highly recommend this book. You may not agree with it as much as I did but you're definitely in for an entertaining read.
Gender stereotypes recast in scientific jargon .......2007-01-24
The message of this book is simple: Women should step aside because the fact that they are doing "everything" nowadays (working and supporting families on their own) is leaving men without any direction or goals in life. This situation is also "unnatural," as men are meant to be the dominant sex and women are meant to devote their life to child rearing. How is this argument any different from that of conservative Christians? It isn't. It simply rephrases morality in pseudo-scientific terms: that which is "immoral" or "goes against God's wishes" is now "unnatural" or "disease-producing" (except for porn).
This book belongs to the bourgeoning genre of "masculinist" literature, a genre that argues that men, and consequently society as a whole, have become the victims of the agenda of radical feminists (I guess that would be me). The author tries to "seduce" women into accepting a passive and submissive role by telling us we have the moral high ground, that we women, with our lofty goals of marriage and motherhood, tame the savage (and very horny) beast called man when we insist on marriage in return for sex. While there may be some truth to this stereotype, it is not universal, nor is it a recipe for strong, lasting and sexually healthy, heterosexual relationships.
I would argue that if men are aimless, goofballs these days (and I don't think this is so), it's their responsibility to turn themselves around. Going back to the fifties: "no sex for you until you get a good job, marry me, and give me babies," is not going to give men a "real purpose" in life. Men, like women, need to find their own purpose in their lives. This is a human (existential) struggle, and for most of us it goes beyond (although for many it does include) the realm of our reproductive drives.
I've decided to give the book three stars this time (first review was not a hit), as as I found it thoroughly entertaining. No book has gotten me this worked up in a long time. I'm going to recommend it to all my "radical feminist" friends.
Book Description
A hilarious, captivating commentary that gives us--finally--a true dog’s-eye view of the world.
• The Sofa:
“The sofa is Position One. The sofa makes you feel as if you are with your people even when your people are gone.”
• The Toilet:
“The advantage of drinking from the toilet is that the water is always fresh.”
• The Baby:
“Often known as She Who Randomly Flings Food from the Table, the baby has the most flavorful, ever-changing face of all your people.”
“After reading You Are a Dog, you will start thinking like a dog.” --Bash Dibra, celebrity pet trainer and author of DogSpeak
“You Are a Dog should be the talk of every dog run in the U.S. With humor, and more bite than one might expect, Terry Bain helps us to see the world through the eyes of our dogs, and to look at their lives in fresh and insightful ways.” --Jon Katz, author of A Dog Year, The New Work of Dogs, and The Dogs of Bedlam Farm
“Terry Bain has cracked the canine code to demystify those charming, endearing, and occasionally bizarre habits our beloved dogs exhibit. You Are a Dog is equal parts witty and warm, sweet and sympathetic--read this and be destined to meet your dog at a richer, deeper level.”--Dr. Marty Becker, veterinary contributor for Good Morning America, author of The Healing Power of Pets
Customer Reviews:
Vacuums and other beasties that eat off the floor.......2006-09-20
YOU ARE A DOG: Life Through the Eyes of Man's Best Friend by Terry Bain is an entertaining romp with words as they might have been written by the family dog. Mr. Bain reveals to readers that the family dog is quite aware that you have many names for her; but more interesting is the dog's many names for the family members, names such as: He Who Leaves the Seat Up So That You Might Drink (it has been my experience with dogs that it is usually the male dog that drinks out of the toilet, not the female); He Who Smells of Garlic, Tastes of Salt, and Will Let You Lick His Feet (Grandpa?); She Who Does Not Allow Licking Ever (Mother-in-Law?); She Who Drops Food From Her Plate (and always has a diaper full), are but a few of these titles the family dog bestows on its family members.
YOU ARE A DOG informs the reader of the dog's relationship with the household itself, including his relationship with the furniture, the sofa monopolizing much of the spotlight. Terry Bain speaks of the dog's ability to mimic human expressions, especially the smile, which the dog often uses to deflect a scolding when he has been caught sleeping on the sofa. (In my house, it is the love seat, which my Border collie, heeler, and Boxer mix mutt sleeps on every night. I need to share with you here, dear reader, that this mix of mutt is the nuttiest on four legs, sometimes two. Her name is Maggie Peppers; but as crazy as she is, she would never drink out of the toilet: However, the male cat does, every chance he gets.)
Most significant of the household items to the family dog is the vacuum cleaner. While most all threats to the family members arrive from the outside in, the vacuum is already in the house, hiding in the closet, which is quite agitating to the family dog. She can smell the vacuum hiding in the hall closet, just waiting to burst, roaring, from its hiding place, intent on eating everyone and everything in its path. It is the dog's responsibility, therefore, to see to it this monster does not eat the kids, and that any food or nonfood items on the floor are eaten by the dog only. Hence, the vacuum is not only a danger to the family, but also a competitor for food, and must be destroyed, at all cost.
Terry Bain writes humorously about Fido's perception of training, traveling, visits to the vet, health and hygiene, and even doggie politics. If you are a dog lover, you will love this book. Highly recommended.
MAN'S Best Friend?.......2006-03-30
Dogs are not JUST man's best friend. I think the title lacks... obviously. Ladies, if you are feeling a bit offended I would like to suggest reading: "Woman's Best Friend" By Barbara Cohen & Louise Taylor. Ever since I can remember dogs have always been referred to as "Man's Best Friend" so not true.
Nice Try.......2006-01-09
When I got this book for Christmas, I thought I would treated to a sincere attempt to get inside the mind of my dog to view the world as he might. The jacket cover has this great picture of a deliously happy pup with his head out the car window. How many times haven't I tried to envision what a creature with a dog's sense of smell must be experiencing on our morning rides down to the town park.
What I got, instead, was a series brief vignetts ranging from one paragraph to several pages in length. I have to say some were cute, but many were hard to finish. They were grouped into categories that really don't organize material in any meaningful way.
Although you can certainly read 150 pages over a weekend, that approach doesn t work. But to be fair, the author might well have intended his readers to read one scenario each morning and to reflect on them throughout the day. That's an approach I can appreciate.
Wasn't that what "Dogs Don't Bite When a Growl Will Do" by Matt Weinsteinand and Luke Barker was about?
Let's put it this way, "It worked for them."
Do not underestimate the vacuum.......2005-09-13
I loved this book so much that I bought a half dozen copies to give to my dog-loving friends. The way that Terry Bain twists the everyday world from a dog's point of view is both brilliant and hillarious. I highly recommend this book to anyone that has a dog and ever has wondered what she was thinking.
Signed,
The One Who Sneaks Me Food From The Table.
If you have a dog, know a dog, or want a dog, Read this book........2005-08-29
If you have a dog you will recognize your friend in the humorous pages of this book. If you a know a dog, you will learn to know him better. But, if you want a dog--you will better understand the relationship you are adding to your life by acquiring such a creature.
The book is a warm, insightful and sweet monologue written from the dog's point of view.
A must read for all dog lovers.
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- For lovers of wild cats
- One Amazing Animal
- If you love your cat, you will love the stories about Cougar
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Through Cougar's Eyes: Life Lessons From One Man's Best Friend
David Raber
Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books
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Amazon.com
In one of those odd, unplanned moments of fate, David Raber paid a couple of thousand dollars to liberate a depressed and frightened cougar cub from a pet-shop cage. He took Cougar, the eponymous big cat, home, introduced him to the more compact cats that already lived with him, and watched as the household adjusted, bit by bit, to the unlikely newcomer. Everyone eventually did. So, too, did the neighborhood dogs, and most of the neighbors--though a few, Raber writes grumpily, behaved in less than friendly ways when Cougar went out for a stroll or kept vigil in the bushes. All the while, Raber observed his new housemate's behavior, learning how to interpret Cougar's growls and purrs, and how to give Cougar the freedom to act naturally in an unnatural setting.
Bringing Cougar into his home, Raber writes, "would refocus my priorities and change what I had considered important." He recounts that transformation and his changing view of wildlife and the environment, as well as the accidental fame that befell Cougar as the residents of one crowded Florida town after another came to appreciate his company. A kind of modern rejoinder to Joy Adamson's Born Free, Raber's memoir of his sentimental education in the ways of Felis concolor will interest animal enthusiasts of all kinds. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
David Raber first saw Cougar when he was an eight-week-old kitten locked up in a toaster-sized cage, being put on display and poked and prodded by the crowd.Raber took him out, held him, and just couldn't put him back.He made four promises that day: one, no more petting, out of respect for Cougar; two, no more cages; three, he would educate people against exotic animal ownership, and four, he would make Cougar happy, and this has become a 24-hour-a-day learning process and a duty that he adores.Being the only large cat in the country who is federally licensed without a cage, Cougar strides down streets, roams hotel lobbies, enters speedboat competitions, and even films a Puma Sportswear ad with several Olympic gold medalists.Together, Raber and Cougar are a team, and in this book, Raber recounts their many adventures together - he teaches Cougar about elevators, switches, and doors while saving him from bullets and speeding cars; and Cougar teaches him about deer, oppossum, and squirrels while rescuing him from alligators and raging rivers.In helping each other, they share their weaknesses and become strong.As the official poster model for the IAMS company, Cougar has been seen by millions.Beautiful and touching, entertaining and provocative, Through Cougar's Eyes is a love story that dispels the prevalent and presumptuous thinking that mankind and wildlife can't get along and depicts sacrifice and dedication with a message: relating to animals will set you both free.AUTHORBIO: DAVID RABER graduated from DePauw University with a pre-med degree and went on to become a distinguished Naval graduate.His previous occupations include Naval aviator and the owner of an aircraft management charter business.He is currently employed as the loyal servant and devoted friend to his companion, Cougar.
Customer Reviews:
For lovers of wild cats.......2002-07-15
David Raber tells a unique story -- one which many animal lovers might wish to relive. His accounts of life with this amazing cougar are worth the read. But an animal expert he is not. He may know volumes about raising a cougar in his home, but he called an opossum a rodent. Other misstatements were less obvious but inexcusable. Still, the story was fun.
One Amazing Animal.......2001-12-07
Ever since I was a young kid I wanted to own a big cat. I have lived with a house cat ever since I was born, 21 yrs. It doesn't need to be said how happy I was to find a book detailing big cat ownership. How interesting is this book? Well, I read all 200+ pages in 2 days. While not the most professionally written, it is packed with tales of Cougar that at times seem almost to amazing to be true. When finished, I didn't want it to be. I want to hear more about Cougar's adventures. Although David is against big cat ownership, I think this book also shows possibilities with the right committment. I hope to someday meet Cougar and David to share in the joy that this great cat brings wherever he takes David. My best to Dave and Cougar
If you love your cat, you will love the stories about Cougar.......2001-05-19
I suppose it is every cat lovers dream to "own" a big cat like a cougar. But most people never get that chance, and if they did would quickly realize what an all consuming job it is to care for a tamed wild cat - time, money, emotion, legalities, not to mention the fact that you want to do the best for the animal. Well the author of "Through Cougar's Eyes" knows exactly what it is like to live with a big cat. And although he never in his wildest dreams ever even considered adopting a cougar he tells in touching detail how they came to be together for life.
I love cats and I love hearing cat stories. This is a humdinger of a cat story that chronicles the adventures of a man, his wife and a very large cat. It is simply amazing what David and Linda Raber were and are still willing to do to care for this beautiful animal. Are their efforts worth the sacrifices they have made? You bet they are. This animal lives a wonderful life because he is so loved and in return the Rabers have received so much joy.
I just love this story. If you love cats or if you love animals you are going to love this book and besides since Cougar is the national spokes-cat for Iams cat food you can actually meet him and his human family in person as they travel the country together, which I highly recommend it is such a treat, just like this book.
Average customer rating:
- BOLD NEW COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS
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Through the Eyes of Man
Wayne Schoenfeld
Manufacturer: SWC Editions
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ASIN: 0972769609 |
Book Description
Erotic, operatic staged photographs based on Biblical lore. The work borrows on traditional renaissance color palates and forms to reinterpret the stories of the Bible in a modern context. Each photographs resonates with a familiarity from the works of the masters, but re expresses the timeless themes in modern terms and social thought.
Customer Reviews:
BOLD NEW COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS.......2004-01-01
THROUGH THE EYES OF MAN
by Wayne Schoenfeld
"Erotic, revisionist, operatic images inspired by Biblical lore..."
"Through the Eyes of Man" an acknowledgment of the many beliefs, stories, and myths that humankind has produced in the existential search for certainty in an unpredictable and often frightening world...anachronistic European conventions of religious pictorialism boldly restaging the drama.
Schoenfeld astutely recognizes the universally indiosyncratic nature of religious imagery and melds his determinedly independent visualizations to what he feels is the spirit of Western religious art.
There is a completeness to the staging that is clearly meant to capture the multi- sensory experience of operatic theater. Schoenfeld wants to renew timeless universal themes by envisioning a new theater of sensation and spirituality.
Book Description
What is the state of humankind?The answer to that question is inherently theological, for it presupposes theological understandings of how humankind came to be, how it fits into the natural order, and how its current condition measures up to its origins. Much has been written of Western responses to the question, but with The Human Condition Joe M Kapolyo brings us an African Christian perspective that is refreshing and enlightening.Conversant with contemporary culture and aware of Western understandings, Kapolyo reconceptualizes the human condition as he discusses time, sin, community, family and virtue with reference to African history and cultural anthropology. The resulting mosaic provides a backdrop for the Bible's presentation of the human condition: created in the image of God, intended for one another, vulnerable to sin but watched over by a loving God.
Product Description
The 2004-2005 college basketball season provided University of Illinois fans with some of the greatest moments in program history. In Head Coach Bruce WeberÂ’s words and with his insights, Bruce Weber: Through My Eyes provides the Illini Nation with a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most amazing seasons in college basketball history, including a 29-0 start, 15 weeks atop the national rankings, an NCAA record-tying 37 victories and a compelling style of play that captivated the country. Through My Eyes also offers a revealing look at the man who orchestrated such an unforgettable season. Find out how Weber learned the game from a father who coached, the adjustments he needed to make to get the team to buy into his style when he first arrived at Illinois, how he kept his squad focused on St. Louis and the Final Four in the midst of a media circus, how he dealt with the pressure of being ranked #1, and how he was able to continue on as a coach and son despite the loss of his mother during the Big Ten tournament. Coach Weber shares his thoughts on the early-season win over Wake Forest that vaulted the Illini to the #1 ranking in the country. He comments on tough road wins over Wisconsin and Michigan State and the road trip to Purdue, where he squared off against his mentor, Gene Keady. Weber talks about the NCAA regional game against his alma mater, UW-Milwaukee, the amazing comeback against Arizona, the craziness of the Final Four, and IllinoisÂ’ battle against North Carolina in the national championship game. Bruce Weber: Through My Eyes takes you into the locker room and onto the court to learn firsthand the strategies and stories that made this an unforgettable Illinois season.
Customer Reviews:
Bruce Weber's book.......2005-09-23
Everything went like clockwork from the time I ordered "Through my Eyes" by Bruce Weber until it arrived in perfect condition in the mail. Thank you so much.
A Review Of the 2004-2005 Season Via Weber's Perspective.......2005-08-03
This is very quick, easy and light reading, but it's a wonderful walk of remembrance through the 2004-2005 basketball season. It's sprinkled along the way with revelations about Bruce Weber, the man. I truly recommend the book to any Illini fan who would enjoy "reliving" that dream season.
Some tidbits:
* When Weber entered the Ohio State arena (before that fateful first loss), an Ohio State fan yelled, "You're going down, Coach!"
Weber replied, "Thank you."
* Weber's voice is the way it is because of a surgery he had when he was 8 or 9 years old. He had polyps in his throat and they were lasered/burned off.
His remembrances of the Arizona game, the championship game, and the beginnings of his professional relationship with Gene Keady are a treat to read and too special to be entirely revealed here.
No, it's not bestseller material (like Three Nights in August), but for rabid Illini fans such as myself, it's well worth the read.
Average customer rating:
- Anthony Carlino
- Technically Fiction but Mostly True
- Recommended, great read!
- Follows a would-be air gunner as his hopes are broken one by one
- Follows a would-be air gunner as his hopes are broken one by one
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Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel: World War II through the Eyes of a Radio Man
Mark Stuart Ellison , and
Eli Ellison
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
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Historical
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
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War
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
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Action & Adventure
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
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ASIN: 0595319165 |
Book Description
“I enjoyed Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel so much I could hardly put it down. It ought to be widely read as an excellent way of recalling World War II.”
—Hans L. Trefousse
Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History
Brooklyn College and Graduate Center of the City University of New York
“Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel paints an absorbing picture of the daily life of America's greatest generation. Vets will find themselves reliving their own experiences—the boredom, the loneliness, the fear, and the role of fate in life and death. For the rest of us, Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel is social history at its best.”
—Dr. Stanley J. Michalak
Senior Associate, Foreign Policy Research Institute, Philadelphia
Professor Emeritus of Government, Franklin and Marshall College
“A vivid story brought to realistic life.”
—Midwest Book Review
“Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel delicately mixes fiction and history to tell the story of an American air corpsman during World War II. His precious letters enhance a grand book deserving warm appreciation. People from my hometown will be as moved and fascinated as many Americans who will, no doubt, eagerly read it.”
—Jacques Wynants, Belgian Historian
Author of Verviers 1940 and Verviers Libéré
Customer Reviews:
Anthony Carlino.......2007-01-28
A beautifully written story, Dear Mom, Dad and Ethel shows us how, in the face of war's uncertainty, man naturally seeks to form and sustain relationships, and savors them all the more. A timely piece.
Technically Fiction but Mostly True.......2007-01-24
I am the surviving co-author of Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel: World War II through the Eyes of a Radio Man. Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel combines wartime letters, a love story, and six years of historical research. It is based on the experiences of my late father and co-author, Eli Ellison, who was an air corps radio truck operator in the 327th Fighter Control Squadron in Western Europe from 1943 to 1945.
A previously posted review, subsequently deleted for other reasons, indicated that the reviewer thought Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel was non-fiction. It's hard to see how she could have reached that conclusion. The cover image at the top of the main page clearly indicates that it is "a novel." A review posted by Midwest Book Review says that Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel "blends fiction and history." An endorsement by Belgian historian Jacques Wynants in the Editorial Reviews Section notes that Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel "mixes fiction and history." Finally, the word "Fiction" prominently appears on the back cover of Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel.
That being said, Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel is about 90 percent true. The wartime correspondence in Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel was transcribed from original V-mail letters written by my father to his parents and sister Ethel while he was overseas. Most of the remaining text is a synthesis of my father's strongest memories, library research, research of trusted historical websites, and considerable material provided by Mr. Wynants and other authorities. Additional sources and consultants are given due credit in the Preface. Over 35 pages of endnotes and references appear after the main text. In addition, there are nine pages of wartime photographs provided by my father, The Imperial War Museum in London, and Belgian sources. Two images of original V-mail letters in my father's handwriting, with army censor's stamp visible, are included in the book's photographic section.
Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel could not be told as non-fiction because there were some factual gaps in my father's memories, and we wanted to protect the anonymity of certain people. Some names, ranks, and/or physical descriptions were changed. However, the overwhelming majority of events depicted in Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel actually occurred.
The plot summary of Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel appears below. The real-life Eli Ellison was the model for the Don Quix character.
PLOT SUMMARY
On October 7, l942, Don Quix enlists in the Air Corps. He's slated to be an aerial gunner, but his flying dreams are shattered when he's caught AWOL with buddy Ken Jackson. Don manages to become a radio truck supervisor in a fighter control squadron while Ken goes to a demolition unit.
As an army engineer, Ken barely survives D-Day on Normandy's "Bloody Omaha." During a baseball game in a French forest, Don moves his head slightly, saving himself from a sniper's bullet.
Arriving in Verviers, Belgium in September 1944, Don and his fellow radio men endure frequent buzz bomb attacks. Due to a miscalculation in army strategy, they find themselves on the front lines during the Battle of the Bulge.
Don's reunion with Ken, now a tech sergeant with a bomb disposal outfit, is marred by tragedy, dampening Don's torrid love affair with beautiful seamstress Denise Vervier. Denise's husband, sent to a forced labor camp in 1940, is presumed dead. When he unexpectedly returns, Don and Denise face a heartbreaking choice.
Recommended, great read!.......2005-10-10
This book is a treasure. With the numbers of this generation (my parent's generation) dwindling before our eyes, the importance of books such as this which capture the mind set and feelings of this era cannot be over-emphasized. A special thank you to the author and to Mom, Dad and Ethel! Read it, you will not be disappointed!!!
Follows a would-be air gunner as his hopes are broken one by one.......2005-08-13
Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel: World War II through the Eyes of a Radio Man is a novel that blends fiction and history. Set during the deadly battles near the end of World War II, it follows a would-be air gunner as his hopes are broken one by one. When caught AWOL with a friend, his military ambitions are reduced to being a radio truck driver. In Belgium of 1944, he experiences tragedy, and falls in love with a beautiful seamstress whose husband was sent to a forced labor camp in 1940 and presumed dead - then unexpectedly returns alive, forcing a heartbreaking choice. A handful of black-and-white photographs enhance the vivid story, brought to realistic life through the memories of veteran and co-author Eli Ellison, and collaboratively enhanced with the skills of his son, attorney, reporter, and co-author Mark Stuart Ellison.
Follows a would-be air gunner as his hopes are broken one by one.......2005-08-08
Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel: World War II through the Eyes of a Radio Man is a novel that blends fiction and history. Set during the deadly battles near the end of World War II, it follows a would-be air gunner as his hopes are broken one by one. When caught AWOL with a friend, his military ambitions are reduced to being a radio truck driver. In Belgium of 1944, he experiences tragedy, and falls in love with a beautiful seamstress whose husband was sent to a forced labor camp in 1940 and presumed dead - then unexpectedly returns alive, forcing a heartbreaking choice. A handful of black-and-white photographs enhance the vivid story, brought to realistic life through the memories of veteran and co-author Eli Ellison, and collaboratively enhanced with the skills of his son, attorney, reporter, and co-author Mark Stuart Ellison.
Average customer rating:
- For afficionados of the movement rather than beginners.
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A Man's Viewpoint: Viewing Gender Issues Through Men's Eyes
Rob Mazzeo
Manufacturer: Viewpoint Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
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Marriage & Family
| Sociology
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Culture
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
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ASIN: 096606660X |
Customer Reviews:
For afficionados of the movement rather than beginners........2000-01-11
As someone else said in a review of another book, it's symptomatic of where we are in the gender debate these days that you have to be a woman to critique feminism. A man who has the audacity to do so is immediately labeled "angry" or "bitter" or some such discount. That men even have a valid viewpoint, much less a right to have it, is hardly on the radar screen. The so-called debate is really a monologue, with women laying out to men how it's gonna be: their way or the highway. It's as if these things only affect women.
Consequently, powerful and privileged women get juicy book deals with big publishers and teams of editors and researchers, while qualified men like Rob Mazzeo are left trying to find some out-of-the-way publisher in more of a do-it-yourself effort. It wouldn't be the first time: many other books expressing a male viewpoint read as if they came out of an underground press. (Zubaty's "Surviving the Feminization of America" comes to mind.) This alone is a powerful testament to men's second class status. Heck, Jack Kammer's excellent "If Men Have All the Power, How Come Women Make the Rules?" is only available in digital form on the I-Net.
If you can get past the effects of these things on a book (numerous typos, many commas in the wrong places, sections which need re-writing or at least serious editing, etc.) Mazzeo's book is quite good at living up to its title. It's as long on content as it is short on polish.
While some of Mazzeo's phraseology is lifted directly from Warren Farrell's work, especially "The Myth of Male Power" (sadly without attribution), and much of what's said here will be more or less familiar to anyone well-read in the men's rights genre, there is a unique angle that the author brings to bear on the topic. Plus there are tons of real-life stories from what must be a quite extensive news clippings file (20 pgs of footnotes). It's hard to think of another book which argues so strongly for the need for fairness towards men and for men's equality with women on such a wide gamut of topics.
Books:
- Death in the Silent Places
- Dinosaur in a Haystack: Reflections in Natural History
- Drawing From The Modern
- Einstein: His Life and Universe
- Facts and Fabrications: Unraveling the History of Quilts and Slavery: 8 Projects, 20 Blocks, First-Person Accounts
- Film Directing: Shot by Shot: Visualizing from Concept to Screen (Michael Wiese Productions)
- Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires
- Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book)
- Fortune's Fool (Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, Book 3)
- God of the Rodeo: The Quest for Redemption in Louisiana's Angola Prison
Books Index
Books Home
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- The Atomic Bomb in History and Memory: The American Experience in World War II, Volume Seven
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- Island White Ghost
- Addicted to Shopping and Other Issues Women Have with Money
Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II
Here If You Need Me: A True Story
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