After the Light: What I Discovered on the Other Side of Life That Can Change Your World
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A Very Readable Account of some primary-source NDE's
  • A little odd...
  • After the Light
  • Ann's Opinion
  • An NDE and Paranormal Experiences
After the Light: What I Discovered on the Other Side of Life That Can Change Your World
Kimberly Clark Sharp
Manufacturer: Authors Choice Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

New AgeNew Age | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
MemoirsMemoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ESPESP | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Near-Death ExperiencesNear-Death Experiences | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
AngelsAngels | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Personal TransformationPersonal Transformation | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Religion & Spirituality BooksLook Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:
  1. The Birth Called Death: The Remarkable Story of One Woman's Journey to the Other Side of Life The Birth Called Death: The Remarkable Story of One Woman's Journey to the Other Side of Life
  2. 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death & Life 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death & Life
  3. My Descent Into Death: A Second Chance at Life My Descent Into Death: A Second Chance at Life
  4. We Live Forever: The Real Truth About Death We Live Forever: The Real Truth About Death
  5. Return from Tomorrow Return from Tomorrow

ASIN: 0595280285

Book Description

"Death is nothing to fear - and life without fear can be lived to the fullest."

This is Kimberly Clark Sharp's message from her extraordinary experience during the time after her heart suddenly stopped beating and she lay on the sidewalk, not breathing, and without a pulse. Swept into a peaceful loving place of brilliant golden light and warm comfort, she saw, for the first time, the meaning of life - and death.

Thereafter, Kimberly, with hamster Toto at her side, left Kansas for Seattle - known as "the Emerald City" -- to fulfill a destiny devoted to the service of others as foreseen at the end of her near-death experience. Guided by a new sensitivity to the presence of angels, demons and other invisibilities, Kimberly attained a Masters degree in Social Work at the University of Washington and began a career in medical social work that put her in direct contact with dying people - and people who almost died and came back.

It is the inspirational stories of these near-death experiences, as well as Kimberly's own life challenges in love, family life and the diagnosis of breast cancer, that form the core of this surprisingly funny page-turner of a book.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Very Readable Account of some primary-source NDE's.......2007-02-09

The author experienced a brief NDE at age 22. She doesn't go into a lot of detail about this experience, since she "repressed" the experience at the time, most of the book is her account of her life afterward and how it was affected/changed. Through her work as a social worker at a hospital, she encountered a number of other people who had NDE's, and she realized that her experience had turned on her psychic sensitivity in such a way that she could empathize with these patients, as well as see angels and demons. Her accumulating experiences with people who had these experiences led her into being more overtly involved with the subject, and recalling and exploring the nuances of her own experience. Through this process, she has become involved in giving talks about how the medical community should respond to patients' NDE's, and being involved with NDE-related groups. The NDE and the lack of fear of death it engendered in her helps her as she goes through traumatic events in her life such as the death of friends, and personal health problems.

If you have read a number of books on this topic (such as by Raymond Moody, etc.) this book will be interesting due to the fact that Kim Clark actually reports the first-person version of a number of "famous" NDE cases which are quoted by Moody and others in their books, such as the story about the NDE experiencer who "proved" her experience by observing an abandoned tennis shoe on the outside ledge of the hospital, which the author later found and determined could not have been seen by anyone except someone "floating" above the hospital as reported. There are several other oft-told NDE stories in other literature which Kim Clark reports on in first person here - it is interesting to have a primary source for these stories.

The book is very well-written and one turns the pages quickly.

3 out of 5 stars A little odd..........2007-01-30

Although I enjoy the subject of near-death experiences, this story got a little out of what you might call the grip of reality. Sharp talks about battling demons (literally!), beams of light emanating from her chest, and having psychic visions. I'm sorry but I think the author is a little bit "off", to put it tactfully.

5 out of 5 stars After the Light.......2007-01-10

Very positive and forward thinking book. I couldn't put it down. I would highly recommend for anyone interested in the subject of near-death-experiences and how it can change your life.

4 out of 5 stars Ann's Opinion.......2006-11-23

This book is very interesting and worth reading, but I wonder why Kimberly Sharp has so much trouble with demons if she is a professing Christian. The name of Jesus and His power chases away demons. Read the book and see what you think.

4 out of 5 stars An NDE and Paranormal Experiences.......2006-09-26

Kimberly Clark Sharp writes a personal memoir about her near death experience at the age of 22 and all the things that take place afterwards. Paranormal and spirtual happenings follow her life.

She ends up working as a social worker and dealing with the dying. She uses her own NDE to help her become a counselor.

I did not try to judge any of the events of her life and accepted the story as it was told in the book. One never knows what others have honestly experienced and I am not one to question her personal accounts. They are certainly interesting and different.

It is wortyh reading. It will create some questions as well.
Empires of Light: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the Race to Electrify the World
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Great read -
  • So Good They Should Make It a Movie
  • The perfect book for the early history of electrical technology
  • More Adjectives?
  • Enlightenment
Empires of Light: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the Race to Electrify the World
Jill Jonnes
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
History of TechnologyHistory of Technology | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Electromagnetism | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
AppliedApplied | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
ElectromagnetismElectromagnetism | Physics | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Electricity PrinciplesElectricity Principles | Electrical & Electronics | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. AC/DC: The Savage Tale of the First Standards War AC/DC: The Savage Tale of the First Standards War
  2. Electric Universe: The Shocking True Story of Electricity Electric Universe: The Shocking True Story of Electricity
  3. Tesla: Man Out of Time Tesla: Man Out of Time
  4. Conquering Gotham: A Gilded Age Epic: The Construction of Penn Station and Its Tunnels Conquering Gotham: A Gilded Age Epic: The Construction of Penn Station and Its Tunnels
  5. Wizard: The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla : Biography of a Genius (Citadel Press Book) Wizard: The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla : Biography of a Genius (Citadel Press Book)

ASIN: 0375507396
Release Date: 2003-08-19

Amazon.com

Jill Jonnes's compelling Empires of Light: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the Race to Electrify the World offers a multi-sided tale of America's turn-of-the-20th-century quest for cheap, reliable electrical power. Along the way, the book profiles key personalities in both the science and industry of electrification and dramatizes the transformation of American society that accompanied the technological revolution. As her sub-title suggests, Jonnes's focus is on the three great personalities behind the building of the electricity industry. But, as she makes clear, the electrification of America was much more than a pathbreaking scientific quest. The genius of such poet-scientists as Nikola Tesla depended on the more finely tuned business skills of George Westinghouse and the towering capital of J.P. Morgan to achieve actualization. And even Thomas Edison and Westinghouse--innovative industrial combatants in the war between AC and DC current--were victims of the far more powerful and conservative financial forces of Wall Street. Indeed, for Jonnes, the story of electricity is as much about the legions of patent attorneys and bankers who controlled the flow of industry as it is about the circulation of current. Her sophisticated portrait of Gilded Age science, business, and society brings new light to the forces that underlie technological revolutions. As she reveals, it is not so much the great public men of science who directed the destiny of America's eventual empire of light; rather, the path was solidified by those men behind the scenes who were wise enough (and perhaps ruthless enough) to impose their legal, financial, and political dominance onto the scientific innovation--a valuable message for all eras. --Patrick O'Kelley

Book Description

In the final decades of the nineteenth century, three brilliant and visionary titans of America’s Gilded Age—Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and George Westinghouse—battled bitterly as each vied to create a vast and powerful electrical empire. In Empires of Light, historian Jill Jonnes portrays this extraordinary trio and their riveting and ruthless world of cutting-edge science, invention, intrigue, money, death, and hard-eyed Wall Street millionaires. At the heart of the story are Thomas Alva Edison, the nation’s most famous and folksy inventor, creator of the incandescent light bulb and mastermind of the world’s first direct current electrical light networks; the Serbian wizard of invention Nikola Tesla, elegant, highly eccentric, a dreamer who revolutionized the generation and delivery of electricity; and the charismatic George Westinghouse, Pittsburgh inventor and tough corporate entrepreneur, an industrial idealist who in the era of gaslight imagined a world powered by cheap and plentiful electricity and worked heart and soul to create it.

Edison struggled to introduce his radical new direct current (DC) technology into the hurly-burly of New York City as Tesla and Westinghouse challenged his dominance with their alternating current (AC), thus setting the stage for one of the eeriest feuds in American corporate history, the War of the Electric Currents. The battlegrounds: Wall Street, the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, Niagara Falls, and, finally, the death chamber—Jonnes takes us on the tense walk down a prison hallway and into the sunlit room where William Kemmler, convicted ax murderer, became the first man to die in the electric chair.

Empires of Light is the gripping history of electricity, the “mysterious fluid,” and how the fateful collision of Edison, Tesla, and Westinghouse left the world utterly transformed.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great read - .......2007-10-08

This was a great piece of narrative non-fiction - great for anyone who loves nerdy stuff or Wall Street - either story (both well told) are fascinating -

5 out of 5 stars So Good They Should Make It a Movie.......2007-03-22

This book is so good they could make it into a movie. I've worked for an electrical power utility for over 38 years and I'm a history buff so this was a double pleasure for me. Jill Jonnes gives us a fascinating look at the origins of electrical power in the U.S.

There is something here for everyone: the macabre account of the first execution by electrocution, and the equally gut-wrenching story of the lineman in New York who died a horrible death dangling from high-voltage wires forty feet above the pavement. His body burned and spewed blood while the frightened onlookers could do nothing to save him. Then there is the inspiring story of Edison, Westinghouse and Tesla, the three who get the most credit for advancing and solidifying electrical power as a viable business in the U.S. Whether they were "geniuses" or not is a matter of your own perspective. They were certainly workaholics who had extraordinary intelligence and vision about what could be done with new technology. (Edison once worked five days straight while inventing the phonograph.)

There was a great battle between alternating and direct current. Edison stubbornly fought AC all the way. He felt it was unsafe for use by the general public because of the danger of lethal electric shock. He bragged that with his DC system, anyone would survive accidental contact, although the proponents of AC led by Westinghouse countered with the fact that Edison's DC system had caused many fires, both in customers' houses and in the central generating plants. The author points out that Edison may have had another reason, his own pride. Anyone in the business at that time could see the obvious advantage of AC over DC. DC was limited to about a one-mile radius of the generator, where AC could be transmitted several miles by stepping voltage up or down as needed with Westinghouse's new transformers. And once Tesla's AC two-phase motor was developed for commercial use, Edison's DC system was doomed.

Tesla turned into a sort of benevolent mad scientist after the Niagara project--Dr. Frankenstein with his gigantic Tesla coils, shooting lightning into the atmosphere. At one point his lab pulled so much power he caused the Colorado Springs powerhouse to trip off line, throwing the entire area into a blackout. Tesla's visionary dream, apparently, was to develop a means of transmitting power wirelessly. All humanity could tap into the standing wave generated by the Tesla coils, or whatever, and thereby receive free electricity. Tesla naturally needed huge financial support for this and he turned to J.P. Morgan who had financed the Niagara project and many other large ventures. But Morgan had seen too many of Tesla's projects come to naught, so he declined to back any more of them. Among Tesla's many experiments were the fluorescent light and the radio transmitter-receiver, the later being carried forward by Marconi who may have purloined some of Tesla's patents.

Two great projects did the most to advance electric power: the 1893 Columbia Exposition in Chicago, and the Niagara Falls hydro-generator plant. Tesla and Westinghouse were the brains and brawn behind the Niagara project completed in 1895, and it was Westinghouse who got the contract to light up the Chicago World's Fair. In 1893 only the wealthiest Americans could enjoy the advantages of electric light. The fair, known as the White City, showed all Americans the marvels of electrical light and appliances.

The advent of electrical power in the U.S. was a struggle of hard-driven men plowing new ground against constant financial and legal setbacks, the intrigues and subterfuge of their competitors, and the race forward with a technology that was only barely understood at the time. But once it took hold it spread like wildfire as almost everyone, rich or poor, wanted to convert to electric. Indeed, the success of America in WW II, the great arsenal of democracy, was due in large part to the fact that by 1940 cheap electrical power was available in every part of the country, even the desert of New Mexico.




5 out of 5 stars The perfect book for the early history of electrical technology.......2007-03-10

This was exactly what I wanted, the history and description of how the early implementation, financing and design happened. I hate when we get an autobiography of the inventer's life and not a detailed description of how they developed the technology and what mistakes and breakthoughs the inventer got. This book is fantastic.

3 out of 5 stars More Adjectives?.......2007-03-06

More description always makes books longer, but it does not always make them better. This is the first lesson I learned from Empires of Light: save the details for when they can be truly useful. Jill Jonnes writes like a historian who just finished an intro-to-composition course; however, for this book she probably should have spent more time with aspiring electricians at her local trade school. A book about "the race to electrify the world" would better benefit from its author knowing too much about electricity than from her ability to generate great varieties of adjectives for the same basic subjects--Nikola Tesla is always elegant and awkward, the weather is either oppressively hot or frigidly cold, and the men's Gilded Age facial hair is always worthy of description. Jonnes even repeats some of the same proper descriptions chapter after chapter, as if some readers might read the book as a collection of essays--George Westinghouse travels in "Glen Eyre, his private railcar" and Tesla dines at "Delmonico's, America's most famous restaurant." On the other hand, I found myself wondering about the basic voltage equals current times resistance (V=IR) electricity equation: was Jonnes avoiding it because the inventors of electricity didn't understand it yet, or did she just not think it was important to her readers' understanding of the subject?

There may not be any better books available on this subject, but Jonnes does neither the Gilded Age nor the birth of electrification justice. This book would benefit either by being edited to half its length or expanded to improve the social and technical context; as written, it's a lukewarm offering which I give three stars.

5 out of 5 stars Enlightenment.......2007-01-09

Jill Jonnes has put together a well written and entertaining story of three men for the ages. Most of us have heard of T. A. Edison and have a certain familiarity with his many achievments. Jonnes gives us a view of him that is both interesting and novel. Her bios of Westinghouse and Tesla are a piece of American history that we all should know. Buy it, I think you will like it.
Milking the Painted Cow: The Creative Power of Mind and the Shape of Reality in Light of the Buddhist Tradition (Buddhism in the West)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Sound guidance for building a healthy foundation
Milking the Painted Cow: The Creative Power of Mind and the Shape of Reality in Light of the Buddhist Tradition (Buddhism in the West)
Tarthang Tulku
Manufacturer: Dharma Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Buddhism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
TibetanTibetan | Buddhism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Quintessential Dzogchen: Confusion Dawns as Wisdom Quintessential Dzogchen: Confusion Dawns as Wisdom
  2. Knowledge of Freedom: Time to Change (Nyingma Psychology Series) Knowledge of Freedom: Time to Change (Nyingma Psychology Series)
  3. The Joy of Being: Advanced Kum Nye Practices for Relaxation, Integration and Concentration (Tibetan Yoga) The Joy of Being: Advanced Kum Nye Practices for Relaxation, Integration and Concentration (Tibetan Yoga)
  4. Time, Space, and Knowledge: A New Vision of Reality (Nyingma Psychology Series) Time, Space, and Knowledge: A New Vision of Reality (Nyingma Psychology Series)
  5. Tibetan Meditation: Practical Teachings And Step-by-step Exercises on How to Live in Harmony, Peace, And Happiness (Meditation) Tibetan Meditation: Practical Teachings And Step-by-step Exercises on How to Live in Harmony, Peace, And Happiness (Meditation)

ASIN: 0898003687

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Sound guidance for building a healthy foundation .......2005-06-04

Soundly grounded in Buddhist tradition and cognoscente of the Western world view, Milking The Painted Cow: The Creative Power Of Mind And The Shape Of Reality In Light Of The Buddhist Tradition by the visionary Tibetan lama Tarthang Tulku draws upon years of dynamic interaction with western students to detail the traps and pitfalls faced by Westerners as they approach Buddhist teachings and offers sound guidance for building a healthy foundation for a satisfying and productive spiritual life according to Buddhist tenets. A welcome addition to the growing library of Buddhist literature for western readers, Milking The Painted Cow is strongly recommended reading which is as informed and informative as it is inspired and inspiring.
Light for the world;: Edison and the power industry
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Light for the world;: Edison and the power industry
    Robert Silverberg
    Manufacturer: Van Nostrand
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Unknown Binding

    EngineeringEngineering | Specialty Stores | Books | Aerospace | Automotive | Bioengineering | Chemical | Civil | Computer Technology | Design | Economics | Education | Electrical & Electronics | Energy | General | Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems | Management | Materials | Materials Science | Mechanical | Nuclear | Patents & Inventions | Petroleum, Mining & Geological | Power Systems | Reference | Research | Special Topics | Telecommunications | Welding
    EngineeringEngineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books | Aerospace | Automotive | Bioengineering | Chemical | Civil | Computer Technology | Design | Economics | Education | Electrical & Electronics | Energy | General | Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems | Management | Marine | Materials | Materials Science | Mechanical | Nuclear | Patents & Inventions | Petroleum, Mining & Geological | Power Systems | Reference | Research | Special Topics | Telecommunications | Welding
    AppliedApplied | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
    ASIN: B0006BRPR4
    The Time Travelers Academy
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • I love time travel books
    The Time Travelers Academy
    Reginald Williams
    Manufacturer: Lulu.com
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    GeneralGeneral | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
    Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy BooksLook Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
    Similar Items:
    1. Time Snatchers Time Snatchers
    2. Str8 Bolt Str8 Bolt
    3. Our Place In Time: A Time Travel Novel Our Place In Time: A Time Travel Novel
    4. A Love Out Of Time A Love Out Of Time
    5. Twilight Twilight

    ASIN: 1847289266

    Book Description

    In time travel theory, there is an unknown aspect of the grandfather paradox. If a person does anything that will affect the future, some force in nature will stop them. In The Time Travelers Academy, this force comes within a hair's breadth of destroying humanity when a comet brings a new and unstoppable plague to Earth. The President makes a choice that will either save Earth's inhabitants or annihilate them. At a secret military academy, ten cadets are selected to travel to the future of Earth's sister planet, in the hope that planet has found a cure for the plague. The mission's leader, John Richards, knows that past time travel risks encountering time eliminators: entities that will absorb him and his crew out of existence before their actions can literally reset the universal timeline. But when Richards learns that his fiancé was killed in a contract hit, he's determined to go back in time and prevent her death, even if it risks the destruction of the current Earth.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars I love time travel books.......2007-05-02

    Wow!!! I purchased and read the book in its entirety and loved it!!! Before I purchased the book I read the synopsis and utilized the search inside option... Just what I was looking for in a time travel book. This book is perfect for young adults or those who just love a good time travel book. Its a mixture of romance, action and adventure.

    The story line is very easy to follow from start to finish. Professionally written and professionally edited. A great book that would make a great movie.

    "The Time Travelers Academy"

    A secret training academy that teaches time travel. The hero challenges the grandfather paradox to go back in time and save his fiancé from a tragedy but an unknown aspect of the grandfather paradox stipulates: Something in nature will stop the time traveler from changing the past.

    I loved the story line about the "eliminators" entities that will stop a time travelers from changing the past. The hit movie called the Langoliers had similar but very different entities. The Langoliers' job is to erase moments in time that have already passed into history very different from the "eliminators" but a very good concept.

    You'll love the characters they are very believable. Each character was out to achieve something. I cant tell you how it ends all I can say is you will not be disappointed...I highly recommend this book.







    Chasing the Sun: Solar Adventures Around the World
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • A great advertisement for the author - and not much else.
    • What a fantastic book!
    • Great book on Solar business by someone who has figured out how to actually get things done!
    • Unique and deeply valuable
    • Walt Ratterman - Renewable Energy in the Developing World
    Chasing the Sun: Solar Adventures Around the World
    Neville Williams
    Manufacturer: New Society Publishers
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    GeneralGeneral | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
    ConservationConservation | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
    ReferenceReference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
    General & ReferenceGeneral & Reference | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books
    Renewable EnergyRenewable Energy | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Light | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
    LightLight | Physics | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Energy | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
    Look Inside Outdoors & Nature BooksLook Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
    Similar Items:
    1. The Solar Fraud: Why Solar Energy Won't Run the World, Second Edition The Solar Fraud: Why Solar Energy Won't Run the World, Second Edition
    2. The Solar Economy: Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Global Future The Solar Economy: Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Global Future
    3. Solar Revolution: The Economic Transformation of the Global Energy Industry Solar Revolution: The Economic Transformation of the Global Energy Industry
    4. Photovoltaics Design And Installation Manual: Renewable Energy Education for a Sustainable Future Photovoltaics Design And Installation Manual: Renewable Energy Education for a Sustainable Future
    5. Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble

    ASIN: 0865715378

    Book Description

    If millions of people in the developing world can use solar power, why can't we in North America? The question immediately arises from this fascinating account of the author's twelve year quest to bring solar power and light to people in the developing world who have no electricity.

    Chasing the Sun is a story of dreamers and doers who succeeded in their mission to make the world better by delivering nature's energy to poor people and by building organizations to put the sun at their service in practical, affordable and effective ways. A green-energy development narrative that is fun and eye-opening, the book is also part autobiography. Author Neville Williams' inspiring tale of trail-blazing innovation describes:

    Filled with colorful characters, the book also features the enthusiasm of maverick devotees to the renewable energy boom of the '80s and '90s and their interplay with staid DC-based development institutions, as well as their unique perspective on global solutions to "energy poverty." It will be illuminating to all interested in the environment, development, renewable energy, socially responsible business, and our future at the end of the age of oil.

    Customer Reviews:

    2 out of 5 stars A great advertisement for the author - and not much else........2007-07-23

    In purchasing this book I was hoping to glean some useful information about the specifics of getting solar energy to those who have no other options. Instead I got 300 pages of the author name-dropping and telling me how great and successful he is. He makes it sound like he is solely responsible for all solar power in all developing nations. There are limited specifics regarding solar power (the author himself admits he knows little about the actual technology involved), and I finished reading still not knowing how to get involved in this industry (apparently the only way to do so is to be good friends with all the rich and powerful businessmen and politicians like he is). That said there is some useful historical information on the industry, it is a recent book with up to date statistics, and thus it may prove to be a decent reference book in a limited way. The final chapter is good, as it discusses the current state of energy policy in the U.S.

    5 out of 5 stars What a fantastic book!.......2006-03-15

    This book is fun to read - it outlines the history of photovoltaics, the history of international development of photovoltaics, and the exciting history of the Solar Electric Light Fund. If you're interested in photovoltaics, and/or international development, this is THE resource of all resources - what works, what doesn't...

    5 out of 5 stars Great book on Solar business by someone who has figured out how to actually get things done!.......2006-03-09

    First off, I am a solar industry wannabe. This book only heightens my interest in getting involved. It's pretty amazing to see what Mr. Williams has accomplished through his tireless drive to help thousands of people and villages get electricity. This is a great book by someone that seems to know how to cut through red tape and just get things done. He takes some jabs at big government run programs, MBA's, and some various large institutions that seem to get too caught up in theory and do not actually get anything done. It sounds like this criticism is well founded. Mr. Williams has been successful in creating numerous solar businesses around the globe. There are some great stories on him being the first white man to ever visit some villages. Hearing the stories from different villagers tell how their lives have changed since purchasing a solar system is truly inspiring. Not a technical book by anymeans (a nice change from most solar books), Chasing the Sun focuses more on how to make solar panels more commonplace and helping people while creating a successful "for profit" business. He is now trying to figure out how to replicate this in the US. That should make a great book too.

    5 out of 5 stars Unique and deeply valuable.......2005-11-30

    Chasing the Sun is not only highly readable and entertaining; it is unique and deeply valuable. It is not about the machinery of solar energy, nor its hows and whys and whens. There are other books, easier to research, mostly harder to read, about these aspects. It is about the human dimension of solar energy, how people and their institutions collaborate or get in the way.

    It is unique because it is the memoir of a skilled journalist who put aside journalism to immerse himself purposefully in his subject; deeply valuable because the immersion lasted more than a decade. Importantly, it exposed the daunting political and institutional landscape that must be navigated to bring modern lighting and communications to the poorest regions of the world.

    It reminds of the Journal of Lewis and Clark. Theirs was a voyage of discovery. So was Williams'. Like Lewis and Clark, Williams had a mission, including a starting point and a goal, but no roadmaps or off-ramps. It was either move forward, or turn back; no riches or glory at journey's end, just a treasure beyond price, knowledge of the territory, its risks and its rewards, what works there and what doesn't; hopes and expectations betrayed and beautiful truths revealed.

    Our generation, Willams' and mine, expected its ideals to be shared and operative in the big world outside the small American heartland towns we grew up in. It turned out to be more complicated than that; the ideals came with a price. Williams leaves no doubt they were worth it. He learned that the poor that we tend to pity for not sharing our material wealth are mostly not dependent and miserable as we assume but rather resourceful and in some ways more credit-worthy than corporate America. They do need solar energy and they can and will in fact pay what it is worth to them.

    Who should read Chasing the Sun? Those in the ever-expanding global solar industry who have fought the good fight alongside Williams will find validation and encouragement. Those whose contributions are measured in meetings attended may be discomforted. But this is mainly a book for the rising generation. It is a reality book that belongs at the top of college course reading lists, because it speaks to the problems we are leaving to the next generation to solve for themselves and their children. It is a book of practical experience and an antidote to the notion that ideas and results are somehow magically connected. It speaks to the need to make things happen ourselves rather than assume our institutions are working on the problem. In his last chapter Williams addresses making things happen in the US. For many this will be the inspiration to make a difference.

    5 out of 5 stars Walt Ratterman - Renewable Energy in the Developing World.......2005-11-28

    I have spent the past 5 years or so working with remote communities in some of the most far flung places of the world helping them help themselves with their own desire for lighting and electricity that only Renewable Energy, like solar power, can provide them. Mr. Williams' book is an excellent study of the challenges that must be overcome, in order to help people help themselves. While we often dont know whether our obstacles result from intentional disruptions or just complete incompetence, Neville does a tremendous job of laying out what these obstacles are, with ideas of how to get past them. Anyone anticipating working in this field should consider this a "must read" text book.
    Worlds of Power, Worlds of Light
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Very cool
    • Very cool
    • Thought-provoking & inspiring!!!!
    Worlds of Power, Worlds of Light
    Jenna Walsh
    Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    New AgeNew Age | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    Personal TransformationPersonal Transformation | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    ASIN: 1401004229

    Book Description

    The events that occurred during my early twenties changed my life. I´ve written this fictional account of those events for you and for me, so the teachings would not be forgotten. "Worlds of Power, Worlds of Light" is based on my perceptions and recollections of some of the time I spent with my teacher. Although there are many more stories to tell, I hope there is enough in this journal of a young woman finding her spiritual path to inspire you to find yours. So please, enjoy the journey - see what you want, use what you will, and let the rest go.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Very cool.......2002-02-08

    This book is a fictional account of the author's journey into the world of enlightenment. The story literally carries you with her. Filled with Buddhist Magic and Light, this book has my highest recommendation! According to the back of the book, her web site is dharmacenter.com. Very enlightening!

    5 out of 5 stars Very cool.......2002-02-08

    This book is a fictional account of the author's journey into the world of enlightenment. The story literally carries you with her. Filled with Buddhist Magic and Light, this book has my highest recommendation! According to the back of the book, her web site is dharmacenter.com. Very enlightening!

    5 out of 5 stars Thought-provoking & inspiring!!!!.......2001-12-08

    Fans of books like "Surfing the Himalayas", "Snowboarding to Nirvana" by Frederick Lenz and "Powerful Mental Development" by Roger Cantu will definitely enjoy this book. It was interesting to get a female's perspective on taking the first steps on the Pathway to Liberation. Very insightful getting the inside track on what it's like being a student of an advanced spiritual teacher.
    Sufi Symbolism: The Nurbakhsh Encyclopedia of Sufi Terminology, Vol. 8: Inspirations, Revelations, Lights (Farhang-E Nurbakhsh : Inspirations, Revelations, Lights Chrismatic Powers States An)
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Sufi Symbolism: The Nurbakhsh Encyclopedia of Sufi Terminology, Vol. 8: Inspirations, Revelations, Lights (Farhang-E Nurbakhsh : Inspirations, Revelations, Lights Chrismatic Powers States An)
      Javad Nurbakhsh
      Manufacturer: KNP
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

      Persian & FarsiPersian & Farsi | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
      LiteratureLiterature | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books
      ReligionReligion | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Sufism | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
      ASIN: 093354653X

      Book Description

      This volume introduces the lexicon used to describe non-rational levels of being and the manifestation of supranatural phenomenon. It also presents the gradations of mystical states and stations while discussing miracles, charismatic powers and ecstatic utterances generated by the intervention of the Divine.
      Color Your World: Using the Power of Color and Light in Your Life
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Color Your World: Using the Power of Color and Light in Your Life
        Rita Robinson
        Manufacturer: Newcastle Publishing Company
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

        GeneralGeneral | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
        ASIN: 0878771891
        Energy and power, (Living in a world of science. [book IV])
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Energy and power, (Living in a world of science. [book IV])
          Morris Meister
          Manufacturer: C. Scribner's sons
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Unknown Binding

          GeneralGeneral | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Light | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
          ASIN: B000877LYI

          Books:

          1. Against All Odds: My Story
          2. American Chica: Two Worlds, One Childhood
          3. Basilica: The Splendor and the Scandal: Building St. Peter's
          4. Beyond Appearance: A New Look at Adolescent Girls
          5. Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History
          6. Big Girl Knits : 25 Big, Bold Projects Shaped for Real Women with Real Curves
          7. Breaking the Silence: Art Therapy with Children from Violent Homes
          8. Chasing Matisse: A Year in France Living My Dream
          9. Chicken Soup for the Breast Cancer Survivor's Soul: Stories to Inspire, Support and Heal (Chicken Soup for the Soul)
          10. Chinese Medical Herbology & Pharmacology

          Books Index

          Books Home

          Recommended Books

          1. Faith and the Presidency: From George Washington to George W. Bush
          2. The Right Touch: A Read-Aloud Story to Help Prevent Child Sexual Abuse
          3. Jamesland
          4. Modern Diesel Technology: Electricity And Electronics
          5. Tenshi Ja Nai!!
          6. The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
          7. The Apocalypse Code: Find Out What the Bible REALLY Says About the End Times . . . and Why It Matter
          8. Horizontal Yellow: Nature and History in the Near Southwest
          9. Memoirs of Louis XIV., His Court and The Regency, V1 & 2
          10. Anglo-Spanish Trade Directory