Customer Reviews:
The best Book I have ever read!!!.......2000-09-09
This book is very easy reading!!! Praise the lord,Gerald was lead to write this book...this is all stuff,that i have known, yet was never able to communicate with others.I have often said if everyone followed the rules of life the world would be a better place...understand one another,love one another,forgive one another,why if ever one loved one another in hole ,there would be no need for forgiveness....This book is not easy to come by were i live,and i can't believe i have never heard of it before now,i just happen to come by it at the libarary. i feel this book goes hand and hand with the bible.,If ever there is a book worth reading ,this is,i know i'm just a little excited about it :)HEY! don't let the bible thing scare you away,it just helps me to understand what the bible is now saying,LOVE =PEACE,if u want peace in your life,here it is.i believe gerald shows even the ones that can't believe in God ,that just a change in thinking can make you a happy person !!!! YEAH!
inspiring, mind opening, and heart felt........1998-12-28
It was not only inspiring, but, it was written with such honesty. I learned so much from this book. It really taught me, what the "ego" mind is all about. Dr. Jampolsky, wrote this book, so that everyone could be aware, how the ego mind works. Clear and simple to understand. Highly recommend this book for anyone who is searching for his/her truth...
Eines der schoensten buecher ueberhaupt.......1997-09-20
Dieses Buch ist in der deutschen Tb.-Ausgabe unter der Serienbezeichnung "esoterisches Wissen" ausgezeichnet. Dies trifft nicht den wahren Gehalt des Buches.
Es ist vielmehr eine sehr persoenliche Rueckschau von Dr. Jampolsky auf sein Leben, die jedem , der dieses Buch liest unglaublich viel geben kann
Amazon.com
Some authors are worth reading because of their area of expertise, even when their objectivity may be questionable. This is true of John Douglas, who follows up his Mindhunter with another assortment of his observations and opinions from his ex-job as the FBI's top expert on constructing behavioral profiles of criminals. This book contains several passages of interest: a detailed discussion of the modus operandi versus the "signature" of a murder, and how each relates to motive; thoughts on how the press and the public can be used to flush out a killer; a taxonomy of pedophiles, with a chapter on how to protect children from them; a detailed analysis of the savage sex-murder of a female Marine; a profile of the Nicole Simpson/Ron Goldman killer; and a report on how the courts are handling behavioral testimony. Always biased, often egotistical, but uniquely experienced--that's Douglas.
Book Description
There is only one John Douglas.
We first met Douglas in Mindhunter, which told the story of his brilliant and terrifying with the FBI until his retirement in 1995. And now, again with coauthor Mark Olshaker, he goes even further. We accompany him on the Journey Into Darkness that marks every case he examines; every instance in which he helps police identify the unknown perpetrator of a violent series of rapes, kidnappings, or murders through his remarkable criminal personality profiling.
In this fascinating audio experience, we journey with some of the brilliant and sensitive agents John has trained, who have carried on his work. We take a startlingly fresh look at the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman as if John had been asked by the LAPD to identify the killer through behavioral profiling. And we hear how a lifetime around killers and their victims has shaped his views on justice and punishment.
The Journey Into Darkness is a perilous one, but ultimately a hopeful one as well. For not only do we see from the men and women who track the most sadistic of criminals what a powerful weapon profiling has become, we also get advice on how we might better keep our children, our families and ourselves safe from harm. By making the Journey Into Darkness with John Douglas and his colleagues, we come away with an insight into the human condition that no one else can offer.
Customer Reviews:
Great Read!!.......2007-09-16
This book was a great reading experience. Douglas is an experienced storyteller, and being that these are not just stories, but actual accounts of reality make is a bonus! This book was a satisfing buy for my evil sweettooth. I loved it. It was worth adding to my collection of true crime interests.
There are Lot of Other Victims not Mentioned in the dedication!.......2007-06-22
I won't go much further. John E. Douglas is an excellent expert on true crime particularly the gruesome serial killings. I got the book before the Green River Killer was identified as Gary Leon Ridgway. Anyway, he analyzes cases and gives his opinions but he is pro-law enforcement most of the time. He doesn't like to give the benefit of the doubt towards the law enforcement community. Sadly, his dedication in the beginning of the book mentions only a portion of the victims in the book which some are well-known like Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson and the victims of Bernardo-Homolka crimes in Canada, as well as a few others. There were others who were murdered, brutalized, and their names are bearly mentioned in the book. Unless he changed their names to protect their true identity which I doubt because most of the murdered victims are identified. Since he is pro-law enforcement, he may not have a total open view of the criminals themselves. Granted, he knows how to identify the criminal whether a child molester or serial killer from his actions. He aids in their capture, prosecution, and their sentence whether death penalty or life in prison. He doesn't suggest ways to prevent such disasters such as a pedophile or serial killer from becoming such a creature because they aren't really human.
The Art of Detecting Serial Killers.......2005-04-15
This book explains his career as a criminal profiler for the FBI. John Douglas solved unusual kinds of crimes done by those who kill or rape or torture because they enjoy it. Profiling requires "creative-type thinkers", not accounting or engineering types. They must work well both alone and in groups. They need good judgment based on instinct, which can't be defined in an objective nature. Douglas says serial killers are mostly made, not born. Most come from broken or dysfunctional homes, and are victims of some type of abuse. Real-life killers were used as models for "The Silence of the Lambs", "Red Dragon", and "Psycho". The modus operandi is what the offender does, the signature is why he does it (that doesn't change). Virtually all multiple killers are male. Chapter 2 gives an example of solving murders where there was only a vague eyewitness description.
Chapter 3 shows many examples where profiling was used to describe the habits of killers. Chapter 4 tells of more cases, some of which will never be dramatized for TV as they are too horrible. Chapter 5 deals with pedophiles. One warning sign would be a man whose house has games and amusements that appeal to children. Chapter 6 tells of the possible dangers to young children. One example is the murder of Megan Kanka. It doesn't tell you that her murderer was released from prison against all advice because a new governor wanted to cut costs. Fast footwork by propagandists made it appear to be the fault of the parents since "they didn't know". I wonder if this law affected the crime rate? Chapter 7 tells of the Collins family; its too long. Chapter 8 tells of the murder of Suzanne Collins, a sad tragedy. Chapter 9 tells of the after-effects on Suzanne's parents, and their support group. Chapter 10 is about the savage murder of a wife and her two girls. It established the use of criminal profiling at trials. Chapter 11 tells about the crimes of a rapist-murderer near Arlington Va. [Was this the inspiration for Patricia Cornwell's "Post Mortem"?] When they noted a 3-year gap in the crimes, they looked for someone who had been in prison for burglary; they found a likely suspect. This suspect was convicted, the first person in the world to be executed on the basis of DNA evidence.
Chapter 12 is about the unsolved murders of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson. John Douglas was not called in by the police and the prosecutors, but has formed a strong opinion of the case. [Ever notice how many people's opinions are set by the first news and can never consider the facts in the case?] Note that his discussion of the attack omits the fact that two different knives were used (autopsy report). Douglas talked of the "widespread conspiracy" argument, but didn't read Steven Singular's "Legacy of Deception" which tells how a journalist in Denver got news about the LAPD! The timeline says O. J. Simpson is innocent. The limo driver arrived at 10:22 and saw no one enter or leave until the 11pm trip to the airport. Any evidence like a glove or blood drops had to be planted the next day. Ron Goldman was 5'9" and 175 lbs. His unexpected visit to Nicole's place put him in the wrong place at the wrong time. Nicole had been involved with another man who was 5'9", 175 lbs, but a few years older. In the dark the killers attacked the wrong man, then the witness who came out of the house. If her boyfriend then went into hiding, then that would confirm this theory.
Chapter 13 gives the authors views on crime and punishment. Rehabilitation which makes a good guy out of a bad guy is best. But some offenders can never be rehabilitated and must be isolated from society. Capital punishment prevents the worst from recommitting their crimes. But the problem is to be sure those convicted are truly guilty. Criminals are manufactured from a poor home life. [But isn't this the result of poverty in many cases?] The problem is apparently without a practical solution.
Sequel to Mindhunter.......2005-03-30
John Douglas continues showing the inside of the criminal mind in Journey. High Profile cases like O.J. Simpson are included. Other cases are also included that are not as well known such as Suzanne Collins, a Marine killed by a civilian on post. As with the first installment, not for the faint of heart or anyone offended by graphic descriptions or language. Well written and easily to understand, a real page turner.
A real Journey into Darkness.......2003-11-26
I have been an avid true crime reader for several years although this is the first book that I have read by John E. Douglas. This book makes you see the darkness that a lot of people seem to have inside and what they are prepared to do to realise their fantasies whatever the cost. I was not able to put down this book even though it filled me with anxiety and sadness because the title is true - he really does take you on a journey into Darkness, although John Douglases telling of these brutal cases is masterly. He explains even the most complicated of theories in a way that is understandable to all. After reading this book I have already ordered his other books and can't wait for them to be delivered. Gripping stuff!!!
Book Description
Faced with an identity crisis in his work and his life, seasoned traveler and journalist Jeffrey Tayler made a bold decision. He would leave behind his mundane existence in Moscow to re-create the legendary British explorer Henry Stanley’s trip down the Congo in a dugout canoe, stocked with food, medicine, and even a gun-toting guide. But once his tiny boat pushed off the banks of this mysterious river, Tayler realized he was in a place where maps and supplies would have no bearing on his survival. As Tayler navigates this immense waterway, he encounters a land of smothering heat and intense rains, wary villagers, corrupt officials and dead-eyed soldiers demanding bribes, jungle animals, mosquitoes, and, surprisingly, breathtaking natural beauty.
Filled with honesty and rich description,
Facing the Congo is a sophisticated depiction of today’s Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country brought to its knees by a succession of despotic leaders. But most mportant, Tayler’s stunning narrative is a deeply satisfying personal journey of fear and awakening, with a message that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt compelled, whether in life or in fantasy, to truly explore and experience our world.
Customer Reviews:
Next best thing to a Congo journey.......2006-09-22
If you can't afford a trip to the Congo, this book is the next best thing. Tayler's descriptions are excellent, and they combine just the right measures of knowledge and fascinated innocence. What struck me most was how little Brazzaville had changed in the ten years since I lived there.
Gripping until the end, then it's Disheartening.......2006-06-13
Tayler makes modern day adventure to liven up a mundane existence seem almost reachable. Who doesn't fantasize about swashbuckling through adventuresome circumstances when they're sitting at their desk and doing their routine day-to-day life.
Tayler picked up and left everything to risk his own life to wake himself up, a somewhat romantic notion that only rich westerners can do. It's not until the end that he realizes that his own "rich boy" fantasies jeoporadized and compromised the native Congolese/Zairese in which he depended on for his safety. I didn't feel sorry for the author at all when he would get upset and yell at his guide Desi. Desi, who although somewhat annoying with his sermons, did save Tayler from being killed numerous times.
The poverty and everyday struggle that the Africans face in the Congo make Tayler's adventure besmirch of elitism and colonialism. The everyday descriptions of the people themselves make the book intense and rich, Tayler's adventure is secondary.
I also wondered why the author was so out of shape, you would think that he would have trained before embarking on such a physical journey... maybe if he wasn't so sluggish he actually could have accomplished his task rather than complain about aching joints so much and abort his trip halfway...
(Salt Lake City is one of the places Desi is trying to ennunciate)
"Facing the Congo" - Ten Years Later .......2006-02-04
It is not often that one has the opportunity to enjoy an excellent book, and then, have the pleasure to actually meet the author. So be it: Jeffrey Tayler is currently my houseguest in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, where he began the arduous journey which resulted in "Facing the Congo" in 1995. The city has survived the devastation of civil war, 1997-2001, and is flourishing once again thanks to bountiful natural resources of timber, minerals and oil. Let's hope this will be enough to inspire Jeffrey to reprise his adventure on the Congo River and perhaps to share once again his experiences with a loyal following. A must read, not only for diplomats, travellers or tourists to the Central African region, but for the armchair "explorer" as well.
Inferior To Siberian Dawn.......2005-09-26
Tayler's story wasn't bad, it's just that the underdeveloped Congo with its many hardships made an inferior setting compared to post-Soviet Siberia. I didn't find this recounting of his journey nearly as interesting as I did the other book by him I read earlier in the year. Tayler has guts to make these one-man trips into the wildest places on earth, and I expect someday we'll just...stop hearing from him.
I'm Glad He Made This Foolhardy Journey.......2005-04-14
I've recently become a fan of Jeffrey Tayler's writing. Having just finished "Angry Wind" I quickly ordered two more of his books, including "Facing the Congo." It's quite a harrowing tale.
In the 1990s Tayler traveled up the Congo on a freight barge to Kisangani and back down on a native canoe (pirogue). Throughout the narrative I found myself cringing at some of the descriptions and wondering why anyone would put themselves through such a trial. In retrospect it was a very foolhardy adventure. The problem was, however, once he was in the middle of it there was nothing to do but finish, dangerous though it was.
Throughout the tale, Tayler's white face provokes and incites the people along the Congo River. There's no getting around it and at times his life is in real danger. One wonders, however, how he could come to some of the decisions he made. He hires a guide he barely knows, a guide whose incompetence is maddening. The guy buys a shotgun (with $300 of Tayler's money) that doesn't work, he lets his family use all the precious drinking water to do laundry and he spouts passages from the Bible and Zaire's employment law at night or while they're paddling downriver. What a nightmare.
The lives of the Zaireans, in many cases, appear to be hell on earth. Their hand-to-mouth existence causes them to take desperate action, resulting in corrupt officials and military constantly angling for bribes, fellow barge passengers begging Tayler for anything, boldly demanding he give them money and food or, worse, trying to rob him, or (if they could get away with it) murder him with machetes. As a "mondele" (white man) he's seen with great suspicion about his motives but also as a bottomless source for riches. The people along the Congo can't believe he's not there to pilfer their country of diamonds so he's faced with hostile reactions everywhere he goes.
The conditions on the barge are horrendous. People defecate into the river that they also use for water to drink and bathe in. They live off anything that swims or crawls, including crocodiles that get their skulls caved in, electric catfish and slimy slugs and live caterpillars consumed as snacks. Clouds of mosquitos and other insects torment them as does the never ending glare of the sun and the stifling humidity.
I'm glad Tayler made this journey. His descriptions of the conditions along the Congo are quite vivid. The frustration he feels being hit up for money all the time is certainly understandable. To travel to a place like that, when he did, with $4000 hidden on his person (an absolute fortune to the Africans) can only be described as foolhardy. Thank God he survived. We, the reading public, are richer for it.
Other reviewers have mentioned his tendency to squeeze too many obscure words into his prose. I agree. On the other hand, if we take the time to look them up we might learn something. I've studied a little French so his habit of slipping some of that language into the text didn't bother me. The day-to-day slog down the river from Kisangani got just a tad tedious but I'm sure it's nothing compared to actually doing it in a boat.
I'd highly recommend this book. I still don't know why Mr. Tayler undertook this adventure (he's very lucky to have made it home) but, as I said, the result is a gripping story. I'm now on to another of his works, "Glory In a Camel's Eye."
Average customer rating:
- What was this guy thinking when he wrote this book?
- Pure Trash
- Scary Monsters
- Bury me. Oh yeah.
- This book is the best book ever!
|
Journey Into Darkness: The Unauthorized History of Kane (WWE)
Michael Chiappetta
Manufacturer: World Wrestling Entertainment
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ASIN: 1416507477 |
Book Description
Kane has always been a dark, complex, and haunted man, and fans have always been drawn to him. They have wondered what caused his pain and suffering. What was his motivation?
Instead of basking in the glow of the spotlight, Kane has shunned attention. Kane did not utter a single word for the first years of his career. In a time when Superstars scream for attention, he drew in the masses with only
his presence.
Journey Into Darkness is the story of a boy who suffers an unspeakable childhood tragedy, losing his family in a fiery blaze. This left him alone
and at the mercy of strangers, who whispered about this friendless child who must be cursed.
Follow Kane into a terrifying place that few would dare to go -- his life.
Customer Reviews:
What was this guy thinking when he wrote this book?.......2007-09-01
As a wrestling fan and a fan of Kane, I was disappointed by Chiappetta's biography. He should have called his book The Overdramatized History of Kane. The first part, which chronicles Kane's childhood and high school years, reads like a Lifetime movie, completely overdramatic. The second part was laughable because Chiappetta's portrait of the "real" Kane, (the man outside the ring) was so unreal. This book, I presume, was supposed to shows us the inner depths of this WWE superstar's mind and learn why he is the way he is, but all this book shows is that the author doesnt really know anything about his subject.
Pure Trash .......2006-10-19
-100 I don't know what to say, back when I was big into wrestling Kane was my favorite character. I have nothing good to say about this book it is pure rubbish. It total contradicts WWEs television storyline of Kane, of course they already starting doing that but still. Why would anyone want to read this trash when there are far more better books out there.
Scary Monsters.......2006-10-04
I can see Vince and Hunter working hard on the concept while lounging around the corporate office in Bristol, Conn., on a stormy evening. Vince saying a new series of books based on character storylines need to be published, with the projected sales figures meaning the release of movies, with Mr. McMahon as executive producer, of course.
Hunter, with a smirk on his face and sarcasm in his voice: "How about the lost diary of Eddie Guerrero when his girlfriend, Chyna, left him for the Playboy Mansion? Even the security guards in the bit barely could keep straight faces as Eddie was screaming out her name while being dragged away!"
Vince rolls his eyes and slowly shakes his head to answer negatively.
"OK," Hunter exclaims, "how about the video journal of Mr. Wilson as the love of his life leads to his death? And one last idea, Dad, you know the fans are longing for the unpublished autobiography of the Blue Blazer that was recently found in the rafters of an arena. Every man has a price and I'm sure a big enough check will persuade Bret Hart to write the introduction and........."
The power suddenly flicks off and on as lightning strikes nearby. After rising from his hiding place underneath his desk, Vince takes a big gulp and shouts, "Son, it has got to be Kane. And Kane it is! Kane it will be, ha-ha!!"
I read Journey Into Darkness as a rib on the horror genre and found it hilarious. It is a mix of the various storylines that has had the character either be a gruesome murderer or a misunderstood face. I contend Kane should have tried out his "talk-box," but rips it off himself when all he can say through the machine is, "Sting.....Stiiing....Stttiinng!"
It has a feel of a high-school book report once the scenes delve into pro wrestling; there is so much to write about, but few pages left, so every little piece of information must be crammed into a little space. The ribs on Paul Bearer are funny, though.
That the book was published only in paperback should be a tip that the product wasn't as good as some of the worst WWE "autobiographies" initially issued in hardbound editions.
What potentially was a good idea is ruined because the character selected has had too many confusing rewrites that can't be pieced together in a book.
Bury me. Oh yeah........2006-07-11
Having read Samuel Adams by McCulloch, Colin Powell's autobiography, and a terrific read about the life of Jefferson Davis, I truly believed that I had seen and read the pinnacle of the craft of biographical writing. I believed that never again could a life be written about so vividly that I truly, deeply, and profoundly believed that I was, in fact, the subject of the tome.
I felt that...until I read the Unauthorized History of Kane. With this amazing piece of work, a book that is highly unlikely to be rewarded with its Pulitzer Prize it warrants; and is even less likely to be made into a movie as it so fervently deserves, I have seen the apex of writing. There was a time when I felt 1984 by George Orwell was the best book I'd ever read. I was a naive fool. I have, in fact, cut myself repeatedly to atone for my previous naivete. If a word here and there is misspelled, I do apologize, but the lack of blood is making me woozy and the only thing keeping me going is my love of this outstanding tome.
Having tried to follow the story on TV, I will freely admit that I, initially, believed that the storyline of Kane was written by a group of ADD-suffering chimpanzees with a serious meth habit. I truly believed that without serious head trauma, combined with a lobotomy and some really good moonshine, one could not wrap one's mind around this enigma that is the character of Kane.
How wrong I was. Those monkies were suffering from something --- but that something was GENIUS! They were taking something --- they were taking brain pills. Yes, this is the most misunderstood work of literature --- art, to be more precise --- I've ever laid eyes upon. It explains the story of Kane is language so clear, so precise, so razor-sharp that even a person who can't READ English would fully understand it, overthrow the government in their home country, and make a government that is so close to the U.S.A that they are in serious consideration to become the 51st state. It's imagery is so vivid that it can make the blind man see.
It's just that darned good. And I'm not one to gush over a mediocre piece of work. No sir.
Kane's amazing grasp of medical terminology as a brutally young age helps explain why his promos on TV are so bad --- he has to dummy up his language so much so us laypeople can comprehend it that he has difficulty effectively expressing himself. Who realized that this man's near-total inability to feel pain was caused by a curse and not, say, poor selling ability? I felt that Kane was just a sub-par wrestler --- but now, I see he is a modern-day Wolverine.
Only MUCH cooler.
And Katie Vick? I must admit, that when I saw it on RAW, it made me weep. I thought it was a beautiful piece of writing that has not been matched since the heyday of "Blossom". With this book's dramatic re-telling of the story, you get all of the emotion in its purest form. True, you DON'T get Hunter humping a mannequin in a coffin, but that is what happy memories are there for...to fill in the blanks.
It is tragic that movies like Friday the 13th could borrow so liberally from the life story of Kane. It's criminal that somebody who has suffered so greatly cannot become rich due to a series of increasingly atrocious movies. Dear God, where is the fairness? Where is it, I ask?
If you can overlook the sin that Kane has not been given a Peace Prize and that this book is unlikely to win a Pulitzer, you might finally have a reason to practice literacy once again. I can only blame the WWE for not utilizing this book for the cause of world peace as it so clearly is designed. Something that magnificent belongs not to a wrestling promotion, but instead, to the world.
This book is the best book ever!.......2006-06-09
I'd just like to say to Tim Carhuff that you are the dumbest SOB on the planet. You say that anyone over the age of 2 year old could write a better book, well with the way you're acting than obviously you couldn't write this book. I don't care if you've never read a book in your life, which makes sense because you're so dumb, but this is a great book and he's not a little fat man in a suit, his name is Paul Bearer.
Customer Reviews:
Personal view of hell on earth.......2007-08-23
I had the good fortune to read Mr Odom's earlier works when he was Major, then Lt. Colonel in active service: "Dragon operations: hostage rescues in the Congo, 1964-1965" and "Shaba II: The French and Belgian Intervention in Zaire in 1978". Both are classics of airborne operations and both were of personal interest to me as having lived some of the events first hand. The cited books provide, I believe the best coverage available to date. Both served to introduce the author to matters African and to give him a depth of preparation that is evident in the "Journey". In this latest book, Mr Odom briefly describes his military career up to his appointment as Attache in pre-genocide Zaire, then in post genocide Rwanda, and his direct involvement in those events.
The observer of those events, and of their aftermath, has long remained puzzled by certain questions: what led a seemingly peaceful and prosperous people to such depths of savagery, as the Rwanda genocode? Rwanda-Burundi, as the former Belgian colonies were known up to 1960, were held as paragons of ideal african society: they escaped the worst of colonial expolitation that ravaged and continues to ravage other places -Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia etc. The daily slaughter over a 4 month period, and with the most primitive means, surpassed the mechanical slaughter of the Nazi death camps. Almost a million people were killed in four months, surely a world record.
How did the decimated Tutsis not only stop the genocide, but overcame their persecutors despite 10-1 numerical odds, and then went on to pursue them and their supporters, and to conquer the entire Congo, 50 or 100 times the size of their original base; all without modern means of transport? This book provides some of the answers.
More than history, it provides how a decent, well trained individual was able to make an individual difference in many cases, and deeply suffered for not being able to do more. He puts the faults where they belong: the former colonials, the abysmally corrupt post-independence African regimes, the various international organizations and their peculiar agendas, the ineptitude and dogmatism of US policy that delayed recoginition of the massacres ("not a real genocide"), and of course to the participants themselves. He also makes mention of the nobility of others, individuals and organizations, fighting to make things right.
Over and over again the reader is brought up with the basic realization of how savagery is so close to the surface in all of us, and that it takes a constant, conscious effort to avoid it and stay human.
Fruitful grim reading.......2006-05-01
A strategic scout, not the traditional military attach?, Tom Odom has written a fascinating insight into intelligence gathering, the interaction with diplomats, NGOs and policy makers. . The focal point is Rwanda and the genocide of 1994, grim reading in places. Not only did he observe at first-hand and report - he talked with those involved and so earned the respect of the UN and French commanders and especially the RPA. The epilogue needs careful reading to appreciate the lessons learnt on offer.
From the Author.......2005-09-15
Please forgive the self rating required by Amazon.com. Here are the jacket comments from the book
"". . . provides a rare but accurate account of the real challenges facing Rwanda and the region and why the efforts to seek solutions to the challenges have been elusive . . . Journey into Darkness is an excellent contribution to the understanding of the Rwandan genocide and its regional consequences. It is a must-read piece of work for all decision and policy makers in governments or private civic organizations."-Dr. Zac Nsenga, Ambassador of Rwanda, Washington, DC
". . . an insightful book about Africa-most especially about the terrible humanitarian crisis, genocide, and war that afflicted Rwanda and eastern Zaire in 1994 and 1995."-Robert E. Gribbin, former U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda
"This book is unique. [Odom] is a perceptive observer and is skilled at translating his perceptions and conclusions into verbal images and in evoking the feel and drama of the events. In particular, this book offers valuable insights into the culture of the army at high levels, based on the author's direct participation in key events, such as the Gulf War, and in his personal interaction with senior political and military officers." -Norman Cigar, U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College
"Colonel Odom's study is an important contribution to the literature on genocide and Africa. It should be of interest to every academic library in the country."-W. A. Terrill, U.S. Army War College
Book Description
The documentation of haunted & vampire stories in New Orleans. These have been obtained through police reports, city archives, personal accounts and paranormal investigations. The stories, history and paranormal data are from the Haunted History Tours in New Orleans. All stories were investigated by Katherine Smith. Photographs of spirits throughout the book. Complete directory of haunted bars & hotels in New Orleans.
Customer Reviews:
ghosts and vampires tour book.......2003-07-22
I got this after my friends found it in a school library. We planned a trip to new orleans just so we could take the tour. Some times after the tour you can get the author to sign the book for you. The book itself is a great guide and a fun read for all intrested in the city, its history, or its ghouls. It is also great because if you go on the tour you can put a building to the events in the book.
Great Book, It Kept Me So Interested!.......2002-02-18
For all of us who love Ghosts, Vampires, Voodoo, and all that good stuff, then this is the book to read. If you live in New Orleans or not, it is a great book. I really enjoyed the many famous and not famous ghost stories of New Orleans. The parts on Voodoo were extremely intersting. It kept my interest because it told me about a religion I never new about. The vampire portion of the book taught me about Vampires and things I never knew, or would have even thought about. This book provoked thought and interest. I love it and I give it five stars. It is a tantalizing piece of literature which I would recommend for anyone to read, new ager or not, New Orleans resient or not! It was great.
Love this creepy book!.......2001-07-13
I took the vampire/ghost tours in New Orleans twice and this book is the perfect companion with more stories to tell. Warning! DON'T READ IT AT NIGHT!:) Excellent!
Great counterpart to the tour.......2001-03-09
I bought this book after attending the 2 hour Vampire Walking Tour of New Orleans, and this book is a perfect companion piece to it. The book is fairly detailed and highly (if somewhat unsettlingly)graphic. A lot is chronicled in 140 pages or so, and the stories are fascinating and easy to read. One slight gripe I had was that some of the stories that get only one paragraph in the book get a full blown detailed account on the tour, which is why I guess they sell it after the tour is over. Overall, very very good.
Great counterpart to the tour.......2001-03-09
I bought this book after attending the 2 hour Vampire Walking Tour of New Orleans, and this book is a perfect companion piece to it. The book is fairly detailed and highly (if somewhat unsettlingly)graphic. A lot is chronicled in 140 pages or so, and the stories are fascinating and easy to read. One slight gripe I had was that some of the stories that get only one paragraph in the book get a full blown detailed account on the tour, which is why I guess they sell it after the tour is over. Overall, very very good.
Average customer rating:
- powerfully revealing
- inspirational
- This is a very powerful and engaging book.
- Empowered!
- Poetic Storytelling
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Shairi\'s Journey Through Darkness Into Light
Shaunelle Curry
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Women's Health
| Personal Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Sexual Abuse
| Abuse & Self Defense
| Mental Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Abuse
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
African American
| Poetry
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Love Poems
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 141200148X
Release Date: 2006-07-06 |
Product Description
A beautifully constructed self-healing toolkit for women in the process of transforming their lives or overcoming abuse. Provides inspiration and hope through poetic journaling, guided exercises, and prayers of reflection.
Customer Reviews:
powerfully revealing.......2003-12-23
Many of us have a tendency to let the "past get in our eyes", so to speak, and find it difficult to stimulate and maneuver our own healing, growth and empowerment. Through her impassioned, authentic, soul-for-real writing and exercises, author Shaunelle Curry masterfully moves the reader, from the darkness--spiritual, emotional, or otherwise, to a much lighter place of recognition, comfort and peace. This book is a powerful journey--one that I feel fortunate to be able to take with Shairi. As a freshman project, I can only dare to imagine what Curry will share with us next. Buy several copies, for yourself, for others and enjoy it for the love of words, poetry, and self.
inspirational.......2003-12-23
Shairi's Journey is one of those rare life transforming books that is as functional as it is inspiring. Shaunelle Curry's character Shairi speaks to many of my own experiences and of those close to me. It is one of the few books that I return to time after time for inspiriation and practical steps to help me "get over" some of the ruts and depressive moods I get into. It has also been my gift of choice to family and friends this holiday season.
This is a very powerful and engaging book........2003-12-22
This book is not one that you read and then put on a shelf. I have gone back many times to experience the Ancestral Whispers, the awsome exercises, as well as the poetic renderings of Shairi. In reading this book, I also experienced the emotions of love, sadness, joy, fear, anger, elation and self realization. Shaunelle Curry's book will bring growth in all who read it.
Empowered!.......2003-12-21
Read Shairi's Journey and experience an on-going process of empowerment and self-realization. At first glance, notice the visual poetic presentation of each page "written in sing-song words." Simplicity of this uncluttered, free-flowing format invited my eyes to read the words. And the words, powerful words, reach out, grab and focus attention to the raw emotional state of the speaker. Four of these writings spoke to me and for me. Read the book! At some point you may be connecting the frustrations, anxieties, pain, fear, joy and expectations of your own journey through life. For this purpose the author invites your personal participation in the "Excercises" after each of the nine presentations. She reminds us "Wherever you are now is a minor stop along one continuous journey." Very well written, packaged and presented.
Poetic Storytelling.......2003-12-21
I'm enjoying this highly unique method of poetic storytelling. The reader doesn't just follow and experience the struggles with Shairi. Her journey forces you to take an in depth look at yourself and where you are in your journey. The ancestral whispers and excercises encourage and challenge you along the way. Definitely food for the soul.
Average customer rating:
- LOOKING AT ALZHEIMER'S AS A CAREGIVER
- A Shared Journey
- YES! He REALLY understands!
- A highly articulate personal commentary
- Straight Forward-How It Is Approach To Alzheimer's
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Old Timers: A Son Witnesses His Mother's One-Way Journey into the Darkness of Alzheimer's Disease
Jack Turley
Manufacturer: Authorhouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Medical
| Professionals & Academics
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Memoirs
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Medicine
| Subjects
| Books
Neurology
| Internal Medicine
| Medicine
| Subjects
| Books
| Alzheimer's Disease
| Audiology & Speech Pathology
| General
| Headache
| Neuroscience
| Sleep Disorders
Nervous System
| Disorders & Diseases
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Alzheimer's Disease
| Disorders & Diseases
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0759674167 |
Customer Reviews:
LOOKING AT ALZHEIMER'S AS A CAREGIVER.......2002-06-25
"Old Timers" should be on the suggested reading list for anyone seeking information about Alzheimer's disease and all of its ramifications for the family of the victim. NO ONE knows like someone who had been there and that is certainly Jack Turley. It is an easy read that pulls at the heart strings.
A Shared Journey.......2002-06-14
I received a copy of Mr. Turley's book from my cousin. It was sent to me since my mother is on her journey into dementia. Even though she has not been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, many of her symptoms are similar. At the time I read Mr. Turley's book, I was feeling very isolated, confused and frustrated. I did not need a factual rendition of what I was facing. I needed a personal connection. After reading Mr. Turley's book, I no longer felt as if I was the only person dealing with the overwhelming emotions associated with watching a loved one sink into dementia. My feelings of guilt were greatly alleviated, just by sharing what Mr. Turley had gone through. I found many of the decisions he had to make were similar to ones I was in the process of having to make. I also appreciated having a book that was honest, straightforward and did not hedge on the turmoil involved with the caregiver. What I appreciated most, was his underlying theme that his life continued but with the added burdens. That is the most important message one can send. Those of us that have to stand and watch still have to continue with what we do. We cannot become consumed with our loved ones decline. That is also the hardest aspect of dementia with which to deal.
YES! He REALLY understands!.......2002-06-14
OLD TIMERS is a compelling story, brutally honest, written with occasional humor and dedicated love. I found I consistently nodded my head in agreement and thought, "YES! He REALLY understands!" I sent OLD TIMERS to my cousin. She is going through absolute misery with her mother who lives in a different state and has Alzheimer's Disease. My cousin was depressed and didn't want to read the book. Having just returned from a visit, she was VERY tired and "had ENOUGH of the subject." But, she DID read it and called to say that OLD TIMERS helped her so very much. She found out that others had problems and feelings similar to hers. Now my cousin does not feel so alone when she is dealing with difficult decisions and tender feelings. I highly recommend OLD TIMERS for church and community support discussion groups.
A highly articulate personal commentary.......2002-05-07
Mr. Turley's superlative accounting of his mother's "One way journey into darkness" has struck a nerve. For I too watched as my own father left us as the result of this dreaded disease called Alzheimer's. Excellent informative reading.
Straight Forward-How It Is Approach To Alzheimer's.......2002-04-05
Jack Turley shared journey through heart felt intimate moments answered many questions and lessons in approaching the position of being a careprovider to a family member with alzheimer's. The sharing of his beloved mother suffering through many challenging issues and choices was extremely impactful to me being a careprovider for my parents and a psychoanalytic-dynamic psycotherapist in Los Angeles. I have recommended this book to my friends and clients and have received nothing but outstanding comments and a Warm-Thank You. This book contributions tremendously to the humanistic understanding of Alzheimer.
Customer Reviews:
enduring prison saga is must reading for today.......2007-07-11
I picked up this book on the advice of a friend who knew I was interested in the plight of US intel officers John Downey and Richard Fecteau, and indeed Philip Smith provides new (to me) details and insights into the captivity they shared. But in its own right, Smith's story of his incarceration as a prisoner in China should be a classic, in the sense that it will endure. In a real sense, this is the book that neither Downey nor Fecteau would write, and it honors all of them for their perservance in the face of evil. Given that the threat remains, this should be on the reading list of all military branches and some other government agencies I know. Highly recommended.
Thank a Veteran.......2006-05-11
Phil's story was personal for me: My dad is Lt Col Dayle Carlson (ret) who, with Harvey Quackenbush, went out to find Phil Smith. What an honor to have such bravery as a part of my history. It was a gripping story; how many of us can even imagine the tenaciousness required to survive solitary confinement for so many years. Thank you, gentlemen, for your service to our country. You make me proud to be an American.
Poignent, powerful and emotion filled, tears of joy/sadness........1998-11-18
It was an honor to have been a beneficairy of the democracy this man fought for. His perseverance in times we could only imagine through such excellent writing is inspiration for us all. To try to feel one fraction of his emotion is our challenge we probably could not accomplish. His spirit and disipline are unparelleld.
Colonel Smith's story begins with an unbelievable turn of events that if they weren't true, you would think they were scripted fiction. If anything could go wrong on his fateful day it did. As he takes you through the result of those misfortunes, his attention to detail puts you looking over his shoulder and wanting to lean in to help him. The feelings, pride and emotions he exhibited were enough to keep the pages turning and make you want to read faster and faster. As the events of his debacle unfold you'll find yourself wishing this wasn't history-that it was happening now and you could do something about it early on before it became his nightmare. The writing style is complete and solid without becoming too technical. It has interesting insight into the pilot and soldiers roles and duty without losing sight that it is a story of courage, faith, family and most of all hope. This is the perfect story to make us all take a step back to help us forget the little things that may be a nuisance and appreciate the big things that are taken away from some. It will make you look at all who protected us and our freedoms gratefully.
Average customer rating:
- Embarrassing populist rant...
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Christian Fundamentalism: A Journey into the Heart of Darkness
David W. Hopewell
Manufacturer: American Atheist Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Church History
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Theology
| Religious Studies
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1578849527 |
Book Description
Part I, The Bible, introduces the basis for creationist "science," the Old and New Testaments, and the nasty nature of the biblical Christ. Part II, Apocalypse Now?, details the history of millennialist hysterias, from ancient apocalyptic traditions to Jim Jones, David Koresh, and the Solar Temple. Part III, Scholars of Doom, unravels the modern theories behind the quest for Armageddon. Part IV, Selling God, details the lucrative businesses of John Hagee, Garner Ted Armstrong, the Brothers Lalonde, and Dr. Jack and Rexella Van Impe.
Customer Reviews:
Embarrassing populist rant..........2002-05-10
One of the blurbs on this book's cover says that Hopewell "...produce[d] a book that is a major contribution to the study of that worrisome phenomenon Christian Fundamentalism..." This is a rather embarrassing judgement for many reasons. To begin on a material level, the writing style is annoying, wearying: Hopewell, probably because of his Ph.D. in literature, involves himself too much into the narrative with exaggerated anecdotes about his psychological traumas on reading the Old Testament, and ill-executed sarcasm on nearly every page. Because of this alone one could hardly call this a 'study'. But there are more reasons.
Part 1 deals with Hopewell's reading of the Bible, and is the toughest part of the book to get through. He leaves no opportunity unused to demonise the Hebrews and their God by using such belly-jelly words as 'Yahweh's Sturmtruppen', 'Israel Über Alles', 'Moses Stormcommando'; and describing their victims as the softest, sweetest living creatures around. The Hebrews dancing around the Golden Calf were 'only having some innocent fun', Jesus' mother at the Cana wedding only asked 'for a little help', etc. Shamelessly Hopewell admits that he's 'ventriloquising' events this way. However, admitting a flaw is not to justify it. It often reads as tiresome as Christian Fundamentalist lecture by constantly spouting absurd condemnation.
If fishes were to philosophise, the last possible object for their reflection would be the water they inhabit. Hopewell shows this by constantly fencing with such theoretical entities as 'common sense', 'rationality', 'education', 'sophistication', and 'THE Enlightenment' as defences against the irrational hordes of religious maniacs. It is clear that Hopewell and his Enlightenment friends are confused on how to approach this elusive irrational violence that keeps popping up (Hopewell calls it often 'willing stupidity' - nice oxymoron!). This is because they have fabricated their own myth, that of the 'autonomous rational subject', which creates their blind spot. That education (which is usually but a dominant ideology) and sophistication will prevent people from becoming enmeshed in irrational superstition is, of course, a fairy tale - usually it is but a swapping of one ideology by another, creating new tension and new violence, for example, that of the Bible-like slaughter of Jews in death camps by men who were well educated and sophisticated, or the bloodthirsty colonisation and imperialism of modern times.
This book is a poor effort at inspiring populist sentiments against Christian Fundamentalism. I readily agree that CF is deplorable, that populist religions such as Christianity and Islam can be serious threats towards 'innocent people'. However, Hopewell's blind spot is that this 'worrisome phenomenon' is a modern phenomenon, which is intertwined in rationality, that there is no such distinction between the benevolent rationalists (I never met one) and the dangerous irrationalists. Another blind spot, as mentioned above, is that violent fanatics, whether religious or not, are not by default 'willingly stupid', irrational, uneducated, etc. Rather, they operate along structures that are very sensible, an insight Hopewell sometimes alludes to in his descriptions of historical violent movements, but can't elaborate upon because of his myopia. Why does Hopewell never further address the issue that Cfism doesn't exist in France, Germany, or Great Britain, but only in America? He's a fish who doesn't notice the water.
Wrapping it up then, this is absolutely not a 'major contribution' to anything and it is absolutely not going to deepen our insight in those elusive organisations that occupy themselves with (self-)destructive schemes; consequently, it is also not going to help us protect ourselves against these destructive forces. Rather, for an accessible, more sophisticated study on Fundamentalism that illustrates the bigger picture, see Karen Armstrong's erudite "The Battle for God", and for an insight into 'rationalistic' people succumbing to the most absurd fallacies, see Jeffrey Victor's "Satanic Panic: the creation of a contemporary legend". Hopewell simply keeps calling people stupid, satisfying his own jelly-belly and that of others, but accomplishes nothing.
Books:
- Palm Beach: An Architectural Legacy
- Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland
- Paula Deen Celebrates!: Best Dishes and Best Wishes for the Best Times of Your Life
- Primates and Philosophers: How Morality Evolved (The University Center for Human Values Series)
- Principles of Learning and Teaching Study Guide (Praxis Study Guides)
- Procedures in Cosmetic Dermatology Series: Chemical Peels: Text with DVD (Procedures in Cosmetic Dermatology)
- Revolution of the Heart: A Genealogy of Love in China, 1900-1950
- Saint Joan (Penguin Classics)
- She Stoops to Conquer (Dover Thrift Editions)
- Sixth Covenant (A. D. Chronicles, No. 6)
Books Index
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Forgiveness: The Greatest Healer of All
