Book Description
Once a prominent radio reporter, Mumia Abu-Jamal is now in a Pennsylvania prison awaiting his state-sactioned execution. In 1982 he was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner after a trial many have criticized as profoundly biased. Live From Death Row is a collection of his prison writings--an impassioned yet unflinching account of the brutalities and humiliations of prison life. It is also a scathing indictment of racism and political bias in the American judicial system that is certain to fuel the controversy surrounding the death penalty and freedom of speech.
Customer Reviews:
Prison: The Reality.......2007-05-12
Having worked in a high-security prison for six years as a clinical psychologist, I can attest to the picture of life that Mumia portrayed. In fact, his account felt so genuine to what I saw and experienced first hand. My 82-year-old mother read this book. She was so shocked of the treatment that the inmates received, that she had a difficult time reading parts of the book. She could not believe that in this country inmates are treated, in her words, "like animals"! Few people are allowed to go behind the walls to see the truth of the goings on inside a prison. This book gives an accurate account to those people who would like to know.
At this point, Mumia's guilt or innocence is immaterial..........2006-07-28
First of all, I'd like to say that at this point, it doesn't matter if Mumia is guilty or innocent because the fact is, in this country we have something called Procedural Law, which mandates that if certain rules and guidelines are abused in a criminal trial, the case/charges at hand should be dropped. That is precisely what happend in Mumia's case. If you read this book (or any article about Mumia for that matter,) it's clear that the rights afforded to any prisoner were violated in his case and that the violations of procedure were so great that his case should be dropped and he should be freed, regardless of anything else.
Having said that, here is the book review. If you're looking for musings on the day-to-day existence of any given prisoner in any state or federal prison in the country, this is where to look. In addition to that, if you're looking for some interesting and rather shocking statistics regarding racial disparity in the justice system as a whole, espeically the death penalty (even though they are over a decade old, they are even more bleak today,) then this book is where to look. Reading this book forces one to question the validity, necessity, and practicality of the death penalty in this country as juxtaposed to other countries. Upon completion (actually way before that) of this book, you can't help but feel for Mumia and the way he has been treated by the nation that proclaims itself to be the model that other countries of the world should strive to immitate--OUR country.
Finally, I recommend this book to anyone interested at all by the undeniable fact of racial prejudice in the justice system. While this book reads like a collection of essays and journal entires, because that's what it is, if you're looking for a non-fiction account of the death penalty and death row in a novelized form, look into Dead Man Walking by Helen Prejean. Either way, Live from Death Row will open your eyes... and your heart.
Mediocre.......2005-09-16
Mumia Abu Jamal is not a great writer. He is, in fact, barely a GOOD writer. And if he hadn't murdered Daniel Faulkner in the 80's, he'd be just about nobody right now.
This book is filled with horror stories from death row, and Jamal does do a good job of affecting the reader on a gut level--but other writers on the subject (less self interested than Jamal, and far less self important) have pointed out the racism inherent in the American judicial system far better. The core of Jamal's writing voice (although it seems inconsistent at times, often degenerating into mere rage/personal bitterness rather than any objective viewpoint beneficial to the reader) is anger. This in itself is no objection to his work, as this has been the case with many authors. Jamal is not that compelling and his rants are turn-offs.
Being a left-wing liberal, I took an interest in the case of Mumia Abu Jamal years ago. It took about one week of research for me to realize that this guy is no political prisoner (although they exist:Leonard Peltier's "My Life Is A Sundance" is a good example of REAL activist writing from "inside the pen"). Anyone who has even a little intellectual integrity, right-wing or left-wing, conservative or liberal, has to concur that this guy is guilty after reading about the case. If he admitted that he committed the crime I'd have a lot more respect for him and would keep reading him for his insider's accounts. But with his laughable pretense of innocence, everything he writes is poison of a sort. It is disturbing indeed to see so many of the literati cuddle up to him, some of them very talented:Alice Walker, Norman Mailer, etc. Maybe if he gets real lucky Mailer can free yet another murderer, like he did with Jack Abbott, so they can kill someone else.
I look forward to the day that Daniel Faulkner's wife writes a book about her horrendous experiences (one can only imagine what this must be like for her), having a nation of uninformed lefties, most of them under the age of 18, cozy up to her husband's killer.
Mumia a man of peace and courage.......2004-09-04
I was so happy to read this book. I had read several of his articles in various publications over the years and I watched the HBO special abbout him. Still, the book gave me more food for thought. I enjoyed reading the book a great deal. He was simultaneously revealing about the condition that he lives under in death row as he was about his life before prison. He is such a learned and reflexive man. I mourn the lost of 23 years with his love ones and the MOVE movement and other folks who would have benefitted a great deal from being around him on the outside. Folks like me for example who experienced White Supremacy and black on black violence within the Ivy Towers of Philadelphia. There was so much history in the book about how he came to the MOVE and his involvement in the Black Panther Party. Throughout his youth he strove to find the truth about himself his race and his condition.
The urban or inner city streets of Philadelphia are just as treacherous as the ones found in DC or Oakland, Miami or New York to name a few of the deadlier ones. Mumia looked for and found a movement to participate in that would empower him and help to overcome the hardships that he faced as a young black male. These organizations gave him the strength to find his voice which he expressed on the radio as a host and in print as a journalist.
His description of the events that led to his arrest and subsequent imprisonment were clear. They used bribes and illegal means to convict him and he was obviously not guilty. How can an unconscious person shoot someone to death? Any CSI could recreate the crime (and I wish that they would) and find him NOT GUILTY!
I wish that he had described his life with his wife and children and other members of MOVE more. These are important people in his life who are working to FREE him. Moreover, the anti death row movement which is overly represented by the French has helped him a great deal in putting out his message and that was a great alliance for TRUTH.
MUMIA is an eloquent writer and I felt his innocence in his words. I grieve for him and his love ones and for all of those in death row who are not guilty.
free mumia.......2002-12-25
....I enjoyed this book I read death blossoms previously...I enjoyed this book very much it made me so angry because I truly feel that he is in jail only for his political beliefs....but one thing I can say is that his spirit is not broken...and that is so beautiful....the main thing this book did was change my views on capital punishment at first I was all for it but those views changed I am now against it....free mumia!!!
Book Description
Finding Freedom is a collection of prison stories - sometimes shocking, sometimes sad, often funny, always immediate-told against a background of extreme violence and aggression, written by a prisoner on death row who has become a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism.
Customer Reviews:
Very Moving.......2007-09-10
I first spotted this book when I had half an hour up my sleeve on the way to a visit at Bunbury Prison. It moved me big time.
In my working capacity over the years as a teacher and facilitator within the Western Australian Prison system I have often used chapters of this book as a pivotal point in my classes.
I am sure Jarvis would be pleased to know that this book has moved the lives of many - including that of many prisoners. To demonstrate how freedom can be found under circumstances of incarceration until death with stories that prisoners can truly relate to is an awesome feat.
The story about the 4th of July really provoked much deep and meaningful discussion.
'Scars', and 'My Sisters' really got them thinking too.
But this book is not only of great benefit to prisoners; it's messages are universal to us all.
Interesting peek into San Quentin.......2007-01-12
This book was an easy read, and gave me a good sense of what it was like for Masters to go from angry to peaceful in prison. It's not professionally written, but one wouldn't expect it to be. I think it would be interesting to people who study prison psychology, violence, Buddhism and meditation, and/or personal growth and transformation.
Escaping from our own prisons.......2006-09-18
This book was deeply moving on many levels, but I was especially struck by how Jarvis Masters was able to find freedom possibly the worst situation one could be in, while many of us, with relatively good lives, never question our own imprisionment. We're all in one sort of prison or another. Jarvis was shown a path to his own freedom, and in the true Boddhisatva tradition, he makes that path clear to the rest of us. Jarvis is an inspiration and one hopes that his message will be read by all.
Changes lives of my students every year.......2005-05-10
Since I began using this book in my 11th grade American Literature/Contemporary Composition classes a few years ago, students have consistently remarked that it has changed the way they view life, the world, and themselves. They consistently say that it is the most meaningful literature we read all year. From Jarvis, they learn life lessons and how to go beyond self-pity and anger. Jarvis is a beautful man and I recomend this book heartily to anyone wishing to open their heart.
Spirituality At Its Best.......2004-01-30
I recommend that anyone who is seeking to be spiritual read this book. Jarvis Masters provides a shining example of compassion in action in cirumstances where it is very difficult to be a holy human being.
Book Description
So Others May Live is the untold story of the U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer. In startlingly clear and exceptional writing, it tells twelve heroic stories of the greatest maritime rescues attempted since the program was started in 1985. These feats, told through the eyes of the hero, reveal an understanding of how and why the rescuer, with flight crew assistance, risks his or her own life to reach out to save a stranger. The book covers diverse environments: oceans, hurricanes, oil rigs, caves, sinking vessels, floods, and even Niagara Falls. It is truly a can't-put-it-down collection.
Customer Reviews:
Good story, author lacking.......2007-04-28
While I found the stories interesting, the author's style was lacking. The first two chapters dealt with why the Coast Guard has a rescue swimmer program and what led up to it. However, it gets a bit tedious at times. The author lists every person who ever had anything to do with the ups and downs of the program. Needless to say, the two chapters could have been combined into one smaller chapter. The minutia gets a bit heavy.
As for the stories, once again minutia gets in the way of the heart of the story. I don't think it's necessary to list the aircraft numbers in each story. Unless you are CG and have flown in or worked around these aircraft, it is not necessary for the story. I wold have preferred also that the author list crew positions more than once in each chapter. The constant referring to the crews by name without occasionally referring to them with crew position and name requires you at times to reread the beginning to keep up with who's who.
I applaud the heroism and dedication of the crews involved, however it seems their story gets lost in the author's quest to write a long book by filling it with unnecessary words. At times it was like the student who was told to write a 1,000 word essay and ends up with a 500 word essay and 500 words of filler.
My son's favorite book.......2007-03-11
I've read the entire book a few times to my son. He loves it. The writing style is arguably not the greatest, but the stories are wonderful and the author's pride, admiration, and sincerity shines through.
I think this could be turned into a wonderful book for boys ages 8-12. I do want to point out the risk of encouraging a career as a rescue swimmer. As a father I'd prefer something a bit less heroic.
Muddy's Coffeehouse in Eliz. City.......2006-11-23
Incredible! I am a frequent patron of Muddy Water's Coffeehouse in E. City, N.C. and I have no connection to the Coast Guard. I frequently run into these guys, mostly the kids in the swimmer training program, on Saturdays when they come in to get coffee and study their training material, or e-mail their wives and girlfriends. They are perennially polite and completely pumped up about the program. I have always had lots of interest in learning about what they do. Then came The Guardian. After seeing that, I had more respect for these swimmers than I have for any of the other "Special Forces." (I realize they are not classified as such, but perhaps they should be.) I bought the book to learn more and learn I did. It is unfathomable to me that these young men and women will take the risks they do to save others' lives, particularly when, in many of these cases, people made stupid mistakes to be out on the seas in the first place. I read the book thinking, Yeah, So Others May Live to make some more stupid mistakes another day.
As a writer myself, I thought the book was incredibly well-done. The characterization of these guys as capable, yet humble, rang so true. The story-driven chapters were gripping. I read far too late into the night too many nights in a row. Martha, you owe me some sleep. And, Swimmers, the rest of us owe you and your "teammates" nothing but the utmost respect.
A P.S. to Ms. LaGuardia-Kotite: Your epilogue on "rescuing the rescuers"
answered the burning question I had - what do these guys do with the horrors they have seen and they stress they have borne?
A history of the U.S. Coast Guard helicopter rescue swimmer.......2006-08-17
SO OTHERS MAY LIVE: SAVINGS LIVES, DEFYING DEATH WITH THE COAST GUARD'S RESCUE SWIMMERS provides a history of the U.S. Coast Guard helicopter rescue swimmer, pairing this history with twelve stories which chronicle maritime rescues. Swimmers tell these stories of perilous rescue and while SO OTHERS MAY LIVE would also qualify to be featured in our 'True Adventure' section, it's featured here for additional value as a history of Coast Guard efforts overall.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Absolutely incredible reality-driven writing!.......2006-07-24
Her description of the harrowing rescues on rooftops in New Orleans took my breath away. I've been in SAR situations where a person had to be forced to leave a sinking boat, and on law-enforcement sorties where the bad guys had guns, but, in each of those occasions, you knew exactly what to expect - things were straightforward. The deteriorating conditions in New Orleans after Katrina, gave the crew, especially the swimmers, such extraordinary unknowns. The need to adapt to such changing and challenging situations so quickly - and the sheer number of them! - was obviously devastating to both body and psyche. And, the fact that among Coast Guard personnel there were no deaths, no collisions, no serious injury, is just astounding. I'm not sure that this country really appreciates the length to which our little service went in those days following the hurricane.
Her book made it all so clear. I felt like I was hovering alongside the aircraft, totally immersed in the emotion of the moment; `didn't matter if it was over the water, or next to a cliff or in a cave. Her words took you there.
The book, and the story it tells, is nothing short of exceptional. They say you write best when you "write about what you know." Well, with the help of those amazing rescue swimmers, she obviously knew what she was writing about and took it to a level of intensity found in very few books.
Book Description
From Scripture and her own experience, powerful teaching on finding freedom in Christ from demonic oppression by overcoming strongholds.
Customer Reviews:
Victory over strongholds and strongmen!.......2007-06-10
This is an intensely practical, very valuable guide to spiritual warfare. The Lord Jesus Christ has given us the power to overcome all the attacks of the enemy! Demolishing strongholds means you have to repent of your sins (or overcome the curse against you) which allowed access to your life and then go after the strongman. But many make the mistake of not recognizing that there are other spirits of bondage connected with the strongman which make him even stronger. (This book gives detailed lists of these associated with common strongmen.) The author directs the reader to bind the strongman, cast out the other spirts, THEN cast out the strongman. She includes prayers to use, stories of victorious battles, and her own personal experience. Even if you don't believe in demon deliverance, think of this book as a way of using truth encounters to confront strongholds and what kinds of strongholds tend to happen together.
great.......2007-02-07
The book came very quickly and was in excellent condition. And to top it off the book was great.
The Keys to Freedom.......2006-12-06
The book is the ultimate handbook for deliverance ministry. The keys to identifying and breaking off demonic strongholds are identified clearly. As this life is a battlefield, then this book is a war room strategy guide. This book brought me immense help in identifying how demons work to intimidate and harass people, and how to fight on their behalf. As usual, this author has taken a complex subject and put it into simple, concrete terms. Indispensible reference book for anyone serious about setting others free.
A practical guide your library needs.......2006-12-05
If you are like most Christians, you have times when you may feel "hemmed in" by something that isn't readily explainable.Other times you may lack the freedom in Christ that you have had in times past. Delivering the Captives is a well written practical guide to deal with issues before they get a foothold in your life. This is a book every library needs to have, and hopefully the reader will review from time to time. It is a very compatible book with the author's Beyond the Lie. Though the specific issues may be differerent, both of these books deal with life isssues that affect our functioning ability. Make no mistake about it, the strongman will do his best to defeat you quickly or with a slow burn. With God's help we can be victorious.
Freedom.......2006-11-08
This is a great "how to" book with amazing stories about everyday people who experience relief and freedom from fears, tormenting thoughts, addictions and overpowering sinful habits by resisting sin and evil through drawing near to God. Salvation, personal freedom and deliverance from demonic spirits, is the work of Jesus in and through our lives.
Alice Smith in "Delivering The Captives" shares how we can obtain personal freedom and effectively help others with their greatest struggles and pain. "Delivering The Captives" renews our faith that the love and power of God is more than enough to live changed lives and experience God's peace.
Debbie Walker, Houston, TX.
Book Description
Unlike other such manuals, this one combines specialized info from dozens of scientific and investigative references in one handy volume. A must for detectives, pathologists, attorneys, crime scene technicians, reporters, EMTs, PIs and mystery buffs.
Customer Reviews:
A Must for professionals/Students in Crime Scene Tech!.......2004-01-02
I bought this book some time ago, and has been useful from the start. It does, indeed, give basic information on evidence recovery, Balistics, blood spatter, drowning, and other scenarios you may see. It is on a matter of fact based.
If you are looking for reasons why you are preforming these proceedures, I agree, this is not the book for you.
But if you are looking for do's and don't and want to see how to correctly regonize, secure and recover a crime scene then this is the book for you!
not for beginners.......2002-12-16
I guess I should have realised from the title that this book would not be for me. I don't have any background in this, I'm just a regular person studying for a bachelor's degree in Science and I wanted to get a book for interest on this topic. I would have greatly benefited from a sample of the pages inside and I could have seen the structure of it. The entire book is point form and quite bare (not of information, there's tonnes of that, but bare of anything to round it out). It literally is for people actually in the field and if you're not "in the field" then don't even bother getting this book. It is NOT for general interest sake. It is point form, some of the printing is fuzzy in a couple of places, there are only a handful of pencil sketches (that's all the illustration it has). But it does have step by step information of what to do if you're a cop (but I'm thinking if you were a cop, you really shouldn't have to stop to consult a book when you're at a crimescene). There it is, make what you will of this review and good luck.
Disappointing.......2002-11-02
Getting started in homicide investigation, and after reading the reviews here, it seemed this was the book for me. Unfortunately this book didn't help much at all. The entire book is in an outline format that just gives bullets on what to do and not to do. It doesn't explain the WHY of any of these things. Without the explainations behind the items, I did not learn anything from this book. I recommend you look elsewhere.
death Investigator's HandBook.......2002-05-07
This is the book! It cover's more then any other book I have read so far. I am retired Sgt. from the NYS Child Abuse Unit, and I have seen the worst of the worst out there, but I wish I had this book with me on every case I ever worked! The information stored in here and procedure's to follow and follow up make it worth reading this book cover to cover as many times as you can! Bravo Mr. Eliopulos, job well done!
Absolutely A Must Read.......1999-11-24
This is the most comprehensive book on field investigation I have ever seen. Covers death scene evidence gathering in a manner that insures every detail is observed and that a strong chain of evidence is developed (hope the LAPD has a bunch of these!). As a writer this one is now tops on my list for research involving murder, both for the intrepid police investigator and for the perp to get away with the crime. Excellent book - can't say much more than that.
Book Description
During a routine investigation, a suspect turns hostile. The officers on the scene spring into action and get the suspect under control by handcuffing him. Though the suspect has been successfully subdued - he dies shortly thereafter… A psychiatric patient suddenly becomes violent. The hospital staff struggles to control the patient with four point restraint. While order has been restored and the patient has been restrained - she dies soon afterward… Criminal and civil cases often cite "positional asphyxia" as the cause of death in such instances, blaming the rough treatment individuals may have received during restraint. The authors of Excited Delirium Syndrome: Cause of Death and Prevention, however, propose a different explanation. In this groundbreaking book, they cite the reason being a condition called Excited Delirium Syndrome, in which the normal physiological changes produced by violent activity culminate in sudden cardiac death, often in conjunction with the effects of a drug. After introducing the topic, the book recounts the condition's history and examines traditional explanations as to why such deaths occur, and then counter as to why they are not justifiable. In addition, it illustrates the effects that stressors, legal medication, and drugs of abuse have on the cardiovascular system. The effects of underlying disease, including endogenous mental disease are also discussed. In addition, the book details prevention, assesses the role of first responders, investigators, and mental health professionals, and describes "high-risk" individuals. These topics, along with the many actual case studies that provide further insight, make Excited Delirium Syndrome: Cause of Death and Prevention an essential resource for anyone treating or interacting with those that may have this disorder.
Customer Reviews:
Excuse for deaths in custody?.......2005-11-08
I'm just looking at this book briefly, so I could be wrong, but it looks to me like a new medical theory to explain people dying at the hands of police or prison guards, etc. Not surprisingly, this is mostly a result of their drug abuse sending them into a state of delirium and not any actions by the police. I'm not a medical professional, so I can't judge the validity of the presentation. But it's written by a nurse and her husband. That they're located in Texas and thanking the Lord, our God in the acknowledgements makes me suspect a religious right underlying perspective.
Average customer rating:
- There's nothing I can say that will do this justice
- Excellent book!
- Pure narcissism
- Misses somewhere
- I Wanted to Like This Book
|
The Boy Who Fell Out of the Sky: A True Story
Ken Dornstein
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Memoirs
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Death & Grief
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Grief
| By Topic
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Terrorism
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Health Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Afterlife: A Memoir
-
Strange Piece of Paradise
-
A Death in Belmont (P.S.)
-
The Good Life
-
Black Swan Green: A Novel
ASIN: 0375503595
Release Date: 2006-03-28 |
Book Description
In this stunning, emotionally charged memoir, Ken Dornstein interweaves the moving story of his own coming-of-age with the promise of greatness his brother never lived to fulfill. The Boy Who Fell Out of the Sky is a heartbreaking but profoundly hopeful book about finding beauty in the midst of tragedy and making sense of it.
David Dornstein was twenty-five years old, a handsome, charismatic young man on the verge of becoming an extraordinary writer, when he boarded Pan Am Flight 103 from London on the evening of December 21, 1988. Thirty-eight minutes after takeoff, he died, along with the 258 other passengers and crew, when a terrorist’s plastic explosive ripped the plane apart over Lockerbie, Scotland.
David’s brother, Ken, was nineteen, a college sophomore home on winter break, when the call came. All his life Ken had looked up to David, confided in him, followed where he led. David’s death left Ken with a void that both crushed and consumed him. What were his brother’s plans when he died? Was David really carrying home a draft of the great novel everyone knew was in him? Was he in love with the woman he was living with overseas? Ken Dornstein needed to learn the truth about his brother’s life and death. In this harrowing and affecting memoir, he records what he found out.
It was years before Ken could bring himself to confront the stacks of notebooks and letters David left behind, but once he began to read he was drawn deep into his brother’s world. From David’s early obsession with writing down his every thought to his misadventures on the streets of New York, from an unraveling love affair in Israel to a devastating childhood secret, piece by piece Ken assembles a complex, disturbing portrait of an artist struggling to find a voice for passions that often threatened to tear him apart. Then, by chance, Ken runs into David’s college girlfriend on a train and everything changes once again. He starts to question his motives and his memories, and finally sets off on a complicated journey to finish the book that his brother started.
As haunting as a dream, as electrifying as the day’s news, The Boy Who Fell Out of the Sky is an incandescent and unforgettable account of one man’s struggle to find inspiration in his brother’s life and create a life of his own. What begins as a tragedy turns into a love story of deeply affirming power.
Customer Reviews:
There's nothing I can say that will do this justice.......2007-10-01
I kept coming across this book on bookstore shelves and failed to pick it up each time. Finally after searching the library shelves for hours, I gave in , therefore making on of the better book choices I've made in years.
I was sucked into the story and didn't stop until I reached the end. I turned back to the beginning and re-read it again. It's a story of love, siblings and ultimately finding oneself. It's made me appreciate my own siblings a bit more. I've recommended this book to all of them and hope that they can gain what I have from this compelling story of brothers.
Excellent book!.......2007-04-03
Wonderfully written, touching "memoir" about a brother's love and finding a way to honor that love and life when it is gone.
Pure narcissism.......2007-01-11
For those who enjoy rambling, narcissistic screed. In an unintentionally amusing chapter, the author Biblically rationalizes his attempts at shtupping both of his deceased brother's girlfriends, which is truly an innovative way of coping with grief. The brothers shared narcissism as a trait, but at least the deceased one had an undiagnosed mental illness (bipolar) as the potential cause.
Misses somewhere.......2006-12-27
The premise of the book was interesing...a man finding himself through the exploration of his brother's life. But it lost my attention somewhere. I put the book down for a couple weeks and then finally finished the last chapter. The beginning of the book was compelling and moving. However, by the end, I just didnt care about the outcome. The author, in my opinion, while he tries, did not fully convey how he was able to move on.
As others have stated, i tried to like this book, but couldnt.
I Wanted to Like This Book.......2006-10-05
As the saying goes, "I wanted to like this book." A brother's attempt to reconstruct the life and genius of a sibling killed in the Lockerbie bombing should have made compelling reading. Yet the real tragedy of David Dornstein is not his death on Pan Am 103, but the years of agony he endured with untreated manic depression.
The cyclic unraveling of a life is painful to witness. If you find that fascinating, read this book. I am left wondering why David went undiagnosed and untreated. Were there no interventions, or was everyone lured into the myth that only tortured souls can produce great art?
We can only wonder what a functioning David might have contributed to the world. Might he have worked in a soup kitchen or tutored someone in English? Instead we are left with another set of narcissistic ramblings from the young and grandiose. Is there a real parent in this book? What a tragic reminder of the mindless price untreated mental illness exacts.
Book Description
Using oral histories with African American activists and community leaders, Kim Lacy Rogers explores the civil rights movement in several Mississippi communities in the context of the region's history of white supremacy, racial oppression, and African American cultural vitality. Terrorism, black poverty, and economic exploitation led to a condition of collective trauma and social suffering for thousands of black Deltans in the twentieth century. This work reveals the impact of that oppression, and of African American traditions of community service and leadership in the lives of women and men who became activists. It also examines the disillusionment and anger that many Delta leaders feel about the changes that took place during the post-movement years.
Book Description
Lawrence Blum describes the sources of danger, injuries, and victory to police officers in a down-to-earth, readable style. Blum's main point is that there are missing "ingredients" in the training and socialization of police officers. In his book, these ingredients include techniques and tools to condition the officer's decision-making and concentration during conditions of emergency; internal controls necessary to maintain the will to survive; and aids that will prevent officers being defeated by any threat. Blum offers tools to help police officers cope with unanticipated or rapidly changing encounters.
Customer Reviews:
Practice Makes Perfect.......2007-07-09
This is an excellent book. Well written. It applies to police and firefighters as well as corporatre managers working on high pressure and precice industry. A must read.
Good Book.......2006-06-28
Great overview of the career and the stressors that it puts on us. Even put into "Soldier" or "normal" terms. A little dry but this type of material always is. But the simplicity of his terminology and explanation makes it much easier to read than sitting through an equally presented lecture. Its also not overly indepth. Some authors tend to explain too much and lose the reader. I find that he does no. He gives examples, makes it quick, simple, and gets right to the point. Its also nice how he give first hand anonymous accounts of situations that have occured, to help explain what he's talking about.
Very helpful in explaining the physchological circumstances of being a police officer .......2005-08-27
This book should be read by all wanting not just to enter law enforcement but the criminal justice field in general. This is a very easy to read book, that took me less than a day to read. It presents several case scenarios and explains how to mentally prepare yourself to react in given situation. All examples are clearly defined and the techniques presented should be implemented.
Superb.......2004-07-21
For those who love crime genre, this is a must read! A book about the life cops written from the heart. The author brings the pages alive, revealing aspects of modern day crime and methods to fight such. An easy to read, funny, shocking, frightening and thrilling book, which lifts the lid on modern police work. Whether a lawyer or a criminal, a cop or an armchair sleuth, this is one for your collection. I could not put it down.
Interesting subject, tedious writing style.......2004-06-21
This book handles the stresses related to police work, how they affect individual officer's life, and how to overcame the stress. The author is a phychologist who works with police departments in stress-related issues.
I had high hopes towards this book, as I have read a couple of similar books, and they have been mostly interesting to read, shedding light to an important issue. I was disappointed with this book, however, as in places the text is somewhat tedious. It is not too difficult to understand, but it is not very pleasant to read. It is as if the author had forgotten to whom he is writing this book for, as he uses expressions and writing style that you would expect to find in a scientific publication, not in a book aimed for general public. In places the text is much more interesting to read, as if the author had been suddenly excited about the given subject, bringing his enthusiasm into the text.
The text covers both the theoretical aspects of the issue, and there are also some stuff that can be directly put into use (like visualization exercises). The book explains the background and causes of some widely known stressors, which was interesting to read.
If you can put up with the somewhat tedious writing style, the book (the issues presented in the book) is interesting to read. But on the other hand, there are more interesting books on the market, also.
Book Description
Death Penalty Cases provides an unbiased collection of seminal death penalty cases in the United States. It offers full but carefully edited excerpts from 25 different US Supreme Court cases along with helpful introductory materials specially prepared by the editor. It also includes the latest statistical data on capital punishment [and a useful sampling of death penalty statutes]. Together, this material is invaluable for a full understanding of this fascinating subject.
Without taking sides on this controversial issue, the author illuminates the arguments and presents the cases that form the framework for US law on capital punishment. The keen selection of the material and the quality and extent of the commentary make this unique textbook a superb resource and an outstanding educational tool.
* Carefully edited excerpts from 25 landmark US Supreme Court cases
* Outstanding original interpretation and analysis from the author
* A wealth of impartial material on ethics and historical controversies
Books:
- Long Night Moon
- Marine Sniper: 93 Confirmed Kills
- Messenger of Truth: A Maisie Dobbs Novel (Maisie Dobbs Novels)
- Microsoft Office XP Introductory Concepts and Techniques
- Military Flight Aptitude Tests (CliffsTestPrep)
- Mommy Wars: Stay-at-Home and Career Moms Face Off on Their Choices, Their Lives, Their Families
- Moses (Caldecott Honor Book)
- My French Whore
- Mystic Chords of Memory: Civil War Battlefields and Historic Sites Recaptured
- No Ordinary Moments: A Peaceful Warrior's Guide to Daily Life (Millman, Dan)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln: 21 Powerful Secrets of History's Greatest Speakers
- Greens Glorious Greens: More than 140 Ways to Prepare All Those Great-Tasting, Super-Healthy, Beauti
- Tomorrow's Eve
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8, Issue 1
- Field and Wave Electromagnetics
- Conservation Directory 2005-2006: The Guide To Worldwide Environmental Organizations
- The One Best Way: Frederick Winslow Taylor and the Enigma of Efficiency
- Work Without Wages: Russia's Non-Payment Crisis
- Maryland Business Almanac
All Things Censored
We Want Freedom: A Life in the Black Panther Party
Death Blossoms: Reflections from a Prisoner of Conscience
Assata: An Autobiography (Lawrence Hill & Co.)
Soledad Brother: The Prison Letters of George Jackson
