Book Description
My new friends have begun to suspect I haven’t told them the full story of my life.
“Why did you leave Sierra Leone?”
“Because there is a war.”
“You mean, you saw people running around with guns and shooting each other?”
“Yes, all the time.”
“Cool.”
I smile a little.
“You should tell us about it sometime.”
“Yes, sometime.”
This is how wars are fought now: by children, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s. Children have become soldiers of choice. In the more than fifty conflicts going on worldwide, it is estimated that there are some 300,000 child soldiers. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them.
What is war like through the eyes of a child soldier? How does one become a killer? How does one stop? Child soldiers have been profiled by journalists, and novelists have struggled to imagine their lives. But until now, there has not been a first-person account from someone who came through this hell and survived.
In A Long Way Gone, Beah, now twenty-five years old, tells a riveting story: how at the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he’d been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts.
This is a rare and mesmerizing account, told with real literary force and heartbreaking honesty.
Customer Reviews:
A powerful and eloquent voice..........2007-10-22
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah is a moving, tortured yet uplifting story of Beah's involvement in war.
Living in Sierra Leone, Beah was a typical 12-year old, playing soccer, dancing, singing rap music, reciting Shakespeare and hanging out with his friends. Beah and a bunch of his buddies ventured to another town when civil war came to their village. Not being able to make it back home, they were forced to flee--trying to find somewhere safe as well as a source of food. Their goal was to avoid being captured or killed by the rebels. Instead, they were discovered by the government army and turned into soldiers. Some of these boys were so slight that they couldn't even hold the AK-47s they were given as weapons. They were also given prodigious amounts of illegal drugs. For three years, Beah served with the army until UNICEF removed him from military service. During those three years, he was shot a number of times and escaped death repeatedly.
While Beah's physical injuries healed, the psychological scars from the war tortured him for years. He especially suffered from nightmares and migraines. With the help of the staff of UNICEF and NGO, he not only healed enough to be "repatriated," but he was also chosen as a representative to the United Nations First International Children's Parliament. It was here that he met the woman who would become his surrogate mother, and arrange for his eventual escape from Sierra Leone.
Ishmael Beah is a powerful, eloquent voice for the many children who were forced to become soldiers. These children were robbed of their families, their limbs, their childhoods, and often, their lives. After a nightmare, "I would try desperately to think about my childhood, but I couldn't. The war memories had formed a barrier that I had to break in order to think about any moment in my life before the war."
I wish that Beah had gone into more detail about his journey to the United States. Perhaps he's saving it for another book. But even without this information, A Long Way Gone is an excellent book by a very young author.
a long way gone.......2007-10-20
This is an incredible account of Ishmael Beah's life thus far. How a boy could endure such hell on earth is beyond comprehension, however this young author awakens his readers, and with his words shows us the wide spectrum of love and hate that we humans are capable of inflicting upon each other. A truly enlightening memoir.
Everyone needs to read this book.......2007-10-19
Amazing, horrifying, well-written, and a book that every American should read in order to better understand the conflicts of Africa. What strikes me most about this boy's story is the fact that he was in the governmental army, not the rebel army. But many times there was no difference between the two. Such facts certainly make me doubt that any African or UN "peacekeeping" force will be able to change anything in that region.
Excellent.......2007-10-18
What an interesting story. Having lived all over the world, it is very interesting how stories of civil strife always seem to include child soldiers whether Palestinian, Lebanese, Iranian, Liberian or Somalian.
I recommend this book for those interested in the world around them.
Heartbreaking!.......2007-10-18
This was one of my Book Club's selections for this fall. I thought it was easy to read and I am glad I saw the movie "Blood Diamond" before reading this. It's a difficult subject matter but worth reading.
Book Description
True North shows how anyone who follows their internal compass can become an authentic leader. This leadership tour de force is based on research and first-person interviews with 125 of today’s top leaders—with some surprising results. In this important book, acclaimed former Medtronic CEO Bill George and coauthor Peter Sims share the wisdom of these outstanding leaders and describe how you can develop as an authentic leader. True North presents a concrete and comprehensive program for leadership success and shows how to create your own Personal Leadership Development Plan centered on five key areas:
- Knowing your authentic self
- Defining your values and leadership principles
- Understanding your motivations
- Building your support team
- Staying grounded by integrating all aspects of your life
True North offers an opportunity for anyone to transform their leadership path and become the authentic leader they were born to be.
Personal, original, and illuminating stories from Warren Bennis, Sir Adrian Cadbury, George Shultz (former U.S. secretary of state), Charles Schwab, John Whitehead (Cochairman, Goldman Sachs), Anne Mulcahy (CEO, Xerox), Howard Schultz (CEO, Starbucks), Dan Vasella (CEO, Novartis), John Brennan (Chairman, Vanguard), Carol Tome (CFO, Home Depot), Donna Dubinsky (CEO/cofounder, Palm), Alan Horn (President, Warner Brothers), Ann Moore (CEO, Time, Inc.) and many others illustrate the transitions that shape the type of leaders who will thrive in the 21st century.
Bill George (Cambridge, MA) has spent over 30 years in executive leadership positions at Litton, Honeywell, and Medtronic. As CEO of Medtronic, he built the company into the world’s leading medical technology company as its market capitalization increased from $1.1 billion to $60 billion. Since 2004, he has been a professor at the Harvard Business School. His 2004 book Authentic Leadership (0-7879-7528-1) was a BusinessWeek bestseller. Peter Sims (San Francisco, CA) established “Leadership Perspectives,” a course on leadership development at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and cofounded the London office of Summit Partners, a leading investment firm.
Their Web site is www.truenorthleaders.com.
Customer Reviews:
Be a Mentor.......2007-10-05
If you have children, buy this book and have them read it. If they are to young, then read it yourself and teach them the principles given by author Bill George.
"True North" will help you develop a path to your authentic self. Leading from the strength of your authentic self will give you new opportunities to expand your personal influence. Perhaps the best use of that influence will be to mentor others to find their "True North".
One more thing, buy a copy for your boss. Who knows she may just become a true authentic leader.
Larry Kevin Adams
theactionator.com
Authentic Leadership!.......2007-09-09
I recieved the order sooner than I expected with no hassle, no problems at all!
TRUE NORTH.......2007-08-31
BILL GEORGE OFFERS AN INSIGHT INTO WHAT OUR CORPORATE/BUSINESS WORLD NEEDS SO BADLY TODAY - TRUE LEADERS. THIS SHOULD BE REQUIRED READING FOR TEENS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN COLLEGE, AND THEIR PARENTS. IF CEO'S AND THEIR MANAGERS FOLLOWED THE AUTHOR'S ADVICE, OUR WORLD WOULD BE A DIFFERENT - AND BETTER - PLACE.
A compass with no map?.......2007-08-31
I am not sure if the authors are clear on their objectives for this book. It certainly contains a wealth of information about leadership characteristics and behaviours but little practical advice.
It is also inspirational in places; however, I am left with what feels like a collection of random cameos of leadership wisdom, which in themselves are useful, but together lack cohesion. If the book is trying to say `look, the world of leadership is very complex, random and idiosyncratic' then it achieves this very well but if they are trying to provide direction in such a world then the book clearly fails.
There is no framework for potential leaders to follow, the authors only state that if you know your true north and your values you can be authentic, which is about as useful as a chocolate teapot at a tropical tea party.
If you are a successful leader already I dare say you would agree with most of this book but if you are an aspiring leader then providing the compass without a map is very cruel.
A must read for a leader or leader-to-be.......2007-08-01
I feel this book is a must read for a leader or leader-to-be. True North is one of those rare literary experiences in which engaging the material and reflecting upon it can help you with your development as a person and as a leader. It is my belief that no matter where you are in your life you should never stop working to develop yourself.
Bill George has achieved a tremendous amount of success within his life by applying the principles of True North. However, the greater testament to these principles is that Bill has achieved this success while remaining grounded, truly satisfied and deeply inspired. True North is about the type of leader that leads authentically and thus consistently--though we each express this leadership in our own individual way. It is this type of leader that will restore faith and trust in leaders and leadership that has been diminished, if not lost, in recent generations.
Success can be crippling and change you in ways you never thought possible. This is one of the risks in leadership. However, True North is a literary work that will help you find your compass--even if you have already strayed off course. There is no one right way to lead and True North is structured to help you learn about your leadership and how to stay grounded. You may already be equipped with some of this knowledge, but True North will present novel ideas that you have not yet been exposed to and is a great resource and reference.
Book Description
As he is driving home from a minister's conference, Baptist minister Don Piper collides with a semi-truck that crosses into his lane. He is pronounced dead at the scene. For the next 90 minutes, Piper experiences heaven where he is greeted by those who had influenced him spiritually. He hears beautiful music and feels true peace. Back on earth, a passing minister who had also been at the conference is led to pray for Don even though he knows the man is dead. Piper miraculously comes back to life and the bliss of heaven is replaced by a long and painful recovery. For years Piper kept his heavenly experience to himself. Finally, however, friends and family convinced him to share his remarkable story.
Customer Reviews:
A Must Read.......2007-10-22
This amazing story is a must-read for anyone who is facing death, who has ever wondered what happens when we die, who has questioned whether there really is a heaven, or has just been curious about what Heaven is really like!
90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death & Life
Save your money..... only 7-1/2 pages are about heaven.......2007-10-22
This book was an extreme disappointment. The title leads you to believe it is a life after death account. I have read many of these.... and this one is a mere 7-1/2 pages long- about HEAVEN. It is about what you would think a southern Baptist would write about heaven too.... pearlesent gates, bricks of gold streets, great music about Christ, and friends who have died before you meeting you. It is like he had to try way to hard to even stretch a 90 minute account of heaven into less than 8 pages!!!
MOST of the book is about the author's auto accident, and the procedures and painful recovery from that accident.
It reminds me of so very many of the new age books I used to read- that when it came down to it, were written strictly to MAKE MONEY for the author.
I planned to pass this along to friends, who had lost loved ones.... but it really DOES NOT RING TRUE to me.... at least the part about HEAVEN... the part about the accident and recovery seems very real indeed.
Excellent.......2007-10-20
This is a fabulous book for anyone wanting some encouragement about how to deal with life and death.
Incredible story of a man's faith in God!.......2007-10-19
He was pronounced dead, and yet, he was alive! His life returned in another world, heaven, for 90 minutes. This experience changed his life and many others who read or was told about this incredible event. It is a story of faith, of hope for the rest of us. This man was not pain free as he returned to this world, he suffered physically. But his spirit was alive and his faith changed many, many lifes. You won't forget it and it will change your life forever!
Not so much.......2007-10-19
You think you're going to get a BOOK about the afterlife, but no, you get one chapter, and then the rest of the book about his religious beliefs. It was disappointing.
Book Description
CEOs regularly announce ambitious growth targets, then fail to achieve them. The reason? Their growing addiction to bad profits. These corporate steroids boost short-term earnings but alienate customers. They undermine growth by creating legions of detractors—customers who complain loudly about the company and switch to competitors at the earliest opportunity.
Based on extensive research, The Ultimate Question shows how companies can rigorously measure Net Promoter statistics, help managers improve them, and create communities of passionate advocates that stimulate innovation. Vivid stories from leading-edge organizations illustrate the ideas in practice.
Practical and compelling, this is the one book—and the one tool—no growth-minded leader can afford to miss.
Customer Reviews:
Too Good to Be True.......2007-09-13
I gotta admit I was taken in by the book, but the problem comes in when you attempt to link the NPS score to any performance measure. The academics have all but refuted Reicheld's claims. Unfortunately, statistics matter and the best way to measure something with a survey is to use a multiple item, multiple measured scale. However, NPS does have some redeeming qualities, in focusing mangement behind one number. Many academics are recommending that if you must use NPS to use it along with other traditional statistical measures.
A Great Book for Customer Service & Marketing.......2007-08-28
Fred does a very good job at explaining that your best & foremost marketing tool are your employees. His Net Promoter Score (NPS) system he has developed is an innovation for the corporate world and I believe is the way forward.
The book is well documented and gives you step by step infoon how to implement the NPS system within your company.
J C Miller.......2007-07-30
IF you want to truly find out what your customers are thinking about your business this book is a must read. It teaches you how to equate customer satisfaction into tangable profit dollars. It helps effectively use the customer feedback to get your employees delivering service beyond expectation!
It's about time to state the obvious !.......2007-07-19
We can finally begin to realize that the very customers that use our services are the same ones that resent being "surveyed" into oblivion !
Only the very best companies can sustain somewhat correct feedback to begin with. I only wondered how long it would take for business leaders to stop abusing your best customers with long questionaires that may not even be relavant to the shopping experience. This may not be the ultimate destination for determining consumer needs but it is a great start in the right direction and an opportunity to save all the wasted money on self centered and manipulated customer focus groups.
There's A Better Alternative.......2007-07-19
I wish that I could have given this book a higher rating. I loved Mr. Reichheld's impassioned admonition against "bad profits," which he defines as profits made at the expense of customers. I also agree with him that good surveys are short surveys. You might want to buy this book for these two reasons alone. The bold proclamation that he has discovered The Ultimate Question, however, is like proclaiming that the check-engine light is the ultimate dashboard gauge.
Psychometrically, the Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a difference score that is based upon a single-item rating scale, and such scores can be very problematic. Albert M. Wilburn has already pointed out that different distributions of ratings can yield the same NPS, and that these distributions "probably differ in their implications on repurchase behavior." Notwithstanding, in Appendix A, Reichheld provides some evidence the NPS approach can work, and he is honest enough to disclose that it doesn't always work. Between the admonition against "bad profits" and Appendix A, there are a lot of stories.
There is an alternative to the NPS that has a more established track record. In 1994, Bradley T. Gale published Managing Customer Value, which disclosed AT&T's finding that the ratio of the perceived value of a company's products or services to that of its competitors is predictive of changes in market share. Since then, this finding has been reproduced in a variety of contexts worldwide. The methodology that surrounds the perceived-value ratio, Customer Value Analysis, estimates the impacts of the various price and non-price attributes that drive customers' value perceptions. This methodology is best described in Customer Value Management: A Guide for Your Journey to Best-Practice Processes by Khalid Hafiz and Scott Hendricks (Houston: APQC, 2001). Buy this little book either instead of, or along with, The Ultimate Question.
Average customer rating:
- Unbelievable In This Day and Age
- Real Life Horror
- No good ending here
- Lack of remorse in Oklahoma
- Had it been a work of fiction I would have given it 1 star...
|
The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Legal System
| Government
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Penology
| Crime & Criminals
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Murder & Mayhem
| True Accounts
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
True Crime
| True Accounts
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Cross
-
The Collectors
-
For One More Day
-
Echo Park (Harry Bosch)
-
Wild Fire
ASIN: 0385517238
Release Date: 2006-10-10 |
Amazon.com
John Grisham tackles nonfiction for the first time with The Innocent Man, a true tale about murder and injustice in a small town (that reads like one of his own bestselling novels). The Innocent Man chronicles the story of Ron Williamson, how he was arrested and charged with a crime he did not commit, how his case was (mis)handled and how an innocent man was sent to death row. Grisham's first work of nonfiction is shocking, disturbing, and enthralling--a must read for fiction and nonfiction fans. We had the opportunity to talk with John Grisham about the case and the book, read his responses below. --Daphne Durham
20 Second Interview: A Few Words with John Grisham
Q: After almost two decades of writing fiction, what compelled you to write non-fiction, particularly investigative journalism?
A: I was never tempted to write non-fiction, primarily because it's too much work. However, obviously, I love a good legal thriller, and the story of Ron Williamson has all the elements of a great suspenseful story.
Q: Why this case?
A: Ron Williamson and I are about the same age and we both grew up in small towns in the south. We both dreamed of being major league baseball players. Ron had the talent, I did not. When he left a small town in 1971 to pursue his dreams of major league glory, many thought he would be the next Mickey Mantle, the next great one from the state of Oklahoma. The story of Ron ending up on Death Row and almost being executed for a murder he did not commit was simply too good to pass up.
Q: How did you go about your research?
A: I started with his family. Ron is survived by two sisters who took care of him for most of his life. They gave me complete access to the family records, photographs, Ron's mental health records, and so on. There was also a truckload of trial transcripts, depositions, appeals, etc., that took about 18 months to organize and review. Many of the characters in the story are still alive and I traveled to Oklahoma countless times to interview them.
Q: Did your training as a lawyer help you?
A: Very much so. It enabled me to understand the legal issues involved in Ron's trial and his appeals. It also allowed me, as it always does, to be able to speak the language with lawyers and judges.
Q: Throughout your book you mention, The Dreams of Ada: A True Story of Murder, Obsession, and a Small Town. How did you come across that book, and how did it impact your writing The Innocent Man?
A: Several of the people in Oklahoma I met mentioned The Dreams of Ada to me, and I read it early on in the process. It is an astounding book, a great example of true crime writing, and I relied upon it heavily during my research. Robert Mayer, the author, was completely cooperative, and kept meticulous notes from his research 20 years earlier. Many of the same characters are involved in his story and mine.
Q: You take on some pretty controversial and heated topics in your book--the death penalty, prisoner's rights, DNA analysis, police conduct, and more--were any of your own beliefs challenged by this story and its outcome?
A: None were challenged, but my eyes were open to the world of wrongful convictions. Even as a former criminal defense attorney, I had never spent much time worrying about wrongful convictions. But, unfortunately, they happen all the time in this country, and with increasing frequency.
Q: So many of the key players in this case are either still in office or practicing attorneys. Many family members and friends still live in the same small town. How do you think The Innocent Man will impact this community and other small rural towns as they struggle with the realities of the justice system?
A: Exonerations seem to be happening weekly. And with each one of them, the question is asked--how can an innocent man be convicted and kept in prison for 20 years? My book is the story of only one man, but it is a good example of how things can go terribly wrong with our judicial system. I have no idea how the book will be received in the small town of Ada, Oklahoma, or any other town.
Q: What do you hope your readers will take away from The Innocent Man?
A: A better understanding of how innocent people can be convicted, and a greater concern for the need to reimburse and rehabilitate innocent men after they have been released.
Book Description
John Grisham’s first work of nonfiction, an exploration of small town justice gone terribly awry, is his most extraordinary legal thriller yet.
In the major league draft of 1971, the first player chosen from the State of Oklahoma was Ron Williamson. When he signed with the Oakland A’s, he said goodbye to his hometown of Ada and left to pursue his dreams of big league glory.
Six years later he was back, his dreams broken by a bad arm and bad habits—drinking, drugs, and women. He began to show signs of mental illness. Unable to keep a job, he moved in with his mother and slept twenty hours a day on her sofa.
In 1982, a 21-year-old cocktail waitress in Ada named Debra Sue Carter was raped and murdered, and for five years the police could not solve the crime. For reasons that were never clear, they suspected Ron Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz. The two were finally arrested in 1987 and charged with capital murder.
With no physical evidence, the prosecution’s case was built on junk science and the testimony of jailhouse snitches and convicts. Dennis Fritz was found guilty and given a life sentence. Ron Williamson was sent to death row.
If you believe that in America you are innocent until proven guilty, this book will shock you. If you believe in the death penalty, this book will disturb you. If you believe the criminal justice system is fair, this book will infuriate you.
Customer Reviews:
Unbelievable In This Day and Age.......2007-09-30
I read this book thinking it had to be another Grisham work of fiction because if the story were true, America is in trouble.
This story is riveting, fast-paced and shows how truly horrible our justice system can be for those who can't afford a "Johnny Cochran".
I couldn't put this book down. The more you read the more you can't believe it really happened. Thank goodness for the pictures of the people in this story, it really brought home the fact that it's a true story.
Excellent job by Mr. Grisham.
Real Life Horror.......2007-09-29
"The Innocent Man" is a chronicle of Ron Williamson (former minor league baseball star), his life and ordeal as he was wrongly accused of murder and sentenced to death row as a result. He was forced to suffer this horror for 11 years until finally the system began to work for him, but only through the diligence and persistence of attorneys assigned to him years later, Mark Barrett and Barry Scheck, his loving mother and persistent sisters, in particular, his sister Annette. The cruelties and disrespect by the officers and District Attorney Bill Peterson that were inflected on him were horrifying. The shabby police work and "junk science," as well as the district attorney's expert witnesses (a majority of them picked from men and women serving time for horrendous crimes themselves) and brought to the stand to testify against Ron, was not only incomprehensible in itself but the fact that the Judge allowed their testimony to stand and control a man's life sentence is abominable. Ron's hometown of Ada, Oklahoma completely turned on him and he was proven guilty without a shred of hard evidence as was his friend, a respected 7th grade Science teacher, Dennis Fritz, merely by association. The book goes on to tell Ron's sad story as only it can be told by such an esteemed author/attorney as John Grisham. I would highly recommend everyone read this true story; it is a real eye opener as to how our justice system can go astray with the wrong people serving in our trusted government positions.
No good ending here.......2007-09-27
I seldom read Grisham but found his first non-fiction work hard to put down. The story of Ron Williamson has no happy ending. Not for Ron nor the young woman who was so brutually murdered.
Grisham does an excellent job of drawing us into the story. If you have never experienced justice (or lack of) in a small town you need to read this book. Had Ron lived in New York City or even Dallas he may have gone unnoticed wandering the streets and babbling like a mad man. But not in Ada, OK.
Lack of remorse in Oklahoma.......2007-09-26
This story had a tremendous impact on me. I support the death penalty but was abhorred to see how flippantly it was applied in Ada Oklahoma. Read this book first and then log onto District Attorney Peterson's web site to read his defense of his actions that were the subject of the book. The first thing he displays on his website is the American flag. Then he has a lengthy and tedious defense of all the minor points in Grisham's novel. He provides statistics on the probability of innocent people being convicted of felonies as if this excuses him for almost sending an innocent person to his death. Peterson tries to blow off Grisham as an anti-death penalty advocate. I truly fear for the soul of Mr. Peterson and the good people of Ada Oklahoma - a bit of remorse and repentance for what they almost did to an innocent man would help them when they meet their Maker. Hiding behind the American flag might help now but certainly not later!
Had it been a work of fiction I would have given it 1 star..........2007-09-18
... but it's not. It only looks like fiction in bad taste. Instead, this truly happened as described.
I'm not summarizing the story as the editorial reviews and most reviewers before me are quite descriptive.
May I just say that I think that every judicial system has its share of faults and flaws, but what's revealed in this book is simply astonishing and unbelievable from beginning to end. I can only hope that it rattles a few consciences whilst increasing awareness to prevent disastrous consequences for those involved.
As it always happens when I read J. Grisham's books, I've appreciated and enjoyed the clear and well structured narrative, even more so on this occasion. Being a real-life story, I'm sure it must have been quite a task to extrapolate all the relevant facts from all the interviews and paperwork generated by this case during the years, in order to present them clearly to the readers.
Unless you already know the epilogue, try not to peek at the photographs published right in the middle of the book. Some are quite revealing for the yet-to-be-read rest of the story. They don't actually "spoil everything" -in fact, whatever unfolded after turning those pages kept me on the alert and as incredulous as ever- but I still think it would have been preferable to print them at the very end of the book.
A part from that, "The Innocent Man" is highly recommendable.
Book Description
Soon to be a major motion picture starring Will Smith, THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS is the inspiring, rags–to–riches story of the charismatic Chris Gardner –– a once homeless father who rasied and cared for his son on the mean streets of San Francisco and went on to become a crown prince of Wall Street
At the age of twenty, Milwaukee native Chris Gardner, just out of the Navy, arrived in San Francisco to pursue a promising career in medicine. Considered a prodigy in scientific research, he surprised everyone and himself by setting his sights on the competitive world of high finance. Yet no sooner had he landed an entry level position at a prestigious firm, Gardner found himself caught in a web of incredibly challenging circumstances that left him homeless with his toddler son. Instead of giving in to despair, the two spent almost a year moving from shelters, "HO–tels", and soup–lines, even sleeping in the public restroom of a subway station – ultimately making an astonishing transformation from the bathroom to the boardroom.
Part "Finding Fish," part "The Pact," THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS is a mythic, triumphant, and unstintingly honest memoir whose hero will appeal to every American.
Customer Reviews:
I read the book before I saw the movie..........2007-10-22
...and I couldn't put it down.
They tell you on the dust cover that it's a memoir of one man's journey from homelessness to prosperity. But it's a page-turner, how he got to that point of beginning. Chris Gardner bares it all, and had me crying and laughing out loud all on the same page.
It's an amazing rag-to-riches story of determination and focus to overcome all odds.
Good movie, even better book........2007-10-20
I orginally saw the movie in the theaters and immediately wanted to indulge in the book therafter. Well, time has gotten away from me, and I finally picked up the book that I had purchased many months ago and read it straight through in two days.
This book is VERY inspiring as it shows that no matter what background or social situation you come from, you can conquer and do ANYTHING you want in life.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who has big dreams of doing something incredibly with their lives, and anyone who wants to read a truly moving piece of literature.
The Motivations of Negative Influences.......2007-10-08
This is a great inspirational story. It was a bit graphic for my personal taste and the book focuses tremendously on Chris Gardner's youth, which is where he derived his burning desire to excel through a number of horrific events. I bought this book after watching the movie. While the movie focuses on his life post-separation from his wife, the book only gets to this point at the end. Although I am only rating the book 4-stars, I could hardly put it down while I was reading it.
Meaningful Inspiration.......2007-09-11
Mr. Gardner's story is more than another story about having to pull oneself up by their own bootstraps, it is a mantra for Urban Americans who are dealing with cyclical social issues. Poor Education, Poverty and Single Parent household stories are no longer acceptable reasons for not achieving, unfortunately they are too common place. The Pursuit of Happyness is a great example of the saying "In order to be it, one must see it"!
Heartwarming.......2007-09-08
I've read one of the most touching and heartwarming book of one's life. It is a story that spreads open past hurts, the need for bottom-line respect that should come from the people who should give it (family) and speaks of success despite of...
Book Description
A dramatic autobiography of one of China's dedicated, courageous, and intensely persecuted house church leaders.
Customer Reviews:
Heavenly Man Review.......2007-09-20
This book is exciting! I could not put it down. This details the
plight and success of the Jesus's Church in China. A must reading for
anyone interested in what God is doing in the world other than U.S.
An inspiring, thought provoking journal of a man that only God could protect.
1st century Christianity is happening in China!.......2007-08-23
If you think church is dead and Christians are boring, then you must read this book! I am completely humbled by what God is doing in China. Brother Yun's story is incredible, beyond what mere words can describe. We're talking apostolic conditions here, miraculous jail escapes, healings, visions for communications, praying and fasting, and thousands coming to Jesus Christ, conversions of peasants, farmers, prison guards, Communist leaders as well as hardened murderers.
Read this book, I promise you will not see things like you did before.
Shame on the west.......2007-08-15
This book should be read by everyone who calls themself a Christian!
The lives of those of Christians like Brother Yun put we soft, spineless, pampered, high maintenence American Christians to shame
6 Stars if there were such a category.......2007-08-11
If you only read one book (aside from God's word) the rest of your life, read this book. It's a great testimony of the quality, depth, and richness of relationship one can have with Jesus Christ. After reading it, I am somewhat embarrassed to idenify myself as a Christian given the ease of my life compared to those written of in this book! An amazing story of God's power and providence. The testimony of brother Yun is one that is provoking me out of complacency and on towards longing for God to reveal himself more and more in my life. This is not a light-hearted, feel-good Christian book. This is a "here's what it costs to follow Jesus" book. Absolutely wonderful!
Fantastic Book!!!.......2007-08-09
I had this book on my shelf for years, then finally picked it up one day and couldn't hardly put it down. I don't typically read books very fast, but I think that it only took me about 2 days to finish. It is a great book. Amazing story, glory to God!
Amazon.com
"Until one morning in mid-November of 1959, few Americans--in fact, few Kansans--had ever heard of Holcomb. Like the waters of the river, like the motorists on the highway, and like the yellow trains streaking down the Santa Fe tracks, drama, in the shape of exceptional happenings, had never stopped there." If all Truman Capote did was invent a new genre--journalism written with the language and structure of literature--this "nonfiction novel" about the brutal slaying of the Clutter family by two would-be robbers would be remembered as a trail-blazing experiment that has influenced countless writers. But Capote achieved more than that. He wrote a true masterpiece of creative nonfiction. The images of this tale continue to resonate in our minds: 16-year-old Nancy Clutter teaching a friend how to bake a cherry pie, Dick Hickock's black '49 Chevrolet sedan, Perry Smith's Gibson guitar and his dreams of gold in a tropical paradise--the blood on the walls and the final "thud-snap" of the rope-broken necks.
Book Description
On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.
As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy.
In Cold Blood is a work that transcends its moment, yielding poignant insights into the nature of American violence.
Download Description
With the publication of this book, Capote permanently ripped through the barrier separating crime reportage from serious literature. As he reconstructs the 1959 murder of a Kansas farm family and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, Capote generates suspense and empathy.
Customer Reviews:
it came very quickly from when I ordered it.......2007-10-21
I ordered it for my 21 yr. old son and he really enjoyed it. Learned alot aobut the times.
Too cluttered.......2007-10-14
The violent murders of Herbert and Bonnie Clutter and their two youngest children: Nancy and Kenyon in 1959 became a media sensation as these violent crimes are wont to do. Inspired by a 300 word summary of the crime in the New York Times, Capote and long time friend Harper Lee headed west to interview everyone associated with the crime. The result of six year's work was In Cold Blood.
Reading the book clarified in my mind just how well I still remember the film and confirmed that I still am not a fan of true-crime (or the nonfiction novel as Capote called his book). The work is well researched and well written but it wasn't a page-turner for me.
The book suffers from an information overload and a lack of organization. Capote seems lost under all these witness testimonies, not sure what to keep, what to cut and where to put things. Things stumble along in a more or less chronological order but without the benefit of logical segues between interviews.
Quite Cold, Indeed.......2007-10-06
It is a testament to Truman Capote's ability that he was able to take a small yet disturbing blurb in the New York Times and not only write a compelling book about it, but create a new literary form, the nonfiction novel, and also turn the story into an American classic. IN COLD BLOOD fully deserves the accolades that have been heaped upon it since its publication.
That newspaper blurb, of course, was about the mysterious murders of the Clutter family (father Herbert, mother Bonnie, and teenagers Nancy and Kenyon) in the small, isolated town of Holcomb, Kansas. At first, it was unclear why the family had been slaughtered and it was thought to be the work of a psychopathic killer. That such psychopathy flared up in America's heartland made the story all the more disturbing. After all, everyone knows all the weirdos and lunatics were supposed to live in New York or San Francisco. To think that they were right in our midst...
Capote's detailed (and controversial!) studies of the murders take us so deep into the story it is like we were really there. Using the techniques of fiction and applying them to a non-fiction story, Capote brings the real life tragedy to life a second time around. This is particularly disturbing with respect to the two men who committed the crime, Dick Hickock and Perry Smith. IN COLD BLOOD probably is the first book of its kind to give the readers such an accurate portrait into the minds and personalities of such brutal killers.
What strikes the reader hard is that, of the two criminals, it is the actual trigger man, Perry Smith, who is the more tender and emotionally vulnerable. That Dick Hickock seems, by every measure imaginable, to be a harsher person than his compatriot is juxtaposed powerfully with Hickock's own complaints that he is the only person on death row who did not actually kill anyone. We now know, of course, that Capote developed some type of emotional relationship with Perry Smith while researching the book and so it is up to the reader to determine how much this might have clouded Capote's judgment and writings on him.
Despite the bleakness of the story, IN COLD BLOOD is written in a very feminine and flowery style. If Capote's homosexuality were not widely known, one could almost assume as much by this. Again, this creates a jarring juxtaposition for the reader, as he is confronted with the darkest corners of depravity.
Anyone who visits the true crime section of a bookstore is confronted with books basically reeking of schlock. A good writer, however, can turn the average, or even below average, subject and elevate it to new heights. This is what Truman Capote did. IN COLD BLOOD is very cold, indeed.
Read the book before the movie!.......2007-10-05
This was a wonderful book, but I made the mistake of seeing the movie and then I had a biased. I enjoyed this.
Capote's Masterpiece Is Full Of Thrills, Suspense, And Incredible Prose.......2007-09-24
When Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" was published in 1966, it became an international bestseller and was lauded by the critics. Now, over forty years later, "In Cold Blood" remains the crowning achievemt of Capote's career as a writer. Capote's skill as a journalist and natural talent as a writer combine to create the definitive American true crime book. Whether you prefer nonfiction or fiction, Capote's true account of mass murder and it's consequences is sure to please!
Book Description
Meet Denver, a man raised under plantation-style slavery in Louisiana in the 1960s; a man who escaped, hopping a train to wander, homeless, for eighteen years on the streets of Dallas, Texas. No longer a slave, Denver's life was still hopeless-until God moved. First came a godly woman who prayed, listened, and obeyed. And then came her husband, Ron, an international arts dealer at home in a world of Armani-suited millionaires. And then they all came together.
But slavery takes many forms. Deborah discovers that she has cancer. In the face of possible death, she charges her husband to rescue Denver. Who will be saved, and who will be lost? What is the future for these unlikely three? What is God doing?
Same Kind of Different As Me is the emotional tale of their story: a telling of pain and laughter, doubt and tears, dug out between the bondages of this earth and the free possibility of heaven. No reader or listener will ever forget it.
Customer Reviews:
FABULOUS BOOK! Couldn't put it down........2007-10-22
I am from Ft. Worth, TX and my mother gave me this book to read. I didn't know what to expect, but I was so moved as I began reading this book and recognizing places mentioned in it, that I couldn't stop reading it. I was moved to tears many times, especially for the difficult life Denver had to endure before he found a real "family" and for all the poor homeless people. We could all be there one day unless God chooses otherwise. I was moved by how God used one woman to change many people and how God worked in both Denver and Debbie's life to work miracles and change lives. This book should motivate you to get out there and do something for others and for God. It is a powerful testimony of what God can do when one person is willing.
What a Great Read!.......2007-10-10
This book was recommended by a colleague and I could not find it here in Key West. I ordered two copies from Amazon and gave them both to friends (after reading). I was moved to tears by parts of the book. If anybody has any concerns about homeless issues, this book will renew one's faith in what can be done. It is one of the finest books on homeless issues that I have read in many years.
Very touching.......2007-10-01
This is a very readable book. It is also extremely touching. Several times as I read,I found tears streaming down my face. It will restore your faith in mankind and that there is more to a person than meets the eye.
A must read book.......2007-09-29
I don't have proper words to express this "amazing" book.
I can now better understand how it used to be in Slave times,
and feel a better understanding of my own faith and life after death.
I cried at moments of revealation! Would help anyone become a believer.
This book changed my life!.......2007-09-25
It's very easy to forget that this is a true story - it is such an amazing story that it could be fiction! It's a beautiful, poignant, touching book and it changed the way I view the homeless and how I share my resources with others. LOVED IT and I've been telling everyone I know to read it too!!
Amazon.com
Psychiatry and metaphysics blend together in this fascinating book based on a true case history. Dr. Weiss, who was once firmly entrenched in a clinical approach to psychiatry, finds himself reluctantly drawn into past-life therapy when a hypnotized client suddenly reveals details of her previous lives. During one hypnosis session his client introduces the spirit guides who have been her soul therapists in between lives. This is when the story really takes off for Weiss, who discovers that these guides have specific messages about his dead son as well as Weiss's mission in life. No, we cannot verify the truth of this story using the limited scientific tools we have available. However, it is hard to dispute that this well-respected graduate of Columbia University and Yale Medical School has discovered a personal truth that has led him to be an enormously popular speaker, author, and leader in the field of past-life therapy. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
As a traditional psychotherapist, Dr. Brian Weiss was astonished and skeptical when one of his patients began recalling past-life traumas that seemed to hold the key to her recurring nightmares and anxiety attacks. His skepticism was eroded, however, when she began to channel messages from the "space between lives," which contained remarkable revelations about Dr. Weiss' family and his dead son. Using past-life therapy, he was able to cure the patient and embark on a new, more meaningful phase of his own career.
Customer Reviews:
Absolute BEST book I have ever read, period........2007-10-07
Fantastic book! I have given away 10+ copies of this book and each person has been blow away by the content. We would all be better people if we take this information to heart and lead a clean, honest life.
Many Lives Many Masters.......2007-10-04
I am very satisfied with this book on tape! I do past life regression for my clients and it's really nice to have an expert in the field that I can learn more from.
Many Lives, Many Masters.......2007-09-23
It was not so much the regressions into the past lives but the "rest periods" that interested me. The emphasis on teaching and helping spirits learn to change their flawed characters, in preparation for their next lives, confirmed some theories I had. From observation of spirit visits I know there are at least two laws: If you tell unwanted visitors to go away, they must obey. And they do not speak to us living. They do speak among themselves. My husband's spirit visits me at least twice a day. I talk to him but he cannot respond. If he could, I would have everything out of him in ten minutes because there is so much I want to know about the afterlife, and it must remain a mystery. Why, I do not know. He did answer one question: I asked how he was, and he wagged his hand in the comme si, comme ca gesture. According to Brian L. Weiss, Masters help those who are in need of guidance. Perhaps that is what my husband is doing, though I dare not presume he is on a high plane. Still, I might add one more facet to Weiss's thesis. Other, more evolved, spirits and not necessarily Masters, also teach. My husband brings home other spirits, some very primitive types who were probably clueless in life. I know he has befriended them. I found confirmation of my thoughts in Dr. Weiss's book.
Good reading...but I had some problems.......2007-09-23
First I "read" this book via an audio book version. I think Dr. Weiss is totally believable in his honest search to help Catherine. I think his approach will open many minds to explore or widen their religion/spiritual belief systems. Although I have some problems with some details contained in the book, I do think he has been a great help to those who are dying & their families.
The issues that I had problems with: 1. The MALE voice of the Masters...do
the "learned" ones always have to be male!! Perhaps the Masters used a male voice since they told him they were channeling their knowledge for him & not Catherine. With his cultural & belief system, a male voice would be more effective for him to consider the teachings. BUT not for me!! I would be more apt to listen a little more closely to a FEMALE Master; 2. the term "god" is mentioned 2-3 times toward the end of the book...It just seems like it should have been introduced earlier to me and 3. There is no mention of "WHO" or "WHAT" conceived Reincarnation plus its level system. I found that a big omission.
Fabulous Insight & Resource.......2007-09-09
This book has been invaluable to me over the years and I've read it time and again. Weiss lets us into the "inner circle" of therapy and shows us how ordinary people can experience physical and emotional pain from unresolved issues in another lifetime. Read this book and you will never look at your life and challenges in the same way again. It provides hope and courage and is a must-read for anyone seeking wholeness and understanding. Many Masters, Many Lives gave me the insight essential to my own novels of karma and past lives, in particular Field of Destiny.
Books:
- A Loss for Words: The Story of Deafness in a Family
- A Night of Questions: A Passover Haggadah
- A Short History of Nearly Everything: Special Illustrated Edition
- A Wing and a Prayer: A Message of Faith and Hope
- A Woman Rides the Beast: The Roman Catholic Church and the Last Days
- About a Boy
- Adobe Camera Raw for Digital Photographers Only (For Only)
- Al Capone Does My Shirts
- Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
- At Hell's Gate: A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Global Strategy
- Warman's Jewelry
- Rich Dad's Retire Young, Retire Rich : How to Get Rich Quickly and Stay Rich Forever!
- The Case Against Hillary Clinton
- The Beethoven Compendium: A Guide to Beethoven's Life and Music
- Where I'm Calling From: Selected Stories
- The Use and Abuse of Nature: incorporating This Fissured Land: An Ecological History of India and Ec
- Introductory Circuit Analysis
- Office XP Para Dummies, Spanish Edition
- The Future Homemakers of America
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
The Road (Oprah's Book Club)
Infidel
Suite Francaise
