Audiobook Books

Out of all the autobiographies I've read of prominent men and women, and particularly those wih political ambition and desire for high office, I don't think I've ever read anything as frank and straightforward as this book of Obama's. Writing about oneself is difficult for most people most of the time, and here, describing one's childhood (or bi-racial childhood as Americans often say) involves displaying whatever conclusions you've reached as you assenbked your emotional and intellectual self, in different parts of this country, and in Indonesia, and that must surely have been profoundly difficult.

Considering the high level of education Obama's achieved, that the book is written well should be no surprise. But what is so amazing about all this is that currently the election campaign of Obama's Republican opponent is attempting to encourage the voting public that there is an impenetrable veil of mystery surrounding candidate Obama; mystery about his morals, his political affiliations, his religious obligations.. It seems obvious to me that anybody in this country or this world could find the man revealed with maximum clarity simply by reading this exceptional book. The latest Republican hocus-pocus is nonsense. It depends on the shameful racist tradition that says no white person can ever accept any level of intimacy -- certainly not an equitable one -- with any person of color, and that understanding would be a breach of caste.

We will be reading this splendid book for many years, both as adults and as students and children. It will become a young people's library classic.

ok first off I am not in favor for Obama's political ideals, lets just get that out of the way now. This Book was Sooo Boring. I wanted to know more of the man, and what better way the by his own words. I think I found out more stuff about him before he was alive. He talks about the great life of his family and the web of emotions connected to the race differance between his father and the mothers side. He also goes on about the "true love" connection of his father and mother ...BEFORE HE WAS CONCIEVED... sorry but if I was to write a book of my own life and the connection I had with my father, I'd might start with my earliest memory. He talks of stroking of hands and gazing of eyes like he was there. People might call this filler and/or juicing the story up, I call it packing a troubled past up with white lies to make it look presentable.
Saying that I find much of his ideals and "black" reactionary remarks in the book racist and selling out the "we can do it" idea to a self-victimizing hate speech.

This is the most compelling story that really resonates with me. Barak Obama's life connects with a little bit of everyone no matter your race or background. In his book, Barak Obama articulates the near and distant relationships specifically with his grandparents and estranged parents, which ultimately shaped his character to what it is now; open, inclusive and inspirational. After reading this book, I knew that this was no ordinary man. If an ordinary man he is certainly destined for extraordinary things. He is genuine and open about his past even the troubling part he tells about his youth. You Must Read! I was spell bound, once you start reading you won't stop until finished. Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

The book was a new paper cover. It came promptly and was packaged well. In perfect condition.

The man who wrote the book does not seem to be the man presented for the Presidency. This promotes a somewhat scary situation of mind-set of the man. It is a must read before the election.

As is evident from the other reviews here on Amazon, this book provides a history of Vice President Cheney's vice presidency into the start of 2008. Gellman has excellent sources, and was therefore able to get impressive detail of some events not previously told - - most notably the Alberto Gonzalez hospital bed confrontation over domestic surveillance.

The overarching theme of the book is that Cheney was too clever by half. He was too uncompromising, or "principled," early on, and smart enough to get what he wanted much of the time. As a result, Cheney created a backlash against himself. By 2008, he was worse off than he would have been had he been more compromising early on. That theme emerges only gradually, however, and I would have liked to see it presented more forcefully throughout the book.

The first part of the book, in which Cheney uses his knowledge of how bureaucracies work, is the most interesting and important. Gellman documents how a talented player can get his way, and how Cheney kept important decisions away from President Bush without Bush's knowledge. This part of the book should be required reading for presidents and other high officials - - how do you make sure that you're getting the information that you want? Bush clearly failed this task until about 2006 or so.

I found the middle part a bit uneven, with some stories focused on minor details instead of the bigger picture. Fortunately, the narrative picks up again as the backlash against Cheney begins to trim his sails.

Overall, this is an impressive "first draft of history," as some people call journalism. A little more time to reflect, and to strengthen the overall arch of the story, would have served Gellman well. But who am I to complain? He won the Pulitzer Prize for this book, after all.

It may be the plethora of books about Cheney and the Bush administration in recent years that puts this book in the shadows, but author Barton Gellman at least has offered a good look at what the Cheney years have meant to the United States. That those years continue to this day, is left out in the analysis.

Gellman gives a decent picture of Cheney, but nothing much new emerges in his assessment which the avid reader doesn't already know. Cheney, true to form, is genuinely concerned about the American people after 9/11. It all goes downhill from there. One comes to understand Gellman's description of Cheney's determination and, indeed, the author's own description of the chapter entitled "U-turn on Constitution Avenue" is one of his best. But the final few pages in which Gellman mawkishly spews Cheney out as a feeling guy...well, that's too much to take.

"Angler" has some points but there are better books on this subject out there.

Dick Chaney, perhaps the most powerful man ever to hold the office of Vice President, began as President Bush's personal shield, confidant, mentor and ideological soul mate. However, this tidy arrangement, predictably, was to go horribly awry. As this timely book reports, Cheney's experience as a master wheeler-dealer of behind the scene backroom bureaucratic negotiations and Machiavellian manipulations, proved overtime to be more a liability than an asset to the Bush Presidency and appears especially likely to leave an indelible if not a very ugly stain on the 43rd president's legacy.

The book, well written and skilfully organized, began as a series of Washington Post Articles. It gives a careful account of Cheney's rise to power, and then captures in almost overly melodramatic terms the best and the worst of Cheney's role as VP: Undoubtedly the best of times was during the early days of the Bush's presidency when Cheney's role throughout the first campaign was heavily relied upon and was then both respectful and circumscribed; a time in which Bush relied on Cheney's political instincts as well as his policy advice. The crescendo of the book is when the worse came: toward the end of the Bush Presidency, in a series of vice presidential missteps best exemplified in the "shootout" at justice over the wireless wire taps, in which Cheney all but arrogated Presidential power unto himself, keeping the President in the dark and "single-handedly" precipitating a revolt by Justice Department lawyers.

The upshot of the book is that Cheney, remains a truly scary figure in the annals of American Presidential history, not just because of his Svengali like influence over our "not too bright President," but also because he was in his own right a devious spin-miester and die-heart ideologue who lacked no compunction are moral restraints about end-running the President, and then manufacturing "after-the-fact" rationalizations and justifications to cover his machinations and to cover-up even the most excessive and improper of his actions - such as his hidden hand in the Valery Plame incident. His utter lack of sensitivity to the meaning of the Constitution and the notion of a balance of powers among co-equal branches of the government is so aberrant as to border on being treasonous.

In the run up to the 2008 election, where questions about the current VP selections has caused the U.S. electorate to collectively hold its breathe, the Dick Cheney experience is a cautionary tale about the possible harm a weak selection of a VP can have in undermining the political process and American political institutions. Bart Gellman, in not taking sides, or completely "throwing Dick Cheney under the bus," when it would have been so easy to do so, has done this nation proud. Five Stars.

As a reader with advanced degrees in Political Science and Public Policy, and 20 years of employment in senior government service, this is the best expose with the required restraint and research that I have read in 30 years. A MASTERPIECE.

Prior to 2002 I used to have a great deal of respect for Dick Cheney. He did a great job of running the 1991 war with Iraq. His 2001 energy plan was well researched and professional even thought some people (including myself) felt it should have been more oriented to renewable energy.

However, since September 11, 2001 Dick Cheney has strongly promoted some totally disastrous policies such as the decision to go to war with Iraq.

This book contains some truly stunning accusations. It suggests that Cheney's role in picking himself as Bush's running mate when he was in charge of finding a running mate for Bush in 2000 had serious ethical breaches. There is a suggestion that Cheney was less than candid about his health problems.

The author suggests that Cheney knowingly lied to Dick Armey (House Majority Leader) about intelligence concerning the (nonexistent) relationship between 9/11 terrorists and Saddam Hussein.

There is more disturbing material concerning Cheney's alleged role in encouraging the use of torture against terrorism suspects and the use of domestic wiretapping.

It is interesting that Gelman knocks down one of the most popular accusations against Cheney, the notion that he wanted to use his office for private financial gain or the benefit of the oil industry or his previous employer, Halliburton. In a recent interview with Harper's magazine, Gellman states, "There's no venality here. Cheney was not trying to aggrandize himself, to steer money to friends, or to set himself up for higher office. He simply believed that the stakes were high and he was more capable than others. He saw the world, he believed, as it truly is and was prepared to do the "unpleasant" things that had to be done to safeguard us. Cheney is a rare combination: a zealot in principle and a subtle, skillful tactician in practice."

I can't vouch for the accuracy of all that's in this book. It may be true. It may not be - although the reporter is a very professional journalist.

What I can say is that this is a serious book that should be read and considered by American citizens. This is a book that should be read and debated by Amazon readers.

This whole situation is very depressing story about a talented man who did a lot of good in the past but went in a truly disastrous direction since 9/11/2001.

MY FRIEND HAD CD WITH SAME TITLE AND THAT CD HAD MORE INFORMATION THAN MINE

Definitely buy this CD if you don't have the time to read the book... it's a great introduction and you can listen to it while you're cleaning or making dinner...

I am blown away by the things I learned in this CD!!! It has helped me so much in my relationship with my husband, and has also helped me to understand myself. I would recommend this CD to anyone and everyone!!! I just wish it was the full book, and not an abridgment.

This is an incredible CD to listen to while sitting at your computer, doing the dishes, or in the car. John Gray teaches his Mars Venus wisdom on this CD to start giving you the basic differences in men and women.

Great CD to own! Especially, listening to it in your car where you can hear it to over and over to learn how to apply them to your personal relationships. John Gray is an entertainer as well as a relationship expert. He does this with his knowledge and his dynamic personality.

Merna Throne

Pocket of Pearls: A 30-day pocket workbook to start hearing a softer voice inside of you!

Great book. I found this very helpful in understanding both my son and my husband.

My boys and I listen to this in the car; they beg me to leave the car turned on "just a little longer" once we arrive at our destination so that we can finish a chapter. Jim Weise is our favorite narrarator, and we are learning all kinds of history. MUST have for all children.

I am so glad I bought this! My 7 year old daughter had a hard time paying attention to the subject matter....she prefers more pictures. She enjoys the audiobook and follows along with her book. I am free to do housework and can still enjoy the story of the world...you moms know about multitasking! I would highly recommend this. The storyteller keeps it interesting.

We really enjoy using the CDs with the books. Keep in mind, however, that the CDs don't include the illustrations that are in the books. These make a great supplement, but I wouldn't use them to REPLACE the books.

Junie B is a riot. Having most of the books already, this is the perfect companion so we can follow along with the story as its being read.

I had to kick myself when this arrived as it was the audio set and not the books. I went back and read the description again and sure enough it was there, but I found it very misleading that they didn't show a picture of CD's but something more representative of a book. I actually didn't go through the hassle of sending it back but went out and purchased the books and gave the recipient both, which of course cost me double what I had planned for.

We bought the entire Junie B book collection when we were on holiday in the States last year as they are very difficult to buy in Australia. It was so exciting to find that they were available on cd! Lana Quintal reads them so, so well. My two kids (aged 6 and 8) love them so much that we've had to stop them listening to them at bedtime (which was why we bought them!) as they weren't getting to sleep! Too busy listening (and giggling!). The only slightly annoying thing is that you have to change cd's half way through stories. Not a big thing, just a little inconvenient is all. We have a 10 hour car trip coming up in a few weeks, and I know that we are going to be relying heavily on these to keep us sane!

A huge hit with my son--he loves to listen to these books as he goes to sleep at night. A fantastic deal.

We love Junie B. Jones audio books! The narrator is awesome--we can't read the stories like she can. Our entire family cracks up as we listen together. I would recommend these audio books to anyone, our boys love them.

this will boost your well being, i listen to it about three times a week and now finding strange things happening to change my life,
I know why i have changed my thinking habits i listen to my thoughs more since readings listening to this and reading a book
[the calling of your true self] both these have learnt me that our thoughts are us,we make ourselves, who we are, through thought;; amazing cd and book

Love it!! Everybody should get it, I listen to it everyday while in my studio creating for my website

This CD provides you information that guides you on how to create your dreams become a reality. The words in this CD have inspired me to change. I have created prosperity in my life like I had never imagined and experienced before. Only you can make change happen. Attitude is the difference maker.

As always, Louise brings her warmth and compassion to human and spiritual issues in a manner that propels her readers/listeners forward. Through this live audience experience, you will find a way to connect to almost every scenario that comes up. Wonderfully done!

I really like Louise Hay. I have the book I can do it. I thought the information was pretty much the same information but on a different forum. The information is still good but I guess I should have know it was the same basic information.

I bought this cd set to read the play along with my students. It's very theatrical and there are a lot of sound effects. The actors go so fast, that it's hard to follow along if you're reading the play. There's a lot of mumbling, sighing, heavy-breathing. Anyway, if you are wanting to just listen to it, this is a great purchase. If you want to read along, I would try a different cd set.

I love this book. It is accurate and an easy read. I finished it in about a day. In addition to the the play, there are other related readings enclosed which give more insight to historical events and other perspectives. Out of all the copies I own, this is one of the better ones. A great deal, ships quickly and reasonably priced.

I have to admit that I was a big fan of L.A. Theatre Works long before I purchased The Crucible. L.A. Theatre Works has a weekly presentation of its performances on Sonic Theater, a XM Radio station.

This particular production is pretty much an all-star cast with the likes of Michael York and Richard Dreyfus. I purchased it as a tool for teaching The Crucible in my American literature class.

I used this as a review of the play for my students and was very pleased with the performances. A little disappointed with some of the cuts they made, but do realize the necessity for cuts.

The L.A. Theatre Works' rendition of Miller's _The Crucible_ is an excellent demonstration of the actor's craft, as the tenor, pitch and emotive power of the play bring the characters to life. On the recommendation of Amazon reviewers, I used this for my English class (in addition to the Daniel Day-Lewis / Winona Rider DVD and a class read-around) to get a feel for the play and the various theatrical interpretations of the work.

As a previous reviewer noted, there are some differences between the audio version and Miller's script, but they are minor, and if one is not using the entire CD, a moot point. The performances are fantastic, and, as others have mentioned, it certainly gives life to the written word. Outside of a classroom, I couldn't recommend it, but as a teaching tool, it is first-rate.

For me this book started it all. My Mother-in-Law sent this book to my wife to read, I took it and consumed it in 1 day. I've never read a book so fast. This book changed the way I view money and business. I have read hundreds of business books since, but they all started with this one.

If you want to be rich, start by asking someone who is!

I enjoyed Robert's book and recommand it to anyone who wants to get their finances straight and start accumulating wealth. It's a simple concept that most of us know-but we sometimes need that "ah hah moment" for us to start doing it.

This book is great for anyone that doesn't like the "boring" statistical business/investing books, because it explains the ideas through a story. Robert references the book, Richest Man in Babylon-which is a great book to pair with Rich Dad,Poor Dad because it identifies the strategy of "paying yourself first".

In this book the phrase, "Everyone wants to go to heaven, but know one wants to die", was used to reference how everyone says they want to be rich but no one wants to do what they have to become rich-they want it handed to them. We all know that doesn't happen! This phrase really connected to me and I applied it to more than just my finances but really my life and how important it is to go after what you want. So often we put things off in our life "until we have the money",(kids, marriage, school, business). In most cases you have to take a "little risk to get a gain", or it passes by us.

I highly recommend this to anyone that might need that little extra push. Have a plan and go for it!

Enjoy the book!

I had heard of this book before, but "assumed" it was a book on working hard, saving and being financially responsible, blah, blah. I was so wrong and so pleasantly surprised that it was nothing like that! It was much better than I thought and I'm so glad to have read it! I discovered I'm a mix of rich dad and poor dad, but definitely now have a better idea of what it takes to become a rich dad and have already started down this path. Having two teens to share this with over time is going to be fun and rewarding too. I've already offered my son (19) $3k if he researches and opens a stock trading account. That's when he said "yeah, I'd like that. Did I tell you I finished 3rd in my HS class in the stock trading contest last year?" And my daughter is doing the same stock trading contest this year in her HS class and she told me on Sunday that she's "short" a stock considering the market. Wow!! This book is just the spark that I needed to confirm what I need to continue doing working toward being a rich dad and also how to encourage and support my kids in their efforts. I just bought the next book...cash flow quadrants...can't wait to dig in!!

When I first purchased this book, it was for the simple purpose of trying to educate myself more on the concepts of how the millionaires create their success. While I was not disappointed in any way with the context, what surprised me was that many of the fundamentals written about how to attain prosperity are spiritually based. Robert has done a great job in explaining the "negative reality" his biological father had, as compared to his more trusting and "expecting success" friend's father. For me, the book is an easy to read and easily understood map towards pointing everyone in the right direction. Jim Fargiano, author of The Spoken Words of Spirit: Lessons From The Other Side

Kiyosaki made up the character "Rich Dad", he never existed period.

Kiyosaki is a failed businessowner who excels is lying and exploiting peoples dreams of becoming rich.

This book WON'T make you rich, it contains no guides on how to become rich, just general advice that's been around for decades.

His advice to speculate on real estate may very well been the cause of the financial crisis US is currently in, Kiyosaki effectively fueled the housing bubble the taxpayers are now paying for in trillions of dollars.

This book is so irresponsible, wrong and full of lies that it sickens me. If you want someone to blame for all those foreclosures and subprime disasters, Kiyosaki is your best bet.

If "Jane" had been "Rizzoli", and there had been just a little bit more character development, this book would have been over the top. The writing, as always, is excellent. The plot twists. The archaeological information is fascinating. But the family life is missing. Maura's internal questioning continued her story, but I missed Jane's mother, and Gabriel Dean. They were shadowy figures dispensed with in a few paragraphs. I like to see the "Jane at home" parts of the story -- it adds such dimension to her character. It didn't, of course, keep me from staying up half the night to finish the book. The writing and the plot pulled me right along. I couldn't put it down.

Watch out Patricia Cornwell! Tess Gerritsen is at the top of her game with The Keepsake - the best novel I've read in a long time! I was really impressed with Gerritsen's The Bone Garden: A Novel published last year and thought it was her finest work to date, but The Keepsake may be even better! I am a slow reader, and was able to read the 349 pages of The Keepsake in less than a week. Chapters 17,18, and 19 seemed a little slow to me but the rest of the book is full of surprises!

One thing that helps make this book so great is having Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles working together again. The Crispin Museum serves as a great setting for a novel featuring Mummification, Murder, Mystery, and Mayhem. As an added bonus to a fascinating story, readers learn how the process of mummification works, how to create a "bog body" and are given detailed instruction on how to make a shrinking head (please don't practice these methods on your neighbors!). Also in The Keepsake, we learn the dire consequences of having a disorganized museum of freaky items that you can't account for.

Believable, intriguing, fast-paced, page-turning, easy to read - it's everything I love in a novel!

This book was only ok for me. I was a little disappointed in the writing. I wanted to read more about the killer and how he preserved his victims. It felt like that part of the story was brushed over. The story seemed to drag along, without much exciting happening. Just wasn't as good as Gerritsen can be.

It's every struggling museum's nightmare. Discovering an Egyptian mummy moldering in their basement, the curators invite everybody to an electronic unveiling (CT scan) and the ancient relic proves to be a skillfully mummified modern murder victim. Oy.

Maine author Gerritsen's Boston series duo, pathologist Maura Isles and homicide cop Jane Rizzoli, catch a weird one this time. And it gets worse. A further search of the private museum turns up a cache of shrunken heads, one of which is another comparatively recent victim.

Meanwhile the newest museum hire, beautiful young Egyptologist Josephine Pulcillo, has a secret, which turns out to be even worse than she knows. She is also getting scary cryptic messages. These and the strange coincidences connecting her to the murder victims make her think it's time to run - again. But she loves her job and curbs her instinct until another preserved victim - a "bog body" - turns up in the trunk of her car.

The macabre museum and the archeology milieu provide a rich atmosphere for bestseller Gerritsen's fast-paced thriller, while Pulcillo's mysterious past tantalizes. Rizzoli follows threads that stretch back more than a quarter of a century while Isles mines the preserved corpses for clues to the murdered women's' deaths, every revelation adding a grim clue to a horrifying picture.

The action moves from summery Boston to the Texas desert and the wilds of Maine. Obsession and pathological sadism increase the stakes in this twisty page-turner which delivers action and surprises right up to the last scene. This is one of Gerritsen's best.

I've read some good books this summer, but this was the first I had difficulty putting down, even to eat or sleep. It was the good doctor _ Tess _ at her creepy best. In fact, I would rate it as her strongest book yet.

Earlier reviews have given enough of the plot, without too many spoilers, that there is no sense rehashing the book.

If you are looking for a book with excellent medical and police procedures, sympathetic good guys, using the word inclusively, and thoroughly rotten and evil bad guys, buy it or borrow it from your town or city library.

This is an easy read. The principles are applied within a story. Useful tool to use for improving team moral.

This was a great book, an easy read that was packed with information and suspense. After reading the fictional part of the book, I found the in depth descriptions of each dysfunction at the end of the book very important and informative. Also what makes this book so good is the fact that almost anyone in any team building situation can relate to the book. As a high school senior who is involved in sports, is involved in many activities at my school and who has a weekend job that is focused around teamwork, reading this book has been beneficial and inspirational to me. As I look back at things I have done and been involved with and also ahead to future endeavors, I realize not only the importance of teamwork but how to take the idealistic thought of a perfectly functioning team and turn it into reality. Almost anything that you do has some sort of team aspect. If you can conquer the 5 dysfunctions by taking conflict head on and trusting others while at the same time doing not what is best for you but what is best for the team, I think that you will truly understand and retain the true meaning and importance of this book.

I think I enjoyed the concept of this book more than the actual implementation. Told like a fairy tale, the book tells the story of a team in trouble and a company facing internal failure. A professional "team builder" is hired as CEO to restructure and revitalize the team.

The new CEO struggles to establish a team mentality among her newly acquired executives. Rampant mistrust and confidence issues are paralyzing them. The author chronicles the steps Kathryn takes to overcome these obstacles and begin establishing a self-sufficient group.

In theory, if your team is suffering these sorts of issues, the book should work. This book was required reading for my workplace, and while I found it to be an easy, entertaining, and perhaps even insightful read, I couldn't quite relate to it. Yes, the same sorts of issues are prevalent on my own team at work. However, Kathryn was dealing with eight or nine team members. There are many more on mine. Technically, it should work no matter the size of the team. The problem is convincing everyone on board that this is a good plan.

I would recommend reading the book if for no other reason than to gain more insight into the workings of a team...particularly the ones that aren't working.

We are launching Strategic Planning for the next 5 years...our facilitator of our Strategic Planning suggested that all 16 employees read this book before we launch our planning sessions...it was terrific! Gave everyone a volcabulary and context in which to work as we journey forward to make our own organization totally functional!!!!

As a corporate human resources director, I am continually searching for material that will enhance our organizations team skills. Somewhat like another management book that I recommended Our Iceberg Is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions, the author uses fictional tales to deliver truthful insights into our business practices. I found the book to be a very intertaining and fun read along with a ton of valuable information. The concepts within the book can be easily implemented and will result in continual improvement in your team building endeavors. The value of teamwork within the modern corporate structure is sometimes a hard sell in the real world. Managers need reference material and books that contain much needed advice if they are going to `prove' the value of teamwork to the CEO. Like communication, everyone says it is important but the rubber rarely meets the road.

The part of the book that details the "five dysfunctions" is a great reference guide and also a topic that sounds eerily familiar as all seasoned managers have been down that road. The `five' are:

1. Absence of trust,
2. Fear of conflict
3. Lack of commitment
4. Avoidance of accountability
5. Inattention to results.

Buy this book. It will be a valuable addition to your bookshelf and certainly one that will be referenced again and again through the years. Michael L. Gooch, SPHR Author of Wingtips with Spurs