Biography Books

First off this is an excellent profile of the hectic RFK campaign in 1968. It does a wonderful job of expressing the frenetic pace of the campaign and how it inspired hope in so many people. The book does a wonderful job at trying to inspire in the reader the sense of optimism that RFK's campaign inspired in so many groups.

The one great weakness of the book is that it often descends into raising Kennedy to almost a sainthood. It is very obvious that the author admires RFK and thinks he would have made a great president. That maybe but it does cloud the author's work and makes this almost as much of a sports like bio then a work like history.

I'm not American, nor was I alive when RFK was murdured, but this book made me travel along with all the Kennedy entourage during those 82 days of campaign (the part that described the death, and aftermath, of Martin Luther King made me feel all the emotion people must have felt), and more that that, gave me the precise picture of what RFK wanted to America, in one word, his philosophy. Even if you have already read more about RFK will not be disapointed.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time! It is very personal and inspiring. It is like being on the campaign trial with Robert Kennedy. I would strongly reccomend this book to anyone interested in american politcs.

One of the best campaign books I have ever read. As he did in "Ask Not," Thurston Clark brings out the back-story of a great moment in history. In this case, RFK's decision to run for president, despite his many misgivings about doing so. It chronicles his determination to run the way he wanted to - not the ways the polls and pols told him to run. Ultimately, though, "The Last Campaign" shows us what a real leader looks like and ought to behave. With his characteristic bluntness, RFK didn't shirk from reminding people that in a democracy, everyone is responsible for the country's actions. One cannot blame Washington for their problems without holding themselves just as accountable. Sadly, as Clark cites in the book, no politician from any party could get away with such an attitude today.

A great book about a great man.

If I were rating Bobby, there aren't enough stars in the heavens to measure how I feel about him. I was 17 when he died, and I don't think I have taken politics seriously since. Even the left of center Democrats I usually agree with on policy seem pale, scheming elitists compared to Bobby. So do the other Kennedys actually.

Someone, I think Jack Newfield, has argued that Bobby Kennedy's murder was the most tragic event of the 1960s. That if you could go back in time and stop only one of the three murders that defined the decade, it would be Bobby, because he is the one who was still growing, whose work was not nearly complete already. He seems to be the one, who, had he lived, would have really been an agent for change.

The book however, is slight, more a compilation of admiring stories than anything else. Granted the book is a look at a very brief part of Bobby's life and not a full scale biography, but the author Thurston Clark does not go into much about Kennedy's past, and what set him on that road to the Ambassador Hotel.

He also assumes thoughout that had Kennedy lived he would have been elected president. I doubt it, the old machine politics still ruled. The question it seems to me, is how much more vigorous the anti-movement would have been with Bobby as part of it, possibly forcing Humphrey or Nixon to end the Vietnam war quicker, to even to act more aggressively against poverty and hunger in America.

The author is VERY funny and right on target when taking apart LAUSD and the LA scene which is extremely plastic and power focussed. Sandra not only thinks she has to solve her family's problems but lies awake at night trying to solve the whole world's problems while her husband, who grew up in So. Dakota peacefully sleeps. That is the angst one can have after growing up in Malibu and then living in Van Nuys. It is a laugh out loud book that needs to be savored in small doses because Sandra has so much to say that is thought provoking, especially about her generation's overly involved "parenting." That is my opinion as a person who brought up her children in the 70's when we stressed independence and self-reliance with lots of love. Actually, I was doing that while living across the street from Sandra and her family in Malibu. Buy the book, you will love reading it!

I gave this book only 2 stars because I didn't think it was worth the price. That said, even for a lower price, I wouldn't have give it a better rating. There are a few good laughs (not THAT many), and although I can relate to many of the author's experiences, she is so long-winded that I found myself skimming to get past the endless retelling of every word of every conversation. Each vignette just went on too long! Her perspectives on parenting remind me a bit of Anne Lamott, especially as she describes some of the challenges of parenting. The book was enjoyable if you don't mind following each tangent all the way down the rabbit hole.

This is a wonderful book.
I own what has become one of the largest private school advisory firms in the country and this is a must read for parents from every walk of life. I'm buying a ton of this book to hand out as holiday gifts. It's a NANNY DIARIES for real parents.

Amanda Uhry
Manhattan Private School Advisors
New York City

Sandra- from a public educator of too many years-my review for this book is that it's the best one I read this summer! Take that, clive james!

Very, very funny and well-written. Ms. Tsing-Loh does satire, irony and self-deprecation much better than she does anger. The book is hilarious up to the last two chapters which fall flat and should have been omitted and one does sense in them more than a faint whiff of sour grapes. The NPR ending is in retrospect inevitable, but buy the book and enjoy it!

Few Americans know much about Saudi Arabia. I know a lot more after reading this book. Dr. Ahmed has written a personal memoir about her two years working in the critical care unit of a hospital in Riyadh. Upon her arrival at the airport, she is lost in a society that has unfamiliar rules. Women can't drive. Women can't be out alone or with unrelated men. The men dress the same. The women dress the same--at least, in public. She assumes that, as a Muslim, she will have no problems fitting in. But she discovers that Saudi Arabia is a highly structured society and in the land of Wahabism, she barely qualifies as Muslim. Dr. Ahmed appears to be quite sociable and much of the book describes her attempts to befriend and understand people. Ultimately, she makes friends and tries to find their motivations and understand how they survive and adapt in a male-dominated society. Several chapters of the book are devoted to her participation in the Hajj--a pilgrimmage most Americans will never undertake. Dr. Ahmed writes crisply while sharing her feelings and vulnerabilities. Her descriptions of many Saudis' reactions to 9/11 are bound to anger many readers. Among some people she most admires, she finds a fault line of intolerance that disappoints her. This book contained numerous insights that kept me turning pages to the end.

I purchased this book because I am very interested in the topic; in this regard the book delivered. It is interesting and indeed has a unique perspective.

I found myself very frustrated, however, with some of the more technical aspects of the book. Many of the footnotes were entirely missing (that is, superscript numbers appeared in the text with no corresponding footnotes). There were also quite a few grammatical and spelling errors, and even some incomplete sentences. In other cases, words were simply mis-used (and a few of these were really bothersome things that a physician shouldn't mess up, such as using the word "prostate" when she meant "prostrate" on page 12).

Other parts of the book simply felt careless; portions were very repetitive, others were contradictory. For example, the patient that is introduced on page 2 as "comatose" is described on page 4 as follows: "Thin arms lay flaccid at the side of her supine body, palms upwards..." and then just three paragraphs later we see: "Small brown hands were clenched in a sleeping fist." Which is it? Little things like this really got to me throughout the book.

Despite all this, the book did have some very good insights and is probably a worthwhile read. However, if you are a person who cares about grammar, usage, spelling, or storyline continuity then prepare to be frustrated throughout this book.

I've always felt that I am a citizen of the world, knowledgeable about many major cultural, religious and ethnic groups. I've read much about the Middle East and the Muslim faith and thought I had a relatively decent understanding of Saudi society compared to most Americans. Was I ever wrong. Some things you cannot learn but by experience. Qanta Ahmed, in such lush detail, juxtaposes surprising parallels and heartbreaking divergencies between the Saudi Kingdom and the West. Through her eyes (and from under her veil), we glimpse a world many of us will never be afforded the chance to see first hand.

My lesson learned, again and again it seems, is that we all have much to learn about (and from) one another. After finishing the book, I'm left with the overwhelming thought, "What happens next?" My thought: it's up to us.

I enjoyed her story very much and made me think again about our nations friendship with the Saudi Kingdom. I saw some advantages for the women in how they are required to live, but mostly felt that their lives are a form of bondage. And it interested me greatly that she had waht seemed to be equal friendships with many men. I titled this "hyperbole" because her descriptions of the beauty of the women and men was truly excessive, as I read along , I knew after a bit what each description would be. I never have known, myself, so many gorgeous people, but that is my only criticism of a fine description of life very foreign to we fortunate American women.

This book is a fascinating account of the experiences of a Muslim female physician, educated in the U.K. and America. What is amazing is that Saudi Arabia has been our 'ally' and formidable trading partner, but that 99.9% of have us have no clue as to the ideological and spiritual compass of the people of this country. We just know they are our 'friends' and that our 'friends' spawned a terrorist named Osama Bin Laden (then again, Tim McVeigh used to work at WalMart). This book gives great insight into the value system and machinations of this culture and its religion, and presents some historical perspective on how its modern day presence evolved. The book is not the first but one of the best narratives of the shocking disparity between men and women in Saudi society. Dr. Ahmed described her experiences with colour, insight, and perspective. Yet she refrains from coarse judgment, appropriately so, as the modern Saudi people are proud and principled society. Hopefully our next President (and Vice president) will bring it to the White House Book Club!

i could hardly put the book down...such a sad story yet a lot of love also..true friendships are hard to find

As a student at Seton Hall during the fire, I wasn't sure I would be able to read through the book without reliving January 19 all over again. But I must say - the author did a fantastic job of walking the reader through Alvaro and Shawn's recovery, while still providing insight to all of those involved with this day.

After the Fire is a beautifully written story of two young men whose friendship helped them survive and thrive after devastating burn injuries. It is one of those books you don't put down until you you turn the last page. It is also one of those books you keep thinking about in the days and weeks after you finish reading it. I highly recommend it for anyone who still likes to learn about life via the written page.

It is hard to find stories about burn units, and when this one was featured in the People Magazine I couldn't wait to read it. I work in the burn unit and am extremely interested in burn care.
This book didn't disapoint.I was impressed with the authors ability to be in the unit and to get a first hand look at what we do daily. The story of the friendship as it developed and the emotional impact of the different stages unfolded, was terrific. You will enjoy the relationships that the boys made with women after the fire. They are truly special women!
I highly recommend this book and for you to look up the story and photos online!

In her book "After the Fire," Robin Gaby Fisher tells of the tragic fire that took place at Seton Hall University in January 2000. This fire claimed 3 lives and left 58 injured, the worst off, Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos, are the subjects of this story. Even though Shawn and Alvaro had only met as roommates a few months earlier, the fire clearly defined their relationship--like two war buddies who could not survive on the outside world without each other, each one feeling guilty they had let the other down.

This story is also about the doctors, nurses, and physical therapists in the burn department at St. Barnabas Hospital in New Jersey. It was at this hospital in which Fisher's writing was at its finest. It was clearly demonstrated that the staff in the the burn unit were unlike any other in the entire hospital--they were closer, defined by the constant tragedy and trauma that they witnessed. Nurse Kathe Conlon states, "If you can't become part of the team, you don't last. In the course of a day burn nurses could deal with child abuse, elder abuse, or a whole family wiped out by fire. They saw babies scorched into near skeletons and young mothers who were burned beyond recognition trying to save their children" (p.81). When Fisher describes the procedure known as "debridement"--a method in which the burn patients would have their open wounds srubbed, the raw emotion of the patients and nurses was almost unbearable. After one particularly difficult debridement session with an eight-year-old boy who received burns after playing with matches, Nurse Sue Manzo broke down in tears. Fisher states, "Most nurses took pride in being stoic. Not in the burn unit. There, no one was afraid to show emotion, and when they did, the others always rallied to support them" (84). It became clear how dedicated, compassionate and selfless these doctors and nurses truly are.

But the story ultimately belongs to Shawn and Alvaro--Shawn with the strong, dedicated mother, and Alvaro with the over-bearing, immature, emotionally weak mother. Fisher drew such deep contrasts between these wo women. One can only wonder how Daisy Llanos felt about her portrayal in this book. As a journalist, she had gained "unfettered access" to the burn unit at St. Barnabas and one of the most powerful scenes in the entire book is when Alvaro looks at his face for the first time in the mirror, with Shawn at his side.

It is when Alvaro and Shawn are both out of the hospital that Fisher's writing falls apart. It seems as if she needs to hurry up and end their story once they are out in the real world. But all we readers can do is hope and pray for these two young men who have literally been to hell and back. And while Fisher certainly did not want to present too much information on the boys who started the fire--they were clearly not the focus of the story--she took way too long to describe the extent of the investigation.

Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos have certainly endured a lifetime of pain, but instead of turning their pain inward, they have both decided to persevere. One can draw strength from the powerful words of Shawn Simons, "Sometimes I think I am one of God's angels, sent down to do good. Maybe to help people who are not as strong as I am" (p.226). It is clear that both Shawn and Alvaro truly are angels.

I've been a fan of Faith since she first appeared on the scene and I've always been curious about the whole Tupac/Biggie situation. Her memoir is a vivid account into her life. She shares very intimate details about growing up with her grandparents, being in abusive relationships as a teenager, and her tumultuous relalationship with BIG. Keep The Faith is a great example of what a tell-all should be, because Faith talks about everything. The beef between her and Lil Kim was comical, because I've always percieved Lil Kim as this tough-talking, street chic who wouldn't hestitate to run up on someone. I couldn't believe that she remained with BIG for so long, because he always kept a chic on the side. She also talks about the so-called beef with her and Mary and the reason she had to cut Missy off. This was a excellent read and I would definitely recommend it.

4.5 stars

This is a story about Faith's life not Biggie's! However, you will get a glimpse of what happened with her Pac and Biggie in her words.
Its a good read I think it could have been better written.

This book was a very good read, I view Faith very differently now. She kept it honest and straight to the point, I can't believe the relationship she and Big had. How she wanted off Bad Boy Records because Puffy was showing her no love as an artist, The "Lil' Kim" drama, How her and Mary used to be so close, Sleeping with a married man, etc.- Faith revealed more and more with every turn of the page.

I recommend every Faith Evans fan, non-Faith Evans fan to read this book.

This was the best memoir I have ever read!!! I laughed. I cried. I got angry. I felt Faith's pain and triumphs. This book was well written. After reading the first page, I knew it was going to be good. It's hard to believe everything she went through so early in her life. She has truely paid her dues and I am so happy for her success. If you love the Hip Hop and Rap culture, You will love this book!! Buy it today!

Have you ever how big fat and ugly faith evans lips are?
the book is good this book i recommend to everyone!

This dazzling book could have been called "Loving the Enemy." That is, in fact, what Nelson Mandela did to prevent a much feared bloodbath in South Africa as it passed from the hated Apartheid regime to majority rule.
"Playing the Enemy" shows how he did it - first by winning over his prison guards through forgiveness and simple human kindness then by his shrewd seduction of the white government leadership and finally by making the obsession of white South Africa, its Rugby team, the team of all South Africans - black and white.
It's The Greatest Story Ever Told for the twentieth century - and beyond!

There has been plenty written about the master statesman Nelson Mandela, but John Carlin's story about how Mandela transformed his nation by leveraging the sport of rugby is truly inspiring. This book is a must read for anyone who has ever been discouraged from creating change. Mandela's mindset and approach to liberating his country is unmatched.

Playing the Enemy is a very timely book. In these days when nations are often more divided than before, Nelson Mandela's instinct to show respect, friendliness, and common purpose with those who saw him as an enemy is a beacon that lights up the potential for all people to come together to accomplish more. John Carlin has used the Rugby World Cup imaginatively to illustrate the essence of President Mandela's approach. Mr. Carlin is a wonderful story teller, and you'll feel chills as you read the many great moments he brilliantly captures in Playing the Enemy.

Leaders have always used foreign enemies to bring their purpose together. Who realized that this could be done at the level of sport rather than through war as a way to unify a country where people were deeply suspicious (even paranoid) about one another?

I was glad to see that Mr. Carlin provided lots of background about how someone imprisoned for decades became the leader of a reconstituted nation in South Africa and went on to accomplish things that not even the most optimistic would have expected. President Mandela's story is one for the ages, and this way of telling the story makes it easier to understand for those who never saw South Africa during the Apartheid regime.

Although I had long studied and worked to help change the government in South Africa from the inside and outside, the political impact of the international boycott of the South African rugby team had been lost to me. I hope those who would like to encourage governments to behave more appropriately towards their people will remember this example.

Bravo, Mr. Carlin!

This book is an absolute masterpiece of writing, a true gem and one that will certainly melt the hearts of many. On the surface it is about a rugby match between South Africa's Springboks and New Zealand in 1995. But it is representative of much more because, as the author shows, this match helped bring together South Africa after the fall of Apartheid, healing, at least in a small way, the anger of the blacks and the fear of the whites that the new nation would reject them. This was clear when Mandela came to support the rugby team, which had been seen as a symbol of Afrikaner nationalism, wholeheartedly. The book is more than the game, it covers many important characters and their reactions on the day of the match. The author is certainly an expert on South Africa, having lived there as a journalist, and he understands the soul of many of the people of the country. He understands also the history of the Afrikaners, the tradition of the 'Bitter enders' who had fought the british to 'bitter end' in the Boer War. This is a very nice book, an important story and one that will surely inspire. Unfortunatly the story paints a perfect utopian pciture of South Africa, one that has not stood the test of time. With the murder rate the highest in the world, AIDs running wild, farm invasions and the prospect of a new president whose motto used to be 'bring me my machine gun', South Africa's 1995 rugby match may well have just been a moment of reconciliation that could not last.

Seth J. Frantzman

A marvelous book. Anyone who wants to understand the hope (and the chances for failure) in post-apartheid SA should read this book, particularly in the light of Mbeki's failure and the test that is to follow.

It's not that doctors skip most of their classes or that they're getting a second-rate education. It's that we walk in as enigmas--we don't fit the textbook case. Just extracting this idea from "Complications" is worth your time and money. Instead of becoming frustrated and/or scared from an "I don't know" response, we can attempt to appreciate the complexity of our bodies and the influential contexts in which we live.

Gawande writes with an excellent style. There's humor, irony and mystery throughout. The topics are fascinating and the information can even prove to be useful (it hit on an area of concern of mine).

Don't come here to research any given disease. Come here to be intrigued, entertained and exposed to a few big ideas, particularly, that medicine remains "an Imperfect Science." Highly recommended.

-Jack H. Bender, author of Disregarded: Transforming the School and Workplace through Deep Respect and Courage

The author wrote many of these for The New Yorker and other publications; what is even more remarkable, however, is that he wrote these essays when he was beginning his career as a surgeon.

Surgery is among the most controversial, and difficult fields in medicine. The risks are so high, the complications so abounding.

I began reading this book with a jaded and jaundiced eye, hoping to find validation for my subjective impression of a field gone awry.

Intead, I had greater respect for the field of surgery, in the author's well-written and incisive book.

Similar to his other book titled Better, Dr. Gawande divided his book into three sections: Fallibility, Mystery and Uncertainties. As much as I enjoyed reading the five fascinating stories about medical mysteries (Mysteries about Friday the Thirteenth, pain, blushing nausea and food obsession), I found the two other sections more stimulating and inspiring. Speaking from his own experience (many of them gruesome and daunting), he successfully convinced his audience that medicine is full of uncertainties and doctors, just like any other human beings, are not infallible (even though we may hope that we are not).

In Education of a Knife, he candidly and modestly described the enthralling, and at times disappointing and frustrating, learning process he went through to administer a central line on live patients during his surgical training. The discomfort he caused during his first few unsuccessful trials led him into asking the question, "Is it possible to train the novices without harming patients or putting them at risk when only relentless practices can lead to perfection?"

Another story that caught my attention is When Doctors Make Mistakes. I was mesmerized by his honesty and morality in telling the mishap he encountered during his first emergency tracheotomy. We, human beings, have the natural tendency to hide our failure. When we make mistakes, we often shift the blame to others as a damage control. It is incredible that instead of hiding this episode of embarrassment, he laid it all out in complete details and full disclosure (just like a journalist would for the most controversial and intriguing story) to make the point that doctors are infallible no matter how much they strive for perfection because there are always other contributing factors such as "the lack of standardized protocols, the surgeon's inexperience, the hospital's inexperience, inadequately designed technology and techniques, think staffing, poor teamwork, time of day, the effects of managed care and corporate medicine, and so on and so on." If Six Sigma is not achievable in medicine (as possible in other industries) at our current time, the least we should do perhaps is to aim closer to this target?!

Whose Body Is It, Anyway? is another thought-provoking story included in this book. It examined the various questions about patient involvement in decision-making during the treatment process. The key question is not whether patient and their families should be involved in the decision making process, but how best can physicians guide them through the process and work collaboratively with them when they are clearly incapable of making the decision during such vulnerable moments in their lives when emotion overrules logic (as demonstrated by Dr. Gawande's own "childlike regression" during his daughter's hospitalization).

Excellent book on the imperfections of medicine. Keeps the reader interrested through the entire book - it's almost sad when finished...

Atul Gawande gratefully takes the reader to the back of the OR, a place open for a few, yet intriguing for many. Dr. Gawande is extremely frank and poignant, as he describes actual cases from his own surgical practice. He admits that cutting someone open for the first time is hell, praises surgery which gives chance to obese people, wonders about doctor's intuition, and remains human in every case.

As always, Atul Gawande is not just writing about medicine; this book reaches far beyond the realm of the operating room. He touches on the most complicated ethical questions of medicine and society as a whole. Gawande speaks of mistakes and our imperfect judgment; tackling the questions of good doctors gone bad along with malpractice claims and punishments. He makes the case for autopsy as a means of learning. He admits that medical students must practice on cadavers or animals in order to cut people open; all ethical questions are answered by means of vivid examples.

For instance, in the 1980s the death rate from a particular surgery would be about 10%. When the new surgical treatment of heart pathology arose, surgeons started trying the novice. At that training period, the rate of children death from this particular intervention increased to 25% of cases. Sounds horrible? Yes, but after surgeons learned, the rate fell down to just a couple percent. Was it worth it? Sure, granted the number of lives saved in the long run. Never, granted now many kids died just due to surgeons' learning. Would any doctor let anyone practice on his own kid? Never. At the same time, learning is a necessary part of medical progress.

Those questions dominate the book; Gawande ponders at the patient's right to choose, reminds us that doctors are human and prone to mistakes, reveals mysteries of complications, which are usually open only during the M&M - Mortality and Morbidity Conference behind the closed door. Gawande is not afraid to open the doors. Moreover, he is confident that openness is the only way to reduce the complications.

I almost wanted to say the book is too idealistic, except it's written by a person whose profession is to think realistically. Great book!

Maus was a very engaging book. From the beginning I was pulled into the story. Maus is written in a very unique way. Art Spiegelman drew the Jews as mice, the Nazis as cats, and the Poles as pigs. Art Spiegelman told the story from the perspective of his father telling the story through an interview format. It is written in the form of a graphic novel. It is an interesting way to learn about history during the World War II era. Overall I liked this book, except I really didn't like the end. Also, there was a little bit of language.

i was one of the few among my peers who had never read one of the Maus books. When i finally got around to it, i was blown away by its excellence. This is a masterpiece (and i do not use the term lightly). Do yourself a favor and don't miss it.

I must say that I find this work hard to properly describe in terms of how I feel about it. I think that it was a fascinating look at one man's experience in the Holocaust, but an equally important aspect is Art's interaction with his father during their conversations. This seems like an honest portrayal, especially since Art isn't afraid to include things that may make him look bad (he isn't always the most sympathetic son). I think connecting the story of what happened then, and how it's effects are apparent for the rest of a person's life (although different people reacted in different ways) is interesting. The way this is written is especially effective, because it truly feels like Vladek is telling you his story first hand.
As for the artwork, although it isn't my favorite style, it seems to fit for this story. The simple, unpolished look is compatible with this story which is honest and raw. Finally, I would like to add that the second installment of this comic is darker, and more depressing and sad at times, but once you read Maus I, you must (and will want to) read Maus II in order to feel any closure with the story.

As a Jew Living in Israel, holocaust related books are important to read, but it's hard to do it actually. I can remember several holocaust-era semi-biographic novels which are great but those are the exceptions. Most of the books are a bit bothersome though true.
Maus just captured me.I consider it one of the best books I've ever read in my life. It was just breath-taking, adding to that the fact that this was my first graphic novel ever, not to say first comic ever.
I gave it to my wife, her parents, brother and so on. The book came back to me after 6 month. all worn out.
The book touched me in the deepest levels, and was able to do what many other holocaust books tried to do and failed. Take you inside one of the the darkest eras of human kind. You NEED to read to. You have to read it.

Maus, A Survivor's Tale is a son's pictorial version of his father's story of survival during WWII.

Both haunting and mesmerizing, sometimes funny and touching, this is a story of perseverance and about what the Jews had to suffer through at the hands of the Nazis in WWII Poland. Spiegleman never sugar-coats what his father had to endure in order to keep he and his wife alive. A true work of art.

I consider that nowadays Pope Benedict XVI is currently "an universal moral reference" for mankind, the Catholic Church is all over the world the only one of churches growing vigorously among the young and the intellectuals .. The message of Jesus is as fresh as always !!!

Although I am a Protestant, I found the Pope's book enlightening and interesting. The first two chapters are rich in wisdom, pointing out our blessing of the Lord's very presence as we minister, and the living tradition which the Apostles and subsequent ministers have passed on to us. Throughout this book, the Pope pointed out the greater symbolism of various events in which the Apostles participated. For example, the theological significance of the great catch of fish. He also summarized the theological importance of his points, emphasizing key matters such as what constitutes a good witness: those that compel us to "come and see." His command of the first century evangelistic campaign and the order of events was revealed in an easy to follow manner. He identifies various characteristics of the Apostles and relates them to Christ's overall ministry. Furthermore, he draws from early church writings. Most importantly, the Pope supported his teachings with scripture and flatly stated that we are saved by faith alone. This should be appreciated by both Catholics and Protestants.

Curtis Mosley
Houston, Texas
May 25, 2008

"They are blind and their leaders are blind. And when the blind follow the blind they all fall into the pit." Jesus the Messiah and Lord from the Gospels

Unfortunately and tragically Pope Benedict XVI has done it again. His deception has no limits, which is fitting for a modernist. Joseph Ratzinger has continually denied and still denies the Christological Doctrines of the Catholic Christian faith as defined by the Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church. He does not assent to the Doctrines of the Catholic faith as defined by the Ecumenical Council of Trent against the Protestant heresy and he describes Martin Luther as one of his theological mentors. Finally, on the Vatican website gives approval to biblical modernism which teaches that the Apostles invented the Christian religion from their subjective experiences. His religious subjectivism ends up denying the objectivity of the public Divine revelation of the Christian religion. Deniars of these facts, please research them for yourself and this won't be the end to Ratzinger's heresies but just the beginning. Yet how is he able to deceive people into thinking that he is a Catholic Christian. The answer is that he is a modernist and in fact a moderate modernist as described by Pope St. Pius X's encyclical On Modernism(Pascendi Dominici Gregis) for which on one page they will read "... as a Catholic and on the next page as a rationalist(which includes in contemporary times religious subjectivism)." Unfortunately, the consequences of this grave deception is great as it is a matter of human salvation. "They are blind and their leaders are blind. And when the blind follow the blind they all fall into the pit."Jesus of Nazareth Tragically it is only true traditional Catholics who recognize that we have had only modernist popes starting with Pope John XXIII and consequently refuses to be blind and thereby fall into the pit of a modernist Novus Ordo Construct outside the Historical Catholic Church and which ultimately leads to hell. The only way this situation will change is when a traditional Catholic pope is elected and yes every traditional Catholic is praying and working for this day to come. The day of deception will be over modernists, religious necoconservatives(Our Sunday Visitor), and indultarians. Yes, laus tibi Christe, when the day of deception will be over!Then History will not judge lightly the modernists and appeasers of modernists, the reliogious neocons and indultarians. History and the Lord of history will vindicate their faithful servants who passed on what they have received: the traditional Catholic remnant and the truth about modernism and this great apostasy led by modernist popes will be known and accepted by all. Ratzinger has done it again but not for long! The truth can not be held back!

This book is well-written but its title is deceptive. The early chapters front-load what follows with the theological premises of the Roman Catholic Church so it is less about the Apostles than we might hope. BXVI is known as a scholar, and certainly his scholarly bent shows in what he writes, leaving many people who haven't personally dug into the current scholarship feeling impressed. If one believes in apostolic succession and Christ's entrusting the apostles with maintaining fidelity and truth (and this reviewer does accept this concept), then there are those of us who feel that the mandate for truth has failed. I have to assume that the Bishop of Rome believes what he has written, but the world has changed in that the world of scholarship is open to those of us in the pews. We don't have to accept a distorted and incomplete scholarship. We're no longer illiterates who are dependent upon the Church to tell us what to believe. We can dig it out and weigh its efficacy for ourselves. It cannot be that the Bishop of Rome is unaware of the extensive scholarship, as he has the unfathomable riches of the Roman Catholic Church that would make it easy.

I will only briefly address two overwhelmingly glaring areas. We note that women disciples are discussed in the very back of the book. BXVI lists many of the women, but he is only able to magnify the works of those who are coupled, such as Priscilla and Aquila. He makes no note of the importance that in scripture, Priscilla is listed first. And he manages to get through chapters on St. Paul's co-workers and the chapter on women without mentioning the Apostle Junia (Romans 16:7). The scholarship here is clear: There was one named female Apostle. See Eldon Jay Epp (2005). Junia: The First Woman Apostle. Minneapolis: Fortress Press (available on Amazon).

Then, the gospel material on St. Peter is, as would be expected, seriously selective, reinterpreted and reworked. What is lost is that the meaning of "Apostle" was being fought in the first century, and we know who won out in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. Luke carves out a view that the 12 are the only trustworthy witnesses of the Resurrection.

Luke's "twelve" is a select group and it is ONLY in Luke they are specifically chosen FROM a larger group of followers, a group not present in Mark and Matthew [see Luke 6:13]. Matthew uses the term, "apostolic" only once [10:2-5]. Mark uses it only once [6:30]. Luke uses the term 6 times in the Gospel, and 34 times in Luke-Acts. The author of Luke and Acts writes several decades after Paul and adds new requirements for apostleship, limiting it to the Twelve, excluding Paul, James the brother of Jesus, who rose to head the Jerusalem Church, and all female apostles. The restriction of "Apostle" seen in Luke-Acts is not seen in Paul. Luke downplays the functionality of the role or mission of Apostleship and makes it more symbolic.

The preeminence of Peter is not uniform across the Gospels so we can see the struggle for authority that was going on. In 4G, Jesus never specifically chooses Peter as a member of a subgroup of disciples. He does not have any special resurrection appearance until Chapter 21, which is a later add-on redaction.

Contrary to BXVI, Peter is not depicted as the first to see the Risen Christ across the Gospels. Matthew, Mark and John give prominence to Mary Magdalene. It is only in Luke that Peter is gifted with an individual appearance of the Lord [Luke 24:33-34]. In the other three Gospels, Jesus or angelic messengers send Mary Magdalene alone or with other women to proclaim the Resurrection. This is such an inconvenience to Rome that it must be obscured. So, at a minimum, the history as recounted in the canonical Gospels shows that the conflict for authority was going on in the 1st century.

If you want to see some of the available scholarship for yourself, read Ann Graham Brock (2003). Mary Magdalene, The First Apostle: The Struggle for Authority. Harvard University Press (available on Amazon). Based on her PhD dissertation at Harvard, she has very effectively demonstrated in the canonical Gospels, with supplementary non-canonical sources including the Acts of Peter and Acts of Paul, that where Peter is made prominent in the Gospels, Mary Magdalene and the other women are diminished, and vice versa.

The Apostles reads easily if you accept the underlying premises, and if you don't, the book well captures official Roman Catholic views. It is not an unbiased account of the early history of the church. There is good information in this book, but it should not be read in isolation or as an accurate picture of the first century of Christianity.

This book reprints a year's worth of Pope Benedict XVI's weekly addresses at his public audiences where he meditates on the stories of the twelve apostles, St. Paul and other early disciples of Christ. He draws lessons from these that apply to all of us. An excellent and easy read with short chapters that can be read independently.

Caveat emptor: This is the same exact content as "Jesus, The Apostles and The Early Church" published by Ignatius Press. The Ignatius Press version is printed on heavier paper and is a more well produced book for the same price. Buy that one instead! Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church: General Audiences, 15 March 2006-14 February 2007

I listened to this books on audio cd. The readers little girl whispery voice was intensely annoying. I did finish it and I would never presume to critize her choices and acts. What I find difficult to understand (spoiler ahead) are her choices outside the "church". She speaks of her mother and father as victims of a "religion" and of their inability to help or protect her as "because of their religous beliefs". The religious belief that one man and one man only talks to God and runs their life. Isn't this a cult? Doesn't she see it as a cult now that she's on the ouside. As a mother, she should have a clearer picture of what her parents did not do. Her constant use of the "love" of her mother is self-deluding. But I cannot question her big heart and forgiveness. Warren Jeffs may be gone, but her sisters are still there. Cults and their victims are very sad things. Editors should have trimmed this book by half. And definitely gotten a different reader.

Stolen Innocence was a unique story written about how one woman was able to escape the clutches of the FLDS after a 4 year forced marriage at age 14 to her first cousin who had been known to be abusive towards her as children. When she would not obey him, he repeatedly raped and physically abused her.

The marriage was arranged, in part, as punishment to her and her mother because they had spoken out on several ocassions and were thought to be a "troubled" family. Despite her begging and pleading not to marry a cousin "I hated," she was told she either went through with the marriage or her family would be excommunicated and set out on the highway. She had seen this happen to her brother and others, so out of fear went through with the "marriage."

Although I don't in any way condone her husband's actions, it appears from the book that he, too, was a victim of this order. There was NEVER any sex education: in fact, the word sex was never used, and was a subject not even married women were allowed to discuss. Children were taught to think of the other sex as "snakes," and even casual touching was forbid. Then, suddenly you are married, and all the girls have ever been told is "Your husband will explain your wifely duties to you." Sex is only supposed to happen to pro-create and NEVER for pleasure. In this case, the young man didn't seem to have any more knowledge of what he was supposed to do than she did. A man will have his "pristhood" taken away from him if he cannot control his family. This means he will not be allowed to enter the Celestrial kimdom, so it is a big deal. Fearing he was loosing control of his 14 year old wife, he began to rape her to insure she provided him with children. Unfortunately, she suffered 3 miscarriages and 1 stillbirth with NO medical care.

This religious group believes that Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, was correct when he stated Pologamy was a revelation from God. The purpose was to create a family on earth that would be transferred to the Celestrail Kingdom for those who "stay sweet," and take advice from the Prophet, whom they believe are receiving messages directly from God. The men will then be set up as God's of their own "Kindoms." BUT ONLY IF THEY ARE OBEDIENT,and have duitiful wives.

The biggest problem in this story was that a sociapathic man who studied Hittler, manipulated his way into becoming the professed prophet. Because this group had been brought up to believe that anything the Prophet says is coming directly from God, no one questioned his actions. Those who did were x-communicated, had their wives and children taken away, their homes taken, and were left penniless. Under Warren Jeffs rule, the governing body of 12 was done away with, all property individually owned was taken and given to the "church," who then gave out land and houses to the "most worthy" of followers.

Because the people are carefully removed from society and taught that outsiders are evil and will only cause extreme harm, they are afraid to come forward. All the local Police, Judges, etc are FLDS members, so going to the authorities is fruitless.

This women came forward with the truth of what was happening in this isolated town despite death threats to her and her family. She risked her very life to come forward, and as a result has brought knowledge to authorities, who then were able to act on reports by many who had fled.

The book is well written, flows well, and explains why and how this has happened.

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What the Kindle version lacks is nice pictures. The pictures are displayed, but black and white and faded.

I thought this was an excellent book, very thought-provoking. It was a look into a very strange life compared to how most women live in this day and age. It seems hard to understand how these women and men go along with a "prophet" who makes every decision for them, including who they marry and at what age. Then you look back at history and there were many people who were able to control others like this, eg. Jim Jones, whose followers committed mass suicide. It is hard to believe that this kind of mind control is still in existence. It was a definite eye-opener for me.

There is no doubt that Elissa Wall suffered at the hands of the FLDS cult and Warren Jeffs in particular. Her story would have been more engaging had it been more succinct in it's writing. Read: it went on and on and on........While the tone and style are that of a young girl, (and perhaps the author(s) wanted to maintain that), the book simply grew tiresome from redundancy, lack of intrigue, and sheer wordiness. While Wall definitely has a story to tell, she could have told it better.

Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs

A disturbing look at the cult commonly called the FLDS, a polygamy espousing sect with enclaves in British Columbia, Utah, Arizona, Texas and Mexico and ruthlessly run by jailed "prophet" Warren Steed Jeffs. This is the story of Elissa Wall whom Jeffs forced to marry at age fourteen her abusive first cousin, and from whom she later escaped.

Stolen Innocence recounts the ordeal Wall's life was in a cult where women must be subservient to their husbands, and most importantly, to the prophet, or face consequences. Wall describes her ordeal in prose, while not literary, is at least compelling and aptly states her case.

During her horiffic marriage she suffers rape, miscarriages, extreme mental cruelty and takes to sleeping in her truck to avoid the bedroom and her abusive husband. She watches her 18-year-old brother banished from the enclave with her parents doing nothing to stop the action. She witnesses her mother removed from her blood father and reassigned to another man as his fifteenth wife.

She recounts how a former FLDS man befriends her and how that friendship turns to love. And most importantly, you'll read how she got the courage to tell her story and give the testimony to convict Warren Jeffs.

Difficult to read without feeling pity and anger, but an important book in learning about this sect.