Biography Books

A thorough history of the notable and extended art forgery career of Han van Meegeren. While it seems the basic facts surrounding Mr. Van Meegeren's blatant and many frauds are now known, I did not find the prose style of Jonathan Lopez in the retelling of this particular tale in any way exceptional.

I also think the author shows a rather unsympathetic (and, to my mind, unwarranted) attitude towards The Netherlands in terms of the immediate post-war period and that small country's uneven treatment of its German collaborators.

If you have a lively interest in the criminal forgery of European artworks or, more specifically, fake Vermeers --this book would be a reasonable purchase.

I like mysteries, intrigue, politics, and history. I picked up The Man Who Made Vermeers because it was one of the best sellers in my local bookstore. One of the salespeople told me that customers who read crime fiction had been buying it, and I can really see why. The book presents an excellent understanding of Han van Meegeren, the Dutch artist who sold a fake Vermeer to Hermann Goering during World War II.

It turns out that Van Meegeren was a fascinating figure--much more interesting than I would have thought. Because Van Meegeren had fooled Hermann Goering, he became a hero in the Netherlands after the war and he presented himself as kind of a patriot. But it appears that swindling Goering was more or less an accident. Van Meegeren didn't have an axe to grind with Goering. In fact, he had been an admirer of Hitler and fascism since the movement began, and had even painted work on commission for the German occupying forces.

What you really get to see here is the criminal mind at work. While other books about Van Meegeren have taken his story at face value and presented him as a hero, Lopez convinced me that this man was no hero at all. The book offers real insight into the psychology of a fundamentally duplicitous individual who capitalized on one of the darkest moments in world history...

There are a lot of fun books out there that use artworks as a sort of McGuffin for an elaborate or at least distracting plot. Books like The DaVinci Code or The Girl with the Pearl Earring, for instance, give the impression of being based on art historical research, but they take gross liberties with the historical record (or lack thereof). In a way, this ultimately devalues the artworks such books use as plot devices because readers come to see the art as mere accessories to a fantastical tale.

In The Man Who Made Vermeers, the artworks (or, rather, "artworks") remain at the center of a fascinating history. As objects of aesthetic pleasure, economic gain, or social status, the paintings at the heart of Lopez's story exert exactly the sort of power we have come to expect from art. Their status as fakes only complicates our understanding of the real value of art in society.

The Man Who Made Vermeers proves that it is possible to combine lively prose, an intriguing plot AND original research to create a wonderfully engaging yet scholarly narrative. Because the book's prose is so effortless, the painstaking archival research that the author must have undertaken is not as evident as it might be if the book were written in a more conventionally academic style.

Highly recommended!

Not only is "The Man Who Made Vermeers" a great introduction to Han Van Meegeren and his notorious Vermeer forgeries, it serves as an excellent window into Nazi-controlled Holland during the war. It is Lopez's examination of Van Meegeren's Nazi sympathies--and his deft analysis of how Van Meegeren's faux Vermeers sprang from the same 20th-century Nazi iconography as contemporary propaganda paintings--that really sets the book apart. A devasting reappraisal of the man who "fooled" Hermann Goering and a good read for anyone interested in art, World War II, or how the two intersected.

I just finished reading this book and I really enjoyed it. It's a book that appeals to the general public -- not only those into art. I'm not especially interested in art myself, but I got so into the story and the characters that I read it in record time. Faster than I've read anything in a long time. The author clearly did a huge amount of research. But he turns it into a really easy read. I definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a really interesting true story.

Cod is an engaging history of the fish that changed the world. As an eye opening adventure, cod takes the reader from low impact commercial fishing of ancient Europe to the destructive power of modern fisheries. Mark Kurlansky shows his creativity and skill as he brings to focus the plight of cod. The author further illustrates the ability of super consumers to deplete a previously perceived inexhaustible cod population. In this biography is shown the effect cod fishing has had on individual lives, nations and the world. The book keeps the reader thirsting for more. The main weakness of this book would be the abrupt ending to the enchanting tale. Cod is for historians and scientists alike. Fishermen and those that enjoy sea food will appreciate this book. Cod is a book that should be read and reread by everyone as a reminder of mankind's dependence upon and responsibility to conserve earth's diminishing supply of natural resources.

Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World is a fascinating picture of the influence that cod have had on civilization and that civilization has had on cod. From the beginnings with Basque fishermen producing salt cod, through the Cod Wars between England and Iceland, and including the moratorium on cod fishing off of Canada this excellent novel gives a historically accurate look at the world market, politics, and conservation efforts. The fact that overfishing has destroyed what once seemed a limitless resource is an abrupt awakening to irresponsible human behaviors and their true effects on nature and on the future. Kurlansky expertly gives a historically, environmentally, biologically, economically, and politically correct, yet easy to read, account of the history of cod fishing. This is an excellent book for anyone interested in any of the aforementioned fields, particularly those with an interest in conservation. I highly recommend this book for the enjoyable and educational experience it provides.

Mark Kurlansky has created a truly enjoyable, historical narrative of a fish that has influenced many aspects of world history. Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World, is a book that any food connoisseur, history buff, fisherman, or someone simply interested in fish, will appreciate.

The book's main strength is the integration of facets of history to support the idea of cod's impact on the world. Within are discussed the influences of cod on wars, discovery, settlement, technology, gastronomy, and the effects of the dwindling cod stock.

The tragic story epitomized by cod is masterfully told by Kurlansky. Until recently, the mindset of society made it impossible to fathom that such a prolific organism could ever be depleted. The book exposes a poignant message about the increasing problem of overexploitation of resources, which I believe was the author's inspiration.

The only weakness of Cod is that there is so much history included in this relatively small book that it is somewhat overwhelming. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and have recommended it to others. After digesting Cod, one realizes that the codfish not only influenced diets and economies, but helped steer the course of world history.

Kurlansky takes the reader on a voyage from the beginning of the cod fishing industry through its almost complete collapse due to overfishing. He explores the effect of the industry on colonization of the New World, the Revolutionary War, slavery and more. This book was written first to show the important place cod has in the history of the world and second to warn of what can happen to natural resources if they are limitlessly exploited. This book was well written and easy to read, it was almost like reading a novel. Kurlansky added interest by including six hundred years of cod recipes, putting one at the beginning of every chapter and a section at the end of the book. A main strength of the book was that it covered a significant amount of history in very few pages. The only weakness of the book was that there were no endnotes or footnotes which left me unable to easily find the origin or support of information presented. My overall evaluation of this book is that is was very informative while still being enjoyable to read. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in natural history, ecology, fish, or conservation.

An interesting perspective on not just the poor cod but of all of the great creatures in the sea on which humankind has feasted over the centuries.

Let me state upfront that I am a huge music fan, but not a Korn fan. Yes of course I know of them and have heard some of their songs, but it's not really my musical style. But I heard about Brian Welsh's sudden departure from the band, and when I saw this book, I couldn't resist picking it up.

"Save Me From Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs and Lived to Tell My Story" (240 pages) brings Brian's life story, from his humble beginnings in Bakersfield, CA to his eventual major rock star success as a member of the multi-platinum selling Korn. Brian Welsh describes his rock star days excesses (primarily drugs and a failed marriage) in detail, but more intriguingly for me as a music fan, how Korn came about and wrote the sings they became famous for. Yet his transformation into finding religion is of course even more fascinating, in the way that Welsh renounces the "rock star" life and evolves his life to being a good dad and his devotion to being a Christian.

In all, this is a great read. There is a companion book of sorts to this from Welsh (released the same day as this book), called "Washed By Blood" which is pretty much the same book as this, except that it provides "Discussion Questions" after each chapter, intended to stimulate further discussion among the readers.

This is a very powerful read and Totally recommendation to any Korn fans or any readers in general I'm probably not the 1st one to say this but when I 1st heard about this book and read the 1st few pages on here I didn't feel good about it but after I read it all the way thought I finally realized how much the man really went through the isolation and everything else that went on thought his life give the man credit he put his life together and his book shows what the power of Jesus Christ really has I'M not just saying that a christian but as a man. PS anyone who trashes this book really didn't understand what he truly went through as a youth Give the man respect this book is totally worth reading.

One of my senior high youth group girls just got done reading this and loved it! She said it really inspired her to be a Christian. I am going to suggest more of my senior high youth kids to read this book.

I was pleasantly surprised with the honesty that Brian "Head" Welch provided in his book. With three-quarters of the book dedicated to his descending into a drug induced madness and the rest on his recovery and rebirth, it was a good balance as the reader did not want to get bombarded with any bible bashing. At times though, one does get a little bored with the references to Jesus, God and our Father. However, this book is a celebration of a human being who saved his life from a certain miserable ending and turned it into a search for total self satisfaction without the use of drugs.

Being a fan of Korn, I was shocked when Head left the band. I read through this book which is filled with the usual rock star excesses. Of course, instead of gaining wisdom and reclaiming his life--he became another weak minded slave to the great lie. It amazes me how many weak minded souls cling to vestigial superstitions and fears. Lots of drug addicts give up one drug for another, this being Christianity. Another flavour of the weak.

Warrior's Don't Cry is about a young girl faced with challenges larger than life. At the age of 15, she is chosen to be one of the 9 students to integrate Central High in Little Rock Arkansas. It is the true story of Melba and her 8 African American classmates as they face all of the challenges of being placed in the all white classrooms of Central High.
The book starts off with Melba's first day at school. We all know how stressful it is to start our first day in High School. These 9 students were never able to have a successful first day because of the hundreds of angry people surrounding the school, yelling "2-4-6-8 We don't want to integrate!" Elizabeth Eckford, one of the Little Rock Nine, takes the bus to school. As she gets off of the bus, she is faced with an angry white mob. She tries to circumvent them but they move along with her, creating a human barricade preventing her from going to school. This was during the times when people were hung from a noose by angry white mobs. Throughout the ordeal, Elizabeth keeps her head up and tries to get away. Melba and her mom concoct a plan to distract the hundreds of people and create an escape route for Elizabeth. Finally, she escapes and returns home safely.

Don't let the non-fiction genre intimidate you. This book is full of all the drama of a teenagers' life. This true story shows us how scary and difficult it was to be the only black students in a gigantic school. Every chapter gives you a look to the obstacles the Little Rock Nine had to face. On Melba's first day of school, she is called out of her name on numerous occasions. Even her teachers encourage her classmates' racist behavior. Students yell the N word at her in the middle of class and the unnamed teacher ignores it and just kept on teaching. During P.E., Melba is tripped and falls to the ground. A group of her own classmates attack her and kick her while she is down. Her clothes are in tatters and she is slightly bruised.

Melba's school experience is far from a normal, boring one. After her first days of school, the state militia is called in to mediate the transition. Each one of the Little Rock Nine are assigned a state militiaman to guard them and escort them from class to class during the day. This might seem to ameliorate the situation, but we know that it's not the solution when Melba is choked during a school pep rally.
What would you do if your classmates were out to hurt you and your teachers and principal and vice-principal could not properly protect you? Would you give up or would you keep trekking on? Read Warrior's Don't Cry to find out how Melba fares out in the end.

Excellent book. So hard to read though - people can be horrible. I hope we have come a long way since this.

Title: Warriors Don't Cry
Author: Melba Pattillo Beals
Summary: Warriors Don't Cry is a book about a young African American girl named Melba integrating into an all white high school. It describes her journey through segregation and the hard times that Melba and her family had to go through. She enters Central High with 8 other African American students, not knowing the physical and mental abuse that they were about to endure. Melba sticks through it and fights like a warrior to make it though an entire year.
We enjoyed reading about all the exciting events that happened to Melba , and the 9 other African Americans. It was really interesting learning about integration and knowing it was all a true story made it even more impacting. Having it written by her was empowering because she was there to witness these events. We wished that some of the more exciting events were described more in detail because it would have made the book more suspenseful to see what would happen next. If you want to learn about historical event we would recommend this book to you. Its not the kinda of book that you get a good laugh out of or a good unrealistic story.

I ordered this book as required reading for my 8th graders during a study of the civil rights movement. It was perfect...in every way. Students studied the book in their literature class while talking about civil rights in social studies. It was an easy read and most students were hooked from the first pages. The extent of the brutality with which the members of the Little Rock Nine were treated during the year long integration of Central High School both horrified and moved my students. I highly recommend this first hand account for its effectiveness in communicating what the events of the civil rights movement had to do with the lives of the individuals involved. Very powerful..catalyzed great class discussions. Also loved the 4 for 3 deal through Amazon which made this affordable for my kids.

I read Warriors Don't Cry for school, and when I began reading it, I knew I would enjoy it. Yes, I enjoyed it, but it is actually very terrifying to read. Everything that Beals writes is based on fact, and it is very terrifying to imagine that this is what she and the other young black students faced when segregating into an all-white school.

This is a must-read, and is a well-written, terrifying look into the world before blacks and whites could be as one in a school. It's a must read!

The book was great....I'm into love, tender moments, sentimental gushy stuff,,,,etc....All the things men hate :) This story has it all.

on the whole I got a great deal out of this book as far as learning about a good foundation like the one Mr. Reeves started . But, Mr. Anderson has a tendency to jump on bigography's that try to send it's readers into tears ( at least ) . Making Mr. Reeve & his wife more then any other truly loving couple in the same situation ...however everyone of those couples aren't in the financial comfort zone that made this horrific accident bearable if I may say so . YES, I do applaud the Reeves for bringing attention to this cause so vehemently . But, like most people who do not suffer from life threatening diseases , my question is " would they have done so otherwise ? " But, perhaps , this was the only way for everyone to become aware, doesn't matter . No, I wouldn't ( nor would you ) trade places with Mr. Reeves for any amount of money .Even he once said he'd give it all up if only .....

Mr. Anderson tried to make a true Camelot out of the kennedy years when after much time, we find our golden boy had feet of clay . He too was only human and yes, I would have voted for him anyway if I had been of age BUT, Mr. Anderson, here's a question for you !!!! " I looked everywhere in my Library borrowed book and do not see just how much $$$ you intend to donate from the proceeds of this book to the paralysis foundation ". if you are ....let us know what % .

Making this into a tear jerker and that it is because of all the tragedy involved BUT, what about the average guy or gal ? How do they survive financially, mentally without an army of people at their side 24 hrs. a day , seven days a week, body guards . You mention this sort of thing breaks lesser in love couples marriages up from the strain of everything....yes, I suppose many do, maybe because they aren't beloved by millions, in fact only known by family, neighbors and maybe some friends . But, in the end, the spouse takes the entire brunt of it ALL night & day no let-up & finally break in a thousand pieces ...and If they try to get a job ( no 1,000,000.00 offers for them )who will be there at home ? what do the insurance companies say ???? well, they say, put your loved one in a home ....can you imagine doing that to your beloved and them still wanting to go on living ? Mr. Anderson's mistake to me was not the facts which were very,very sad for any family BUT STOP...making people into " DEMI-GODS " ( golden couple ) when ordinary couples are doing the same damned thing !...you'll make your fortune ...as I read and felt pity for that family my heart kept being pulled to the unknown army of spouses in this predicament who have no important people looking out for them . May Our Lord Bless them and the battle worn spouses who do stand by their sweethearts in the shadows ,forever unknown .yes,there was more tragedy so Mr. Anderson had himself a hit book especially the way, in every other paragraph he almost implied this couple had the most unique love , this golden couple, didn't deserve any of this . well, Mr. Anderson, just who's family does ? i wouldn't wish any of this on my worse enemy BUT, let's stop lionizing humans . we do what we have to do in this life or fall.

So to all of you who bought the book, now you know what it can be like ...only picture the same thing without influence OR money !!!! After you've done that ...then go ahead and match the bucks you spent on this book and do, do, do, donate to Christopher & Dana Reeve foundation , It's a worthy one . Maybe you'll be helping someone you'll never see on screen or being a super hero or their heroic wife but a heros non-the-less. Maybe this tragedy is what God needed Chris for, to show us even a super man IS only human .

" THINK ABOUT THIS "

" He Who Learns Must Suffer " (by Aeschylus 524-BC-456 BC...philosopher

even in our sleep, pain which does not forget
falls drop by drop upon the heart, until
in our own despair, against our will
comes wisdom, thru the awful grace of God !

Goodnight Chris & thanks ...God Bless all who still are suffering without real help and bless the spouses & families who untiringly take on this challenge without public notice and awards of any kind !!!!

Someday soon I hope we will see the possibilities of stem cell research & the gift it may hold for so many .

Somewhere in Heaven, the remarkable story about Christopher Reeves and his wife Dana was a book I was not sure about buying,I had heard alot about it but after reading some of the reviews on Amazon I decided to go and get it,I am so glad I did, before this I didn't really know alot about Christopher Reeves other than the fact he played Superman, but this book gave me a look inside the man, for his courage and his dedication to his cause and to his wife and family and who never gave up hope right until the end, Dana is a inspriation to everyone who loved her husband no matter what and was prepared to always be there for him, a remakable story and I recommend to everyone

Christopher and Dana Reeve were class acts, both of them. They handled some of the worst that can happen with grace and dignity. Their great love for each other was what helped them make it. I greatly enjoyed this book, and shed a few tears over it.

i love reading this book...i am trying to read it slowly to make it last. i have read a lot of books on christopher reeve but this puts it all together. also easy reading

The only folks this book maybe funny to are the type of Iranians who have little mastery of the English language. I found the writing skill to be too elementary for anyone with educations beyond the high school level. I have to say that I have not read the Farsi translation of it which incidentally I have heard is much better than its English version.

I truly enjoyed this collection of stories, all written with a keen, perceptive eye, a humorous take on life, and a facility with words. I look forward to reading Laughing without an Accent.

Kazem, I hope that you read this review and are even prouder of your daughter!

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This book started out funny and interesting and ended the same. At times I wished for more information, but overall the book was wonderful.

The author has a knack for finding and telling the funny part of every situation. It was delightful to read her take on her experiences. Her tales are so entertaining, I was sad when the book was finished.

Thankfully, she has a new book out and I am ordering it NOW!

This is one book I will keep so I can reread stories whenever I need a good laugh.

It was refreshing to see how similar(in all the positive ways)families from differnt cultures actually are.

From the opening pages, Sebold tells the reader a truly horrifying story of her rape in accurate and quite graphic detail. And whilst horrified at what she has endured, you want to read more - to see how someone survives an attack like that, and what life is like for a rape victim in the hours, days and week afterwards. I couldn't put this book down - a combination of great writing and admiration for the author, made this a compelling read.

Lucky is a thought provoking book that helps readers understand rape from the victim's perspective. Written in an honest manner, it explores the rational and sometimes irrational reactions of everyone involved - whether victim, friend, or family member.

Seabold opens the book with a vivid description of her brutal rape. Initially, this makes it a difficult read because it forces readers to live through a brutal act. However, it also helps to expose a reader's preconceived notions and biases. Seabold describes her struggles to return to a normal life and she honestly discusses societal issues that favor the criminal and penalize the victim. This is a good read for anyone looking for some insight into a difficult issue.

I don't recommend this book to anyone who enjoys prose or literature. Sebold's use of a stripped down, matter-of-fact tone desensitizes her story. Though her rape was a traumatic event, I couldn't feel for her. Perhaps it was her intent not to draw out feeling to avoid pity but personally, I think it was uneffective in conveying her complete story because a memoir needs an emotional plot as well.

I wanted to put down this book before I was even half way though there were still many unfinished subplots like the conviction of her rapist.

I would expect this book in the children's/ preteen section if it weren't for the detailed account of the rape.

Lovely Bones led me to this book. I really didn't want to read a book about rape, but I'm glad I did because it is so much more. The story is delivered masterfully and written with skill. Read this book for the writing.

This book is powerful. I think every high school student should read it, boys and girls. The topic of rape needs to be discussed and understood by young and old people alike. This book really portrays all parties in a "human" light and it's truth is what makes it so powerful. I can't say enough good things about the writing style and the ease of reading, all the while, it draws you in and keeps you interested. Fantastic book!

I first read this book in college many years ago as I was working on my degree in psychology. An excerpt from it is in John McCain's autobiographical book, Faith of My Fathers: A Family Memoir. I was glad to be reminded of this book which I had not read in years. I found my old copy on the shelf but I am also glad to learn it is still available.

The comparison between Frankl and McCain as prisoners is striking. Both of them emphasize the basic human need for meaning and purpose. Both share incredible horrors of prison camp as well as the human ability to look beyond present circumstances, to keep the horrid memories from continuing as sources of torture years after the actual experiences.
We can apply this ability to many of the unfortunate experiences in our lives. It is not only an attitude of forgive and forget, it is the need to keep the horrors or smaller angers from continuing to torment us.

It is more than a little frightening that there are people who deny that the Holocaust even happened. I hope you read Frankl's book. Fully grasp the reality of his day and apply it to today's needs and problems.

This is a wonderful book to read merely because of it's main message. Read it and find out the meaning of the title.

I bought this book because I was searching for yet another book on workplace bullying and another book came up in my search based on Frankl's book. I read the customer reviews on that book and one reviewer said something to the effect of, "If you want to read a book based on Viktor Frankl's opinion of how to get along at a bad work environment (like a Nazi death camp), why don't you just read Frankl's book?" So, that's where I started. I read it. Twice. Then I got out my computer and typed in passages that had meaning to me so I could re-read them during difficult times. I compressed the entire book down to about 10 pages, single spaced. I must admit that I consider myself a negative, often depressed sort of person, mostly because my work situation is so demoralizing. I was amazed by Frankl's coping mechanisms on how to get along in a difficult situation; every day meant multiple incidents of having to choose the correct path to avoid death or worse, making the choice to give up on your own life (suicide). He went through 5 years of that and lived to tell about it. It is a must read for everyone, particularly when you are having the hardest time of your life. I could tell that if I had read it as a college student, it wouldn't have the same meaning as now, when I am 50 and have had many ups and downs. I see everything at such a deeper level and appreciated this book so much more than I would have if I were younger. Briefly, the lessons in the book written 50 years ago still apply today. Here they are: Let luck be your guide. It's not what you know, it's who you know. Network with the equivalent of a one-step-up lateral (not your own) middle manager and they will help you when they can. Schmooze. Be kind to others. Don't complain, it doesn't help. You can't fix, deal with or appeal to a sadist, so don't try. Avoid sadists at all costs. Keep your mouth shut unless asked for your opinion and then be short and to the point. Praise, even when praise isn't deserved. Keep criticisms to yourself. Be inconspicuous. Work hard for the sake of doing a good job. Fantasize for escape. Everything can be taken away from you except for your past, so relish in it. When something good happens to you, write it down (keep a gratitude journal). Don't do anything that compromises your own values so you won't have regrets. Be careful who you abuse today because tomorrow they may be your master. You are not your job, your title or your position. You are a unique person loved by others. The only thing in life that really matters is the people you love and the people who love and need you. Love shared is eternal. Treat everyone with respect. The meaning of life is not what life can do for you, but what life expects of you; how you make the world a better place with your presence. The purpose of life is not happiness. The purpose of life is discovering what you can contribute to it. Save a slice of bread (or whatever is the only material thing that matters to you when there is nothing left) for later when you are really depressed and it's the only thing left that can get you through that difficult moment. (For me it's chocolate and a dark beer at the same time.) Apathy is the signaling of the beginning of the end of one's life. Everyone that you respect and look up to has human failings. Even tough guys cry. Suffering without purpose is meaningless. The larger the suffering, the bigger the lesson. There's lots more in the book for you to discover and it's an easy read.

This book is incredibly inspiring, both from a theoretical and practical perspective. I highly recommend it for anyone who is in an "existential vacuum" as Frankl says, or for anyone who just wants to get more ideas about what the "meaning of life" might be.

The book is not only very well laid out and well written, but the content is rich. I highly recommend perusing it with a pen at hand to mark a response to a lot of his statements, then re-reading your own comments with his text... I think you'll learn a lot about yourself that way.

"Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible." ~ Viktor Frankl from "Man's Search for Meaning"

Viktor Frankl. He's unquestionably one of my heroes and this book is a must read (or re-read as the case may be). If you don't have it yet, it's time to get it. It's impossible to be a serious student of life and not soak up as much Frankl as you can.

The man survived the horrors of Nazi concentration camps and, from that pain, brought the world his "Logotherapy"--a philosophy based on the fundamental precept that we have ultimate responsibility for choosing our responses to any given challenge AND equally powerful responsibility to determine how we will give ourselves to the world and create a truly meaningful life.

Book was received in excellent condition,in the time that was predicted. I was well pleased.

This is extremely informative and should be read by everyone in the free world. It is factual and somewhat scary to think about. It is also a call to action and all Americans should act now.

For americans it is extremely difficult to comprehend the mentality of muslims. This book does incredible job decribing what muslims are really like. It is a must read for every american.

what a win-win situation; my first amazon purchases arrived in about 3 days. ordered used books but every one appeared new. such a deal! about "Because They Hate" was at the beginning a tremendously fascinating personal story. then the author got into really heavy stuff about the Middle East conflicts. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

I am just sick of this!! How ignorant are those people! How demonizing and humiliating to others they are! Can't they stop being so willfully ignorant, and self-refernial...where is the knowledge, the respct, the open-mindedness??? I don't know what to say, but this book was just like any of those right-wing, anti-noneuropean books...so stay away if you really want to learn anything about islam. For those of you who really genuinely want to learn and open your minds, talk to real, practcing muslims, who aren't trying to please right-wings, and read the actual quran and authentic material..be independent minded and smart, if you really value dependence, and don't let this hateful writer control your mind, like what the fox and cnn and all this stuff did to many!! Also, just please stop demonizing 1.5 billion people at once, and stop being so selective and unfair! Ok? Please...I have had enough of stupidity!

If you're like me and like to read straight from the source, this book is a great introduction to Gandhi. Having been published in 1927, his autobiography does not cover his whole life, so it will not give you a complete picture; there are other resources for that. By covering his early life and his personal growth, and how he developed his ideas and opinions, this book gives you great insight to his thoughts and values.

The book is not perfect. It starts out very interesting and highly readable, and the short chapters make it easy to move through. You may stumble over some people and place names, as well as some unfamiliar Indian terms, but it is all very fascinating - for a while. The farther he progresses with his story, however, the more he gets into the minutia of his political activities, meetings, acquaintances, and travels, to the point where you may feel you are still reading only for the sake of finishing the book. It's still worth it, for what few nuggets of gold can be found in those last several pages.

Now, on a practical level, I selected this, the Dover edition, over the Beacon Press edition (Gandhi An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments With Truth) upon looking over both in the bookstore, because the Dover edition is cheaper, has better paper quality, and is in an easier-to-read font (however, Dover books don't smell that great, I've noticed). The Dover cover is kind of blah, and got scuffed up pretty easily, but the inside is really nice. So the deal is, if you DO judge a book by its cover, and want it to look good on your shelf to impress your friends, get the other one. If you intend to actually READ this book, buy the Dover edition.

This is easily the most powerful book I have ever read. Gandhi does a great job of telling the story in his life in such a way that not only tells a story, but teaches lessons that go along with it. The title explains a lot, considering that Gandhi considered his entire life to be an expirement with the truth.

He is very open about the mistakes that were made (such as his marraige and bigotry at an incredibly young age) and details how he took those mistakes to make his life as consistently honest as possible. The way he organized people to non-violence in two terrible situations in Africa and India are legendary, but the way he brings it home to the individual is under-rated, to say the least.

Gandhi teaches that it doesn't take an army to learn the truth, nor does it take an army to become a part of that truth. His story explains that an individual dedicated to the empowerment of honesty and love can overcome any violence or hatred that can exist. It is within this context that one can use this book to change themselves.

These ideas used in an individual's every day life will lead to the understanding that love is more powerful than hatred, and honesty more powerful than lies. His examples of these ideas and proof that they are true is the most inspiring part of this book.

Even for those of us not religious (like myself) his use of religion is also motivating. He teaches lessons from religions and explains how to use this understanding as a way to love people of opposite religions rather than fighting them.

I will leave the indivudal stories to Gandhi himself, but his life is something everyone in the world would benefit from knowing.

Gandhi An Autobiography: The Story of my Experiments with Truth, is a culmination of the life of one of the most famous peaceful revolutionaries and supporters of non-violence. The book is basically an entire list of the life experiences of Gandhi, all of which prove to contribute to his spiritual growth, and in turn, each go to influence his way of thinking. Gandhi's autobiography reveals a vast array of experiments he performed throughout his life, leading to his praise of truth as the ultimate underlying principal, contributing to his adaptation of celibacy (brahmacharya), adherence to fasting, and development of Satyagraha: his concept of non-violent firmness.
Gandhi's autobiography stretches back to his youth in exploring all of his life experiences. Gandhi's inclusion of all aspects of his life in his autobiography illustrates the idea that each and every experience becomes an influence; which, in Gandhi's case, means influences leading to the development of a concept of non-violence to spear-head the Indian journey for Independence.
The strength in Gandhi's autobiography lies in his adherence to truth even as he tells his life story. Gandhi hides nothing, allowing this display of raw truth to help readers examine Gandhi's uncensored ideas and thoughts, making it possible to understand what Gandhi was thinking in even some of the most significant moments in his life.
The main weakness in Gandhi's autobiography, however, is his obvious omission of information where the information is most definitely needed. In order to fully understand a large number of chapters, an understanding of India and its culture is necessary, but not provided. Gandhi also seems to assume that readers have knowledge of the political situation in India, so if you lack any historical knowledge, you will find yourself somewhat confused. Because Gandhi's autobiography radiates the idea that every experience is an influence for the person he eventual becomes, it obviously is a challenge to include every experience and spend an adequate amount of time discussing them. But his choice to omit quite a few particularly significant experiences will not go unnoticed. He does not, for example, spend any time describing his experiments in South Africa, and instead instructs readers to consult other works. Lack of background information regarding people who Gandhi introduces and lack of historical information on the movements he involves himself in, may lead to an incomplete illustration of Gandhi's life.
At the conclusion of Gandhi An Autobiography: The Story of my Experiments with Truth, you are left with the desire to take a trip to the library, because you have surely reached the conclusion that there is much more to know about the teacher and leader who made the world aware of India's struggle for independence. The autobiography gives you an in-depth look into the mind of one of the most influential non-violent role models that the world has seen, with a detailed understanding of the steps necessary to try to follow in Gandhi's footsteps if you so desire. Gandhi's autobiography leaves a lot out, but it also leaves you with a strong desire to find out more.

After hearing Mahatma Gandhi's grandson speak at University of Florida, this book was especially meaningful. If only all our world leaders would employ his wisdom!

This book, the autobiography of Mohandas k. Gandhi, the father of modern India, is a must read. if you have any interest in Gandhi, non violence or just want a glimpse into the life of a spiritually guided person, then this book if a must read.