Biography Books

What if you lives in a country where, if you are a woman, you have a 1 in 12 chance of dying in childbirth? What if you are expected to have three, four, five children? What if a complication means being bundled on the back of a moped and being driven fast to the nearest larger village, where the nearest real medical care is?

The author of this fine book, Kris Holloway, spent 2 years with the Peace Corps living in a remote village in Mali. This story is the amazing tale of her friendship with Monique, a midwife who - although only 3 years her senior - was the only medical care most people in her village would ever see.

The story progresses from Kris' early moments being drawn in by Monique's personality and dedication, to an unexpected conclusion that is all too common in the world of Monique. A book I was prepared to not enjoy, I found myself drawn into it. With the plot structure a total shambles, with time jumping months in a matter of sentences with no warning, the book rather focuses in on Monique and her situation. A relatively short book at 200 pages, it successfully paints the picture of a woman who is fully aware of her situation as midwife in a sub-Saharan African village, and faces that with a striking combination of fatalistic acceptance and entrepreneurial will to change the fate of women in her village.

This story should be read by all Westerners, if only to contrast the sanitized birthing process we experience with the trials found in most of the rest of the world.

Monique and the Mango Rains is the moving account of Kris Holloway's experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali, West Africa, assisting Monique Dembele, the area's local midwife and medical worker. In the crippling poverty of Mali, Monique and Kris work to help Mali's women and children in times of medical distress. From the birthing of babies to relationship counselling, fending off disease and infection to nutrition education, Monique labors ceaselessly and tirelessly. Her work builds a reputation far and wide that draws women from distant villages seeking her expert help. Kris, while adapting to her harsh environment, becomes more than just an assistant to Monique, experiencing with her the joy of her work and her relationships with the local women. She shares the anguish and disappointment of Monique's life outside the clinic and the close bond of her host family in Africa, becoming a friend to this inspiring woman. As Monique and Kris work to bring education and information to the women, they must broach sensitive topics like birth-control, AIDS, and abolishment of female circumcision. These topics, foreign to the local women, directly affect the survival of the community, and they work tirelessly to educate and inform the women while still dealing with the malnutrition, illness, and injury that besiege them every day.

The candid portrayal of life in the small village was very informative and interesting. I learned a great deal about the regions politics, the African society, and the general day to day existence of the small provincial village. The backbreaking work that the community must endure to prepare for the seasonal rains that fortify their village was explained in rich detail, making the story of the community's struggle for their survival come alive to the reader. Every hand is needed to plant and harvest the life giving crops that will sustain the villagers in the dry season. Monique's inexhaustible commitment to her patients and to her family was awe-inspiring. Her work to repair the birthing house, her bi-weekly weighing of babies, and her educational instruction to mothers for the care of their children was invaluable to the women of her community. Monique's story, though inspirational, was also fraught with sadness. The relationship between her and her husband, who she only calls le gars (the guy) is upsetting and one-sided. While Monique provides the money, care and stability, her husband takes and takes from her, never realizing the treasure that he is entrusted with. Monique works long and trying hours at the clinic, barely scraping by financially, with her young son tied to her back. Though at times the story was sad, there were real moments of joy and laughter throughout this book, from the triumphant birth of twins in an area where a double birth is almost unheard of, to Monique's musings on an airplane ride, I found myself smiling and laughing with Kris and Monique. Monique and Kris's friendship continued even after Kris's time in the peace corps ended, and straddled two different continents and many years.

This was a remarkable story of a remarkable woman. It encompassed the difficulties, differences and uniqueness of African culture that goes unnoticed by most Americans. I found Monique to be a fascinating woman who gave her heart and soul to the people who relied on her for their daily survival. This book was written in part to document the work that Kris did at Monique's side, but more than this, it was written as a homage to her great friend Monique. Monique truly touched Kris's life, and upon reading this book, I found she touched mine as well. Wonderful book, highly recommended.

Kris Holloway spent two life-changing years in Mali, West Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer. Monique and the Mango Rains is her memoir of that time, of the people she met, and the country she grew to love.

Holloway, twenty-two years old, fresh out of college and hailing from Ohio, was assigned to the village of Nampossela in southeastern Mali. Her host, the person she would shadow for two years and with whom she would develop a remarkable friendship, was the village health care worker and midwife Monique Dembele.

This book educated me about so many aspects of Mali - the culture, it's political climate, the economy - never once losing my attention or becoming tedious. In fact, I was hooked from the first page. I attribute this to the author's love of the country and its people. Even though her focus in this book is Monique and the villagers, it is obvious that Holloway was an exceptional person in the ease with which she adapted to life in Nampossela. She picked up the language quickly, had relatively few complaints about the lack of ammenities and physical comforts, and was in general open to the experience, embracing the beauty and simplicity of this extraordinary existence.

Above all else, Monique and the Mango Rains is a tribute to its title character. Monique was regal and intelligent, wise beyond her 24 years, with an easy-going sense of humor. She was compassionate and kind, dedicated to her work, despite its frustrations and the toll it took on her own life. Overworked and underpaid, she worked at the dilapidated village clinic with her infant son strapped to her back. The resources available to health care were scarce and educating the villagers often meant contradicting a patrilineal cultural tradition in which women were not free to control their own destiny where health and reproductive issues were concerned.

Holloway's descriptions made Mali come alive. She painted a richly hued picture of the village of Nampossela. When she described the oily chunks of mudfish that accompanied one meal, I could see and smell them. My skin crawled when a seven-inch long, jet black scorpion fell from an item of clothing she was about to put on one morning. I felt emotionally invested in this story, drawn to keep reading but not wanting it to end. I ached for her when her Peace Corps assignment came to an end and it was time to say good-bye to Monique and the villagers. While Holloway recounted holding back tears on her last day in Nampossela, mine were flowing freely.

I am so glad that Kris Holloway decided to write this memoir of her two years in Mali, and that she did it so masterfully. It touched my heart, and changed the way I see the world ... and I can't stop thinking about Monique.

I so enjoyed reading this book. My daughter was in Mali with the PC 10 yrs after Kris so I had a different perspective than the average reader. We so need to appreciate the health care we have in America, as flawed as it sometimes is. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who is thinking of going into the health care field or anyone who is thinking of going into a third world country.

As a social scientist working with, and on, indigenous people's issues I read a lot of contemporary ethnographies. Most that I read are largely out of date by the time they reach publication. This is simply because of the nature of the discipline: taking time to do the fieldwork, writing up the manuscript, finding a willing publisher, and the overall book production process all take time. As a result, in a world that changes by the day, more often then not when an ethnography is finally published the material within it is often dated. Social scientists have tried to work around this disciplinary "time drag" by focusing on particular cultural phenomena rather then looking at the culture itself as a whole. Monique and the Mango Rains is an example of one of these modern ethnographies, where the central focus of the book is on midwifery and childbirth in Mali, and the Minianka indigenous people and culture are more part of the contextual background then the actual focus of the book.

Focusing on Fatumata - the author Kris Holloway's Malian name - and her Peace Corps experience among the Minianka indigenous peoples in Mali's southeastern region near the Burkina Faso border, the book is a deeply personal narrative about the rhythms of West African life and death. The Minianka (also known as the Mamara, Miniyanka, Minya, Mianka, Minyanka, or Tupiire) are an indigenous group speaking a northern Senufo language used by about 700,000 people in southeastern Mali and northwestern Burkina Faso. Mali is one of the economically poorest countries in the world - the average Malian earns roughly the equivalent of $210 US dollars per year. Compounding this extreme level of poverty is the fact that very few people in Mali have electricity, running water, telephones, or access to modern healthcare. Most women are married by the age of eighteen and have an average of seven children - the risk of death during childbirth and pregnancy is among the top ten in the world. It is here, in the remote southeastern corner of Mali that the author was stationed for two years, and where she met and befriended the local village midwife, Monique Dembele.

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The relationship between Fatumata and Monique is what makes this book succeed as it offers a unique glimpse into the day-to-day lives of the Minianka indigenous people and their contemporary struggles. The rarity of this glimpse is that we are given access to a component of Minianka life not often shared with the outside world - the inner realm of womanhood, midwifery, and childbirth. "I couldn't believe that here, in this dilapidated box, Monique, with a sixth-grade education and nine months of medical training, was birthing babies. Lots of babies" (Holloway 2007: 8). However, as we learn, not only was Monique the midwife - and thus responsible for the future of her village - but she was also a doctor and respected elder. The larger role that Monique played in her village is revealed in the deeply personal narratives presented throughout the book. For example, several times throughout the book Monique confides in Fatumata about her struggles and frustrations: Monique told Fatumata, "He has had many attacks of malaria over the past few months. It has caused severe anemia, and now diarrhea. He is also malnourished. The mother didn't know what to do. She had not heard about malaria prevention and drugs. ... I can do nothing. I don't have IVs. I don't have serum. These women must bring me their children before they get so sick, then I have ways of helping them" (Holloway 2007: 30-31).

Broken into thirteen chapters, the book chronicles Fatumata's relationship with Monique during several important cultural events for the Minianka indigenous peoples: the building of a new birthing hut, governmental revolution in Mali, and the death and birth of several community members. Filling an important gap within the contemporary literature dealing with indigenous peoples in West Africa, Monique and the Mango Rains is the perfect book for undergraduate classes, applied researchers and activists, or simply the interested reader.

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Indigenous Peoples Issues & Resources
http://indigenouspeoplesissues.com

I WON'T WASTE THE READER'S TIME PRAISING HOFFSTADTER--HE WAS ONE OF THE GREATS. THIS IS NOT A BOOK YOU WILL CUDDLE UP WITH ON A RAINY DAY. IT IS THOUGHT PROVOKING AND THOUGHTFUL. IT DELVES INTO STATESMEN OF ALL STRIPES AND DOESN'T MINCE WORDS FOR POLITICAL CORRECTNESS. THIS AUTHOR GIVES US A FRESH INSIGHT TO OUR HEROES AND MAY DISTURB US BY EXPOSING CLAY FEET THAT ARE NORMAL FOR ALL HUMANS GREAT AND AVERAGE. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN AMERICA'S PAST AND FUTURE READ THIS BOOK.

The classic story of American History, as told by Richard Hofstadter, has rightly come to be thought of as a masterpiece of American history since its original publication in 1948. This well deserved reputation comes from the rich storytelling, attention to detail, and thoughtful and complete narrative Hofstadter puts forward in this book.

Hofstadter takes as his guide one figure from each generation starting from the beginning of the Republic, and through biographical sketch describes both the historical figure and the time period he is depicting. Beginning with Jefferson and including people such as Jackson, Lincoln, Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt, Hofstadter demonstrates how a combination of the great men and the times they lived in shaped what have come down to us as the leading tradition in American politics: the belief in American greatness, individualism, and compassion.

The most significant contribution of this book is to show how these men, who have come down to us as legendary and nearly mythological figures were very much political animals. Just like Bill Clinton and George Bush make decisions today based on political calculation, so to do Lincoln and Jefferson. That these men were not demigods but in fact mere humans makes their achievements that much more incredible.

This wonderful book fills a hole in American history that's been open too long. Instead of treating great figures as saints or unapproachable geniuses Hofstadter gives a realistic picture of what they believed and what they stood for. More than that he points to the philosophic and cultural continuity that these figures embodied, struggled with, and sometimes redefined. It's as much about how the greater American view on work and indivdualism evolved from the founding as about the men who made it. Also, kind of inadvertantly, the author weaves in a history of the American liberal idea and how Jeffersonian liberalism stressing free markets, small business, and individualism, was transformed into New Deal liberalism. He argues that the transformation wasn't a betrayal but was instead a development based on necessary responses to an economically and socially changing world. Enjoy!

Therefore, I'll average it out at 3. I greatly enjoyed this book up until the last two chapters. The language was excellent, the characterizations vivid, the stories engrossing, and the information pertinent. The personalities of great American political minds jumped out of the page and were revealed in their genius and human fallibility. The chapters on Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt I thought were particularly good.

What a shame then that the last two chapters interjected so much socialist bias. I will say at the outset that I am politically conservative, and thus will not hide my own interpretive lens. However, I would like to believe that even the most staunch liberal would find the biased charges leveled at Hoover, and the unmitigated praise heaped on New Deal politics, to be distracting. Indeed, to the less disciplined reader it may ruin the book. Luckily it didn't for me, but it came close.

I understand that during the writing of this book Hofstadter was very sympathetic with socialist doctrine and a member of the Communist Party. His political leanings are evident in his interpretation of modern events. For example, in reference to Hoover he asks: "Could he have seriously believed that free enterprise might be restored to the post-war world?" (p. 308). Hofstadter betrays his historical determinism and love for the notion of a planned economy in arguments such as: "That there was anything natural, not to say inevitable, about this trend toward managed economies was a conclusion Hoover could never acknowledge..." (p. 309).

I agree with the previous reviewer that it would have been interesting to see Hofstadter's reaction to the rise of Goldwater economics and the Reagan era. It also would have been interesting to see his explanation for the recent elections of economically conservative administrations in Germany, France, and Scandinavia. Unfortunately he died before he could witness this reversion to more unfettered economic policies. Would he have referred to these events as the most "heroic setting-back of the clock" in world history, as he did somewhat sarcastically in regards to Hoover? (p. 308). I would like to believe that he would have realized the fallacy of the planned economy and the potential for prosperity in a free-market system, but there's no way to know for sure.

I would recommend the first 9 chapters of this book to those interested in American history. They are truly excellent. After chapter 9 I would stop, unless you're prepared to read with a several (large) grains of salt. I would also recommend "The Age of Reform" as a relatively more insightful and less biased Hofstadter work, although it only covers the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

"American Political Tradition" became an immediate milestone in the field of American political study, propelling author Richard Hofstadter to the frontal ranks of historians at the age of 32 upon its publication in 1948. The history professor at Columbia University would ultimately win 2 Pulitzer Prizes before dying at the age of 54 in 1970.

The point Hofstadter consistently made is how important pragmatic considerations were in the evolution of the great political shakers and movers of American political annals. He rejects the view of historian Charles Beard and others about the impact of economic determinism in the foundation and shaping of early America. Hofstadter does not discount its impact, but cites the pragmatic necessity of studious compromise involving the interests of important American sociological groups which were often disparate, such as the manufacturing interests of the north and the rural farming interests of the south, as well as slavery and anti-slavery interests. The need for compromise influenced Thomas Jefferson in constructing a U.S. Constitution, which relied on the separation powers doctrine of English philosopher John Locke and that of separation of powers advanced by French social scientist Montesquieu.

The chapter on Franklin Delano Roosevelt is fascinating as a study in political pragmatism. Roosevelt ran on a Democratic Party platform for 1932 which rivals one of the most conservative doctrines ever put on paper by an American political party. He initially criticized incumbent President Herbert Hoover for spending too much money in dealing with the Depression and its related effects. Once in office he changed his mind and forged a government activist agenda embraced by progressive reformers.

Abraham Lincoln is studied in detail as well within the framework of a very astute political figure with his eye squarely on success in that arena from the beginning, where the "railsplitter" image played well with voters. He purposely straddled the fence on the slavery issue since there was much controversy surrounding the issue even within the fledgling Republican Party which he joined after the Whig Party folded, despite its reputation for being an essentially anti-slavery party.

Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson are evaluated as two important political figures who perpetually juggled conservative basic instincts against the need they believed existed for certain progressive systemic reforms. For Roosevelt this meant anti-trust legislation and conservation, while Wilson, whose traditional Virginia conservative roots left him unwilling to budge in the field of race relations, nonetheless undertook mighty electoral reforms embraced by William Jennings Bryan and the populist movement. Bryan is another figure covered in the book.

The chapter of Herbert Hoover is also fascinating. Hofstadter envisioned him as the last of the laissez-faire American presidents. In the wake of the great upheavals occurring in America, particularly related to the Great Depression, a political pragmatism later advanced by Roosevelt to stem the tide of unrest was eschewed by Hoover.

This book is actually used by many instructors - it gives detailed written and photo examples of instructions from the master.

Tiger Woods' book, How I Play Golf, is a thorough self-examination of his game, from green to tee (sic) and everything in between. Filled with fantastic photographs that do half the battle of ingraining the image of good technique into your mind, the book examines each element of the game and the swing, as Tiger plays it. He caveats at the beginning that his goal is not to tell us how to play, but rather to tell us how he plays and what works for him.

The book is also filled with lots of fun anecdotes which, now that it's 2008, are practically historical given that 2005 hadn't even started at the time the book was published.

It's definitely a practical book, filled with tips and advice to try and implement into your own game. Tiger starts with putting and moves back to the full swing with the driver, visiting chips, flops, high-irons and fairway woods along the way. He also talks extensively about the mental game and the importance of fitness.

The only thing that I felt was missing was a comprehensive section on practice. While Tiger talks throughout the book about elements of practice there's no one place where he provides a simple outline of how he approaches practice or how we should approach practice. Granted it's different for someone who rolls out of bed every morning and hits 300 balls on the driving range in his backyard but amateurs like us could probably use some advice on effective practice technique.

A great book that I've read once cover to cover and have already re-read a number of sections numerous times.

Enjoy.

An exceptional book with good illustrations & bought at a very good price. Postage time was VERY DISAPPOINTING - expected to receive within 3-4 weeks (standard Air Freight) but took 6 weeks!!! This was our 1st purchase on Amazon & we were concerned and had almost given up on it! Expect DELAYS on overseas purchases.

If you enjoy golf and spend enough time to beat balls at the driving range, this book will give you a lot of tips how to improve your skills.

Excellent book. Not a how to of golf but rather a how Tiger plays. Helped my game immensely. Espcially my putting. I would recommend this book golfers of all levels.

This book is a great book, very eye opening and wonderfully written.

I have to wondering though, throughout the book, what is going through the author's mind...

He complains that the police treated them poorly. They were CRIMINALS. If they weren't up to no good at that SPECIFIC point in time, they were ABOUT to do something terrible or definitely had already DONE something terrible.

I don't understand how the author calls the police... "rioting police... in a murderous frenzy..." HELLO, you were doing illegal drugs in a public place, your friends stole something from a liquor store, then a mob started banging on the doors of the liquor store to let them in - am I missing something? Can you really blame the police for acting as they did? You just committed several crimes! The police were doing there job and acting defensively when KNOWN gang members committed crimes...

Then the author complains that he was thrown into an adult jail cell, with murderers and rapists, despite being a juvenile and too young to be in that specific jail. OK, fine, but earlier in the book, he was talking about hanging OUT with FRIENDS of his while they were RAPING UNCONSCIOUS WOMEN. He had SHOT people before, held guns to innocent peoples' heads during robberies. WHY IS BEING SURROUNDED BY MURDERERS AND RAPISTS *SUDDENLY* SO offensive to him? He wasn't old enough to be in an adult facility, but he was old enough to do drugs, drive illegally, drink illegally, commit robberies at gun point. Who is the author kidding? He acts like the police somehow treated him so badly but he DESERVED it. He was a criminal! The worst kind of criminal.

i was intrigued by this book when i saw it in the store so i bought it. it was very educational for me as i never knew how bad things would really get in gang life. i grew up in the burbs and this was all very shocking to me. it was truthful, sad and awakening.

What more is needed to say about this memoir? This is singlehandedly one of the most powerful memoirs I have ever read and that goes without saying. I was born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley, the same one that Rodriguez builds and describes and I can honestly say he is completely spot on. About? Everything. The racial, identity, and sexual struggle that Rodriguez weaves in this story is compelling and really grabbed me and immersed me into his life. This memoir says what there is to be said, and it says a lot.

I had no choice when it came to reading this book. It was after all, required in my college english class in order to survive the masses of quizzes and essays. But I will say that although I did not want to read this book at first, once I read the first couple pages I was hooked. I no longer wanted to read it just because it was required, now I was reading it for pleasure. Although the book is strongly graphic especially on the sex parts, it is done in a most tasteful manner. As a young latina born and raised in America, I was very touched by what my people had gone through in the past, and it is knowledge I had ignored taking the liberty I have now for granted. I really recommend this book if you're up to take a good dose of eye opener.

I heard this book was good, but didn't know how good it actually was until I read it. There isn't a dull page.

What's most alarming about the book is not necessarily the events that take place, as many movies about this lifestyle have been made since the book's first publishing, sort of numbing the harsh realities of gang life to even outsiders who grew up in secluded suburbs, but the age that Luis Rodriguez actually is when the events are taking place. Some of the day to day drama described in the book is so adult like that you can only picture the subjects of these tales being 18 to 25 years old, yet the reader is often reminded that the author was as young as 14 when some of them took place.

What may also separate the stories told in this book from the stories told in typical 1990s west coast gang folklore, from hip hop to film to books like 'Monster', is the sexual situations Mr. Rodriguez describes that he took part in and witnesses, again, in some cases as young as 14. Some are romantic, and almost remind the reader of a time when romance was first discovered in their lives, yet there are some that are so disturbing that the reader is quickly brought down to earth, reminded that love and romance in a violent, drug infested environment is far different from the kind most Americans have grown to know, that is dictated by Hollywood fairy tales.

Luis Rodriguez finding his outlet from the gang life through art and writing could give hope to any current gang member who happens upon this book. It's one thing for a suburban high school teacher to tell a 'homeboy' that he can express his views through art, it's another for an older 'homeboy' himself to tell him.

A must read for everyone, from suburbanites with little knowledge of the gang life who would like another version than that given by media outlets and law enforcement agencies, where the knowledge tends to be limited to crime reporting and identification of territories and monikers, to kids and adults wrapped up in the gang life, and just looking for any story that can inspire them or give them some kind of direction to a better life.

In the classic slave narrative genre, Frederick Douglass' narrative of his life brings to life, in all its horrors, American slave society, and one slave's life-long protest against it.

When we read Frederick Douglass in his own words, he is less the radical and more the reformer than we've been led to believe. He is also more the Christian statesmen and less the Christianity critic than we might imagine. Douglass' oft quoted comments about Christianity had much more to do with a righteous critique of distorted Christian living practiced by white masters than with any critique of Christianity or of Christ. In reality, Douglass, like so many enslaved African Americans before and after him, saw in Jesus a Savior they could identify with--a suffering Savior.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Soul Physicians, and Spiritual Friends.

I read this book as part of a summer assignment entering into the 11th grade in addition to "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" by Harriet Jacobs. Both are great pieces of African-American historical literature and well worth the read. I couldn't read this book all in one sitting, due to the need to fight the urge to throw up. He detailed descriptions of physical, psycological, and emotional abuse are enough to sicken any one and make you disgusted with the human race.

Frederick Douglass is the complete ressurection of the saying, "Knowledge is Power." With the more information he aquired as a slave the more he lusted for freedom. He also provides an excellent example of what black people in this country could do for themselves, interms of their economical status. Looking further, Douglass loved to think and imagine the endless possiblities, while he was still in bondage physically. When he began to read and understand the "Hypocrasy" that this country was based on, using christianity as it main tool, and what every human should be allowed by right, this released his psychological enslavement. If blacks throughout this country could read and understand there were blacks that went through worse situatians and overcame them, and the current situation that destroy the black communities were created for them to fail, just like slavery, many would wake up and take on the mask of Douglass. The mask that says, "regardless of class, race, or creed, this world was created for everyone to enjoy including me."

The honesty with which this is written is amazing. I was glued to it from page one. I felt disgusted by the human race, saddened by his traumas and guilty just for being white. I think this needs to be read more. Especially in schools. Why isn't it???

His genius lies in his blend of deep intuitive thinking and strict scientific empiricism. Jung's contributions are still slowly trickling down into the collective understanding of modern culture. One of Jung's greatest achievements has been his ability to produce a new vocabulary for modern man to deal with the processes that occur where the personal psyche meets objective reality.

Wow!

I've always admired Carl Gustav Jung, and this book, a biography of his inner life, has helped me to understand him much better. It was fascinating to read about his boyhood, his adolescence, his days as a student, his time as a doctor (most all of his adult life) and his travels. And the best part was the insights he shared about his inner life.

Perhaps the biggest surprise in reading this book was the extent to which I identified with him. As a child I had a rich imagination and sometimes thought that I was some kind of an odd-wad. And like Jung, not only did I have trouble with algebra when I was in junior high, I also, like Jung, had thought it was a plot! It was nice to find out that a highly intelligent person like Jung had experienced many just-like-it-only-different events as I had.

The biggest thing I appreciate about Carl Jung is his attitude towards the individual. I think he has one of the best treatments of individualism that I've read. The "individuating" process he outlines will make us better members of the community. Like Jung, I have always felt that the community is only as healthy as the individuals in it.

I continue to learn about his approach to dreams and to learn new insights from this book. It's very much worth reading.

As much as I would have liked to learn about Jung's life I just couldn' finish this book. Jung comes across as so incredibly self-absorbed - it's only me, I, me, I and me again. He writes hundreds of pages about his most detailed inner experiences, yet there is not a single word about his relationship to his wife, children and mistresses. If I hadn't known that he was married with five children I would have assumed he was a complete hermit. Loving relationships seem to have meant nothing to this man. I honestly wonder how he could have been a good therapist. I also wonder why so many women have followed his teachings when quite obviously he held them in such low regard. I only hope that the reality was better than this book makes him out to be.

"Memories, Dreams, Reflections" is the most insightful autobiography of Carl G. Jung's life and his humble experiences. I have read his other works, including Man and His Symbols and Dreams, and never fully understand them until I read this last book of his to which brings it all together in terms of his scientific approach. This 400-page book is a window into his inner world, and it is such a remarkable read.

In this book, Jung revealed much wisdom and insights from his early years up to his remainder of his life. One even can learn about oneself from his life. It is very much worth reading. It is both fascinating and inspiring.

My favorite line of Jung from this book:

"As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being."

This book is sublime, a GEM. In his subjective view of the world -"with half closed eyes and somewhat closed ears, to see and hear the form and voice of being" he arrived at an inspiring insight about life: supreme meaning of being can consist only in the fact that is,not that it is not or is no longer; nature, the mystery of love, the psyche, life, human beings, a state of lively contemplation of images is divinity unfolded (the greatest of miracles)-being conscious of this can come to you not through emptiness, imagelessneess or wanting to be freed from nature or yourself.
Here's a passage of the book that reflects the quintessence of his wisdom:
No language is adequate for this paradox. Whatever one can say, no words reflect the whole; for only the whole is meaningful...love "bears all things" and "endures all things". These words say all there is to be said; nothing can be added to them. For we are in the deepest sense the victims and the instruments of cosmogonic "love"- a unified and undivided whole. Being a part man cannot grasp the whole. He is at its mercy. He may assent to it, or rebel against it; but he is always caught by it and enclosed within it. He is dependent upon it and is sustained by it. Love is his light and his darkness, whose end he cannot see. "Love ceases not"-whether he speaks with the "tongue of angels", or with scientific exactitude traces the life cell down to its uttermost source. Man can try to name love, showering upon it all the names at his command, and still he will involve himself in endless self-deceptions. If he possesses a grain of wisdom, he will lay down his arms and name the unknown by the more unknown- ignotum per ignotius-that is, by God. That is a confession of his subjection, his imperfection, and his dependence; but at the same time a testimony to his freedom to choose between truth and error.
If we understand and feel that here in this life we already have a link with the infinite, desires and attitudes change.

Very good book here. Really good stories of clapton and harrison. The funnything i took away from this was that , even the greatest guys go thru depression and experience the sames things that we all face. Sometimes, in life, what you think you need is not often what is best for you. As patty proves at the end of the book.

I was drawn to WONDERFUL TONIGHT--written and read by Pattie
Boyd--by its subtitle: GEORGE HARRISON, ERIC CLAPTON, AND
ME . . . I thought to myself that I had heard of those guys; in fact, I
had grown up listening to much of their music.

Yet I had not followed their personal lives all that closely, nor had
I known too much about Boyd other than the fact that she had been
married to both Harrison and Clapton.

It turns out that she was more than just their respective wives . . . she
was also their muse, having inspired Harrison's classic "Something"
and "Layla," Clapton's rock anthem.

In addition, she lived a fascinating life . . . WONDERFUL TONIGHT
explores it in vivid detail, including this recollection of her first real
encounter with Clapton:

* It was a sweet, turbulent life, but one that would take an
unexpected turn, starting with a simple note that began
"dearest l."

I read it quickly and assumed that it was from some weirdo;
I did get fan mail from time to time. . . . I thought no
more about it until that evening when the phone rang. It was
Eric [Clapton]. "Did you get my letter?" . . . And then
the penny dropped. "Was that from you?" I said. . . . It
was the most passionate letter anyone had ever written me.

Unfortunately, Boyd had her share of heartaches . . . her
childhood was interrupted by the divorce of her parents,
both her famous husbands cheated on her, and she was also
abused by Clapton . . . to her credit, she managed to turn
her life around and since has become a well-respected
photographer.

The author broke a 40-year period of silence with this book . . I'm glad
she did . . . do read or listen to it if you want to know more about
the music scene of the 1960s and 70s.

I had heard tidbits about how Eric Clapton "stole" George Harrison's beautiful wife, Patti Boyd before, and I was curious about how that happened and...then what? Happily ever after? No, no. Patti gives us the whole story, a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the world of rock and roll musicians. The relationship interplays, the emotions, the disappointment over songs that don't "make it." The stories behind the creation of some unforgettable songs, and the personalities and friendships of the people we see only as public figures. After I read this book, I read "Clapton" and got a perspective from that side of the story. Fascinating and, well, "lovely." Well worth the read.

A story well told. Patty Boyd has had quite a life and does a wonderful job sharing her story. I've always wondered what life with the Beatles was like and she gives great details. The rock n'roll lifestyle (life with Eric Clapton) may not be everyone's dream after-all. Her story was well told and left me wanting more. I enjoyed every moment I spent reading her book.

I really enjoyed this book about Pattie's life. It starts off with the background of her family which I always find fascinating. She didn't have the greatest childhood, but she sure made up for it as an adult! Thanks to this book,when I hear George Harrison and Eric Clapton songs, I think of the background stories she told about some of these songs. Great insight on what it was like to be up-close and personal with two talented musicians and their friends and family.

As the cover aptly shows here is McCain embracing Bush and everything he stands for. McCain supporters have clearly shown that the truth is the last thing they want to hear. Important topics are ignored by these people while they spin a most dismal ticket trying hard to hide the holes in it. The McCain/Palin ticket will be a litmus test for the sanity of the American voter. Read this book if you want a clear picture of McCain. He has gotten plenty of mileage out of his service record but what about the fact that he is not suited to lead a troubled nation? We need more than spin.

When I was young and foolish, and lived mostly abroad, I took John McCain at his own word -- and the media's word, or course -- as an independent maverick, an up-to-date Goldwater. That image has long since been tarnished by his shape-shifting efforts to place himself at the helm of power. I now regard him as a dangerous, out-of-touch egomaniac with dubious connections, and a very poor choice for President.

"The Real McCain" addresses the senator's character and behaviour rather than his ideology and vision for America. The portrayal is brutally hostile, emphasizing McCain's allegiance to lobbyists, his opportunism, and his life experience as a consummate Washington insider. Anyone even vaguely inclined to support him in the coming election should have the courage to read this book and learn the worst, at least from one writer's perspective.

McCain has also increasingly aligned himself in foreign and economic policy with the neo-conservative disciples of Milton Friedman. To get an understanding of what that implies for the future, I strongly suggest the book "The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein, which recounts the sad story of CIA development of torture and isolation into standard interrogation techniques used by the USA right now. It is almost beyond belief to contemplate John McCain, whose chief claim to heroism is based on his prisoner-of-war suffering, redefining himself as an advocate to the brutalities of Bush and Rumsfeld.

Know your man! You won't get acquainted with John McCain by reading his evasive "Hard Call" -- ghost-written anyway -- so take a look at "The Real McCain". If you can honestly find flaws in its reportage, then you'll feel much better about voting him into power, won't you?

This is about the worst garbage printed I have ever read! If you thought that the Swift Boat garbage written about Kerry or the Obama Nation book were bad....then save your money. It is obvious from start to finish the author is reflecting base talking points to garner news and earn $$ by selling his tales!

This kind of book comes out every election campaign. It's like Obama Nation, except there are no obvious lies and distortions.

The tonality is snipey and churlish, but most of the facts he cites appear to hold up. Unfortunately, like all these books, the author is mainly addressing people already determined not to vote for McCain. So for partisans, it's a fun read, but for anyone else it's hardly worth the time.

This book is a disgrace trying to portray an American hero into a traitor and a political puppet. People like John Mccain and others who are serving in the military have long been the reason why democracy exists in the united states and why the united states is the world leader. Maybe Cliff, the author of this book should try to serve in the military and see how it is. This isnt about john mccain winning the election but at least show some decency to his service in the vietnam war. Cliff needs to be ashamed and if he really believes in the "conservative values", i guess he needs to go to jail and have a talk with abramoff, foley and others who have disgraced the united states government, the blame needs to be placed on them for destroying conservatism not john mccain. Shame on you!

Good tips and games for readers workshops. I enjoyed it. My college professor introduced this to us.

This small book, in a flipchart format, provides 33 strategies for teachers to use to improve students' content area reading. Directions are succint and clear. The strategies listed are invaluable in helping the teacher create varied activities geared towards improving students' reading comprehension. I use this flipchart every week when preparing my lessons.

This is a flip book style book with literacy activities briefly explained and color coded/grouped into before/during/after activities. The back of this book has some blackline masters. This is a BARGAIN! Buy this if you want to mix up some reading activities in your content area classroom.

Part physicist, part prankster, part musician, part teacher, part genius, part story teller, part little boy and all human being, this is the true story of Richard Feynman. He was a man with an insatiable curiosity, and had a zest to explore the world of physics, human nature and himself.

The stories in the book are funny, entertaining and enlightening. Feynman never got out of his box, because he never had one. From the gifted young boy who fixed radios by thinking to the top notch physicist who could explain concepts to laymen like no one else, Feynman was one of a kind.

Well worth the read!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

this was a gift for a family member. it arrived quickly and in great condition

For a physicist Mr. Feynman was a fantastically curious individual. Although, compulsive and a bit "different" his passion for life and curiosity with the world around him were remarkable. His wit and wisdom along with stories of his antics and general mischief acted as a magnet pulling me to the next page. This book was hard to put down and reminded me to remain curious throughout life. Well worth the time it takes to read, I will be reading other books by Mr. Feynman.

Richard Feynman is a theoretical physicist, Nobel prize recipient on Physics, professor of Caltech, a serious academic. However, he is also a curious character and a man of many talent. This book about him is not an autobiography but are little stories on him throughout his life. There is very little about physics. Rather, it demonstrates Feynman's attitude towards everything around him.

When he was in Princeton graduate college, he was invited to a tea party at the Dean's house. The Dean's wife served him tea and asked "Would you like cream or lemon in your tea?" He said "I'll have both, thank you.", quite absent-mindedly. The response was "Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman.", the title of this book.

Feynman is curious, and this may well be an important attribute for learning. The book has detailed description of how he learned to crack safes when he was in Los Alamos participating in the Manhattan project. He learned painting for a while and had his own painting exhibition. When he was in Brazil lecturing, he learned to play frigideira in a samba band and joined the Carnival parade. He also played all-drum music for a ballet performance. With all these talent, he admitted that he did not know painting, and did not know how to read music score.

This demonstrates now one should treat work and other activities as one. There is no such thing as work-life balance for him. He did anything that interested him wholeheartedly, leading to wonderful achievement in both study, work, hobbies and entertainment. It really reminds us that playing out so-called life activities half-heartedly is a waste of time.

There are so many humourous passages in the book and I can only quote a few.

- Judging Books by Their Covers.
When he served on an advisory committee on textbooks for the government, a book publisher submitted a volume of three books for evaluation. The last one was incomplete and only the covers with some blank pages were included. To his surprise, Feynman found out that committee members gave good rating to the books, which exposed that they didn't even bother to read them before rating them.

- Is Electricity Fire?
He was asked by a group of young rabbis "Is electricity fire?" He was glad that the theology academics were interested in physics and went on to explain the phenomenon. However, it turned out that the rabbis were trying to abide by the doctrine that they should not use fire on Sundays and thus wanted to know if this should include all electrical appliances. Quite a disappointment for him to find out that the rabbis were not modernizing but just trying to follow ancient doctrines to the letter.

- A Touch of Brazil.
When he did some lectures in Brazil, he was amazed that the students were well prepared for the lectures. They could answer questions on the reading materials right away. However, they could not answer similar but simple questions put in another way. Feynman finally found out that the students memorized all the papers distributed, as well as all the notes of the lectures. They learned without thinking, read without understanding. There is a familiar situation in Hong Kong where students did the same. We also seldom have questions asked, topic discussed, or even intellectual arguments.

- Cargo Cult Science.
On scientific studies, Feynman quoted an example. Islanders of a South Pacific Island saw what the army did there in the war: cargo planes landing bringing all sort of good things. A few decades later, they were found constructing long and flat mud strip with torches on both sides mimicking a runway. The leader would sit in a wooden shed, with wooden plates covering his ears like a headphone. They kept doing this but still wondered why the cargo planes never landed. They used accurate scientific observation and imitated the original way to near likeness. But such superficial scientific method without reasoning could not yield any results.

Stories in the book are so diverse and I could only quote 1% of them in the review. You are recommended to take a look.

Although Mr. Feynman is undoubtedly a smart man, with many things to credit to his name, this book seemed like nothing but his attempt to show how smart he was and is. However he comes off as extremely arrogant and pompous, the problem being that his anecdotes are ruined by his comments on how stupid others are compared to himself. Almost every other paragraph is a story in which he felt he outsmarted someone, but in reality, his accomplishments seem very exaggerated and insignificant. The way he talks about not being considered a sissy by struggling against his frat brothers, outsmarted the waitress with dumb puzzles, and outwitted his frat when stealing a door are NOT impressive in the least, and I feel that a average person could accomplish the same things. The fact that he writes about it in a manner so that he tries to make himself some child genius is what ruins the book and makes him seem stupider rather than smarter. I'm sorry Mr. Feynman, you may be a great physicist, but you must be joking if you think you're a writer, and a clever one at that. I may not be able to solve physics problems like you, but I can assure you...I am much more clever if compared to your life stories (and that's not saying much).