1 comments about Lincoln's Letters: The Private Man and the Warrior (Commuter's Library).

1. In this presentation we hear of selected Lincoln letters sent through out the years of 1830 to 1865. When I wrote selected, I meant that not all of his letters are included or are subjects arranged. It is interesting to hear Lincoln's letters to various people be it politicians, family or civilians alike, although at times it seemed a bit confusing to understand why he was writing the letter. During the war years it was easier to understand his response to individuals at times, although the audio book does not prep the listener before each letter to explain to whom and why the letter is being written. I think a short narrative before each letter read aloud would have been beneficial at times and really enhanced this presentation. It was great listening to some of Lincoln's letters although a prior explanation as to why or what he was responding to would have really made this book.

5 comments about Night.

1. Night by Elie Wiesel is an excellent first hand account into the atrocities the Jew endured at the German prisoner and slave labor camps of World War II. This volume gives students additional connections into understanding the situations. Excellent version!!!



2. From the moment we had began on this book in our classes it was truly an eye opener. Words cannot describe the misery that was felt in each and every word this book had within. The book itself had casted night over all of us, especially me as we listened intently on what could be known as the most heart striking tale. From the start of the camp to the death marchings in the snow, the story gives a full eye account of the horror that was seen in the Nazi war. No story ever has been written so amazingly nor dramaticly as this. Yes, it touched me darkly and it burned deeply but this story, this story is something everyone should read because no one should forget what happened so long ago. You cant go your whole life without reading this book, its something that you should not miss.
   
   I give it a rating of five stars and I hope you, the reader, can also find that too.



3. As an English teacher, I have my ninth graders read this memoir every year. And every year, I am moved to tears. Not only does Mr. Wiesel tell of his devastating experience of dehumanization in the Holocaust, but he tells it with such eloquence and mastery of the English language, that one would wonder if he was always a writer. This is his first book and it reads like a story written by some of the greatest writers of the literary canon. Be forewarned that his story will change your perspective on life and will most likely you move you to tears as well. If it doesn't, than as my Pastor would say, "your wood is wet."
   
   You may be asking yourself, "why would I want to read something that will just get me upset?" My answer to that is that if we don't get upset, how can we facilitate change? Ignorance leads to bliss? No way--it leads to destruction. Furthermore, antisemitism hasn't gone away. And in the midst of the violence and hatred exploding in the middle east 63 years after Hitler was defeated, there are millions of people who once again want to annihilate the Jews and are devising plans to do just that. So this memoir must be read. Mr. Wiesels' story must be heard.



4. I received this item in a timely matter in great condition! Would do business with again!



5. Wow...every page is like a sock in the gut, and like many memoirs full of twisted events, I find myself hoping it isn't true. But what's most remarkable is Wiesel's legacy, how he survived and lived to tell about it as a respected intellectual (this isn't a part of the story). Historically relevant, brutally tragic, painfully morbid. A true story about hanging on to life, and literally losing everything but. It's small enough to read in a day, and that might be the best way to go about it. I read it in small, painful chunks. As I read it, I often felt ashamed of humanity for it's self-destructive cruelty. This story includes the extra detail they didn't put in your history book.

5 comments about The Daughter of the Queen of Sheba.

1. I am saddened to find so many unfavorable reviews of this memoir. Reading it, I was reminded of "Angela's Ashes," "A Beautiful Mind" and "Growing Up." I found Lyden's prose both poetic and evocative. I thought she portrayed her own family and herself with remarkable journalistic perspective, but also with compassion. I am amazed at the extent of Lyden's success in her attempt to describe her mother's mania, as well as the author's candor about her own life. There's no self-indulgence in these pages, only a long and difficult distance bravely traveled and recounted for us, so we can see the terrain through her eyes. To the critical reviewers, I say, "Let us read your life," and to Ms. Lyden an unequivocal, "Bravo."



2. I bought this book after watching Ms. Lyden's appearance on Larry King Live, in which she spoke engagingly and eloquently about her childhood, her mother's illness, and the effects it had on the family. Sadly, she speaks more effectively than she writes.

   Big words taste and feel good in our mouths, and it's fun to string a bunch together (this I know from personal experience), but after reading that style through a couple of chapters it got tiresome. Ms. Lyden seemed more interested in demonstrating her command of the English language than in telling her story.

   I was also disappointed by too-frequent and too-lengthy sidetracks into other aspects of the family's life (for instance, the whole trip to Mexico story could have been told in a couple of pages). I had the impression Ms. Lyden was trying to flesh out the book.

   For those interested in the subject matter, this is worth a try if you can find it second-hand or in the library, but not worth full price.

   I do recommend watching Ms. Lyden if you ever get a chance to see her being interviewed - she is an excellent communicator...just not on paper.




3. I trudged through 40 pages and basically determined that this whole family must be nuts and we read this for book group and everyone agreed this was not an easy book or an enjoyable one



4. I basically just skimmed the last half of the book as she lost me early on. Too bad. A fascinating subject, just extremely badly written.



5. This book was written by someone from my hometown, thus I know the characters. She changed the names and the places, yet I still knew what she was referring to. She left out any reference to her two younger brothers so were my age. This book was written in a very choppy fashion...hard to tell her current experiences from her past experiences in her writing.

5 comments about See I Told You So.

1. This is Judith Regan's good sequel to Judith Regan's bad blockbuster, aka "Rush Limbaugh's First Book." Both books, paste-ups of Rush monologues, have the same problem as Rush monologues, pointless prolixity. Judith should have cut things down to a solid fifteen or twenty pages in the manner of Rush cutting down hours of prattle into broadcast brilliance, his morning updates, radio's best 1.5 minutes.
   
   I've been with the Majority Maker off and on since cowgirl Hillary Clinton's cattle futures. It's been a long strange trip: This (Socks) is the Clinton cat, this (Chelsea) is the Clinton dog. No Boundaries Ties. The Lovely & Gracious Marta's psychopathological bump tunes, coincident with the Majority Maker's bad mood after he made the Republican majority in 1994. The rush to impeachment. The rush to war. The assurance that Hillary wouldn't lower herself to run for the Senate. The assurance that Hillary, running for the Senate, wouldn't win. The c. 45 monologue minutes during which Rush conflated John Kerry with Bob Kerrey. The Eagles & McNab. The dope fiend. The schlub.
   
   But things are now getting so wierd that it's time for Hunter Thompson to come back & take over. Last week Rush boosted Bush by saying that Congress is even more despised than Bush. That would be the, uh, Republican Congress whose majority, spending like drunken Democrats, was made by Rush in 1994. Or so they say.
   
   Then he gave Bush's failed presidency the ultimate attaboy: This administration, said Rush, is even more diverse than Clinton's. Quincy Bush is totally in the tank, but Congress is even worse, and none of it matters because we Republicans are multiculturalists.
   
   My party 'tis of thee, a rainbow of diversity. And multiculturalism. Ponder the irony, my friends, while reading See I Told You So, a quaint artifact from the dead-as-Ronbo Republican Revolution.



2. As with all my reviews, I just want to focus on the veterans issue. Like many right-wing war lovers, Rush never served. This shows.
   
   Rush gives a totally ridiculous analogy about why men fight on page 15. After stating this idiocy, he concludes, "[e]verybody does what he is ordered to do because that is the nature of the military." And where did you get that idea, pray tell? I and others did what we had to do because we WANTED to do it. We had pride in service and pride in being elite. I wasn't a paratrooper and jumped out of planes because somebody told me to.
   
   It is odd that Rush would refer to Representative Ron Dellums as "a former draft dodger." You have to turn to page 253 to see where I get mad about this guy. Regarding WWII, Rush states, "[y]oung men lied about their age, ignored medical and physical disqualifications, and abandoned their livelihoods in order to join the services." It is well known how Rush parlayed a correctable anal cyst into 4-F status to stay out of the military and Vietnam. I myself was also deemed 4-F, but obtained a waiver regarding my own physical disability, which was not correctable through simple surgery. Rush speaks of ironies on this about supposed Democrats, saying they would turn into "chicken hawks" (page 258) at the "first sign of trouble." Well, buddy, that was you on Vietnam. On that same page, he talks about Vietnam--the war I was in as a volunteer and he "volunteered" to stay out of.
   
   Rush again forgets to look in the mirror after stating, on page 259, that the military has "unique requirements...no matter whose feelings get hurt, including heterosexual men who can't meet the physical or ment requirements." Since you did not meet the physical requirements (but could have with one short doctor visit), do you feel hurt, Mr. Limbaugh?
   
   It also makes no sense, except in the context of people too cowardly or self-absorbed, his statement, "[r]ecruitment is down...and the intelligence level of those enlisting is lower." The easiest way to correct that problem is for all these right-wingers to go down and sign up. I really start to burn at the end of page 261. Check this out. "Most of us are so detached, so smug, and so far removed from the battlefields where our fathers fought...we cannot beging to empathize with them." Hey, my dad, granddad and me all got our OWN battlefields. He wags a finger at the reader with, "[d]on't ever forget the WWII generation, nor abandon the cause for which it sacrificed." Oh, puleeze, Rush, what about Korea and Vietnam? Got a problem with those of us who sacrificed fighting communism?
   
   Rush reminds me of another fat windbag and draft dodger strutting around, making other men go out to do what he didn't have the guts to do himself: Benito Mussolini.



3. These liberal hate filled "reviewers" give me a laugh, har har, that's me guffawing. They just can't help lying, they even have to start their diatribes of hate with an immediate lie, they say, "I'm a conservative but I think blah blah hate hate about Rush" I can smell a liberal 10 miles off. Do they really think everyone's as stupid as they are? Got news for ya, you ain't foolin' no one. Your typical hate filled messages are recognizable immediately as only coming from the loony left. Now that I've put you liberal reviewers here in your place, I shall now proceed to my pearls of wisdom on this wonderful and enlightening book that every man woman and child should cherish.
   Yes, it's another Masterpiece from the Mastermind and the reflector of all right thinking truly decent Americans, Rush. Rush speaks for all good and right thinking people, he reflects our thoughts and what we already know is right and wrong, but Rush goes one better, he is great for rubbing the liberal liars noses in their own excrement. Liberal liars don't stand a chance with their scheming lies and communist attempts to take over the courts because they can't win an election. Liberal liars, bow your head to greatness that is me and all others just like Rush, Rush will be every liberal's new hero, because in your heart, you know he's right. Now, liberals, read Rush's book over and over and admit your real goal, to destroy America and freedom. We won't let it happen. Liberals and elkayda, oh, that's not how you spell it? I DON'T CARE! Liberals and ekayda are one, and they will be defeated. And a good start to their destruction is all people worldwide reading the wonderful wise words of that lovable little fuzzball, Rush. And that's the final word. Thank you and good riddance to liberals.



4. A permanent place in my shelves. I brought a copy of this with me during the Clinton Wars when I ended up in Operation Desert Fox. A classic book that only someone without a sense of humor couldn't appreciate.



5. Limbaugh presents a second case for Conservatism that follows earlier work "The Way Things Ought to Be". This book serves little purpose in view of the depth he covered on Right Wing issues in the first book and considering his seemingly greater interest in attacking the Left.
   
   Limbaugh arouses emotion with ease with his polarizing approach and seems to enjoy pointing out inconsistencies with Left Wing policies and speeches; particularly those of Bill Clinton. For those who share this agenda, Limbaugh will fill your needs especially with his amusing list of conflicting quotations from the Left; however, one need not look far to discover the irony that a long list could also be derived on Limbaugh from his own radio show.
   
   While I do not agree with the entirety of Limbaugh's views, there are selected views that he defends admirably. However, his polarizing attitude combined with his attacking agenda leave this book lacking, something that was not as apparent in his first book.

5 comments about Audiobook.

1. Whoopi is normally hilarious. But the language in this book really turned me off. People who use language (swearing) like that sound like common street trash.



2. I bought this to listen to on my daily commute. I had to listen to it at home because I kept driving off the road from laughing so hard. Whoopi Goldberg is honest, funny and real. Book was hilarious, but this is so much better from her reading and adlibs. Find a copy and share!



3. Much like George Carlin, in "Audiobook," Goldberg manages to obsess -- sometimes to the point of shrieking -- over such issues as picky eating, men's grooming habits, favorite popes, Christmas, drivers from a certain Eastern state and politically correct language. If you don't like authors or comedians who can't let something drop, don't purchase either "Book" or "Audiobook." However, if you love a good, sustained rant -- that isn't directed towards you -- that seems to end in catharsis, do yourself a favor and get it. I'd definitely lean towards "Audiobook," because Goldberg gets her point across as perfectly as if she was onstage.

   Yes, Whoopi does use "language," as she warns people at the beginning of the tape. If you didn't get the implication, it means that she uses profanity from time to time, saying the "s" word, the "f" word and a few others, too. She doesn't hold back, but says what she wants and expresses exasperation however she wants. If you want polite commentary on some of the same issues, there's always etiquette books. (Hey, Miss Manners is always amusing.)

   Goldberg addresses her relationship with Ted Danson (mainly the minstrel decible), her premature status of grandmother, Clinton's extra-carricular activities as well as those of a few other recent presidents, discloses how she got her name and some stories from her childhood. "Audiobook" is basically a series of essays about why she sees the world the way she does.

   I don't always agree with her opinions. Some of her essays are more serious than funny. However, I did find this glimpse into her mind fascinating and engaging. It feels a little like hanging out in the back booth of a diner while an outspoken friend holds court, which is probably one of the best statements I can make about what is essentially an autobiography.

   Whoopi G. was never an easy artist to experience. If you're not prepared to be uncomfortable or take issue with what she has to say, don't bother. She claimed to want this project to spark conversation between people and, like it or hate it, chances are you'll be talking about it for a while.




4. I bought this because Whoopi is great , her ideas are great her jokes EVERY THING. I dont usally shop from the internet but hey! I thought this was worth it and it was. This tape got me laughin' it got me to think about stuff. Yeah there is language but who doesnt use the "F" word every now and then?This is a collectable and a definatly a MUST HAVE. So WHY ARE u still reading this? GO AND BUY IT!



5. Whoopi Goldberg in her usual standup and movie routines is absolutely wonderful, so I was expecting big things from this audiobook. Perhaps my expectations were set a bit high.

   Instead of the string of jokes I'd been expecting, a full 2/3rds of the book was devoted to Whoopi expounding on her political viewpoints. Despite the fact I usually agreed with her political views, her soapbox-ranting style left me wanting a more eloquent spokesperson for her position. Much of the time, she simply comes off as a less thoughtful Dennis Miller.

   All of this would be bearable if she had some tiny shred of humility, but about the fourth time she assured me that she is, in fact, "a funny person," I was ready to toss the tape out the window.

5 comments about Jack: Straight from the Gut.

1. Jack Welch's life has been about excellence, winning....and having fun. His autobiography, "Jack: Straight From the Gut", tells how he rose from small town roots to become CEO of General Electric, arguably the greatest corporation in America and the world at the end of the 20th Century. During his life's journey, Welch accomplished more than most ever dream of. He earned a Ph.D. in chemical engineering by the age of 25. During his 20 year tenure as head of GE, company revenues soared from $27 billion in 1981 to $130 billion in 2001. GE's annual growth rate averaged 18.9 percent during this period, and its stock rose a staggering 3,098 percent.
   
   Without any formal management training, Welch worked his way up from "process development specialist" in 1960 to CEO of GE in 1981. His management secret? Welch attributes his success in life and business to living the lessons his mother drilled into him during his youth. She taught him early that he had better face the facts of any tough situation if he was to succeed: "Don't kid yourself. It is the way it is." she would tell him repeatedly. "Grace Welch taught me the value of competition, just as she taught me the pleasure of winning and the need to take defeat in stride,"... "If I have any leadership style, a way of getting the best out of people, I owe it to her," Welch writes.
   
   And getting the best out of people, himself included, is what Jack Welch did best. He was such a great manager largely because he focused on bringing out the best in his employees, making GE into a "people factory". He knew that a business cannot afford to be soft-hearted when it comes to grading and rewarding, or punishing, employees based upon their performance. He knew that the value of a business is primarily the talents, skills, and knowledge of its people. Under Jack Welch, GE changed from bureaucracy to meritocracy - focused on grading its people, rewarding the best, encouraging the middle, and getting rid of the rest. As he writes: "Performance management has been part of everyone's life from the first grade. It starts in grade school with advanced placement. Differentiation applies to football teams, cheerleading squads, and honor societies....There's differentiation for all of us in our first 20 years. Why should it stop in the workplace, where most of our waking hours are spent?"
   
   Welch characterized the traits that made him successful and that he sought in others as "The Four E's": 1. Energy of personality, 2. the Enthusiasm to communicate that energy to others, 3. the Edge to make tough decisions, and 4. the Execution to see those decisions implemented. The Four E's were connected by the "Big P: Passion". Welch's integrity to this vision of employee excellence is seen repeatedly in the book when he promotes unrecognized and unrewarded employees because he saw the four E's and big P in them, where others did not. Most of these individuals went on to become successful upper managers at GE and even CEO's of other large corporations.
   
   Whether being blasted in the media as "Neutron Jack" for laying off thousands of employees while building a state-of-the-art management training center, or executing the buyout of other companies, such as RCA with its NBC network, or implementing a system to share best practices among GE companies world-wide (a concept he termed "boundaryless"), Welch dove into each project with seemingly inexhaustible passion and zeal. He brought the same dedication to implementing each company-wide program he initiated: Globalization, Growing Services, Six Sigma, and E-business. Welch loves what he created at GE. The company definitely became his baby - and he was the heart and soul of GE during his time as CEO.
   
   As an autobiography, Jack Straight from the Gut, is a pleasure to read. Welch's A-type, straight talking personality comes through, with the help of co-author John A. Byrne, in a natural, down-to-earth writing style. Jack Welch's rise from small town Irish immigrant roots to chairman of General Electric is one of the most engaging and inspiring business tales you will ever read. Welch is a late Twentieth Century version of Andrew Carnegie: rising to fame and fortune from a humble background. His life is a confirmation of the American virtues of free enterprise system, with its focus on the values of hard work, integrity, ambition and excellence. Jack Welch is a real life Ayn Rand business hero. Like Howard Roark or John Galt, he struggled across his career, and despite numerous set-backs, he ultimately rose up to create a life of great achievements. Welch sought excellence in himself and those around him. As a result, he drove GE, its thousands of employees, and the American economy to unprecedented levels of productivity and prosperity.



2. Jack Who? People who are in college at this moment might not know the name. Does that really matter? No!
   
   This book is about Jack Welch and his amazing story up the ladder of corporate America. It teaches us about guts, hard work and true dedication. It actually reads like 'Once upon a time in America' featuring Robert de Niro.
   
   As Jack begins his journey with childhood memories, it shows how anyone can achieve great things and have an amazing career. It features hard work and some luck, but most of all the book shows there are no shortcuts. As so many books tell you how you can get that promotion as fast as possible, this story shows no 'dot-com millionaire' or 'america's next top model'. These are all longshots.
   
   If you value a career and are ready to learn from someone who's been there and done that, grab your copy. When you want to succeed in business, it'll take more than just a fancy website... it'll take a lot of guts.



3. It's very interesting, entertaining and fun to read the autobiography of Jack Welch, the CEO icon of the 80's and 90's. He's very direct, honest and detailed on his professional life while touching sometimes on his personal one. He explains how hard work, wit and a mix of luck made him the man he has become. It's full of General Electric episodes - the good and the bad - which makes it a very compelling read. I highly recommend it.



4. I've met Jack Welch in Pasadena few weeks after the book came out. Jack Welch just confirmed his keen intellect," tough" guy fame but he discussed with passion about Six Sigma, one of initiatives he championed together with globalization and e-business. This book though is not the textbook on Welch Style of Management but is a good inside in some of his thinking and approaches. This book is for those who want to listen to what he wants to say.



5. What makes an 'A performer'? Jack's years at GE have seen their share of successes, narrow escapes, and missteps along the way - and it is Jack's treatment of the former that makes this an incredibly insightful book to read. You cannot be right all the time, nor should you expect your peers or subordinates to be, but at the same time, it is your role as a leader to identify and cultivate the best performers continuously. Yes, that means letting go of your bottom 10%, every year.
   
   Aside from being an inspiring and educational read, the book also offers a rare glimpse of the corporate growth strategies and acquisitions made by GE - a side of corporate America that is rarely covered and poorly understood outside of the top financial circles.
   
   Highly recommended for any entrepreneur and business owner out there. (Yes, the lessons apply outside of multi-billion dollar corporate context.)

5 comments about The WAY THINGS OUGHT TO BE.

1. A delusional hypocrite sounds off. Save your money. Go to the press releases sections of the American Enterprise Institute and the Republican National Committee Web sites if you want this guy's philosophy.
   The book is useful if you need a primer on the language used by big government neoconservatives.
   It saddens me to write this. I considered Limbaugh a teacher and an inspiration until the Republicans assumed power in D.C. and he showed what he really is (a partisan political hack albeit an articulate and entertaining one). Limbaugh does not believe in "freedom" or "limited government" despite his many pretensions to the contrary in this book and elsewhere. He believes in electing Republicans and hoping for the best. It's a simpleton's philosophy, really.
   If you want to get a glimpse of the real Rush Limbaugh then tune in to his radio show a few days before a presidential election. What you'll hear is Limbaugh running down the Democratic candidate while pretending that the Republican nominee is sweetness and light.
   Limbaugh can't resist the siren song of party politics but, in fairness to him, he's not the only person who suffers from this malady.



2. I have always been a Patriot and came from a military family. Yet the mass media always seemed to be putting out the message that it was wrong to be Patriotic, that there isn't really any such thing as right or wrong, that serving in the military is a waste.
   
   So, who was right? I was like Smith in 1984: I didn't have any proof in the face of all this propaganda that things should be different but a FEELING that patriotism is a positive attribute, that you could disagree with the picture being painted and NOT be labeled a bigot/homophobe/fascist.
   
   I never listened to Rush until after I read this book. It was right after Desert Storm and despite liberating Kuwait from a brutal, bloodthirsty tyrant who's treatment of the Kuwaitis rivalled anything the Nazis dished out in the USSR I was hearing this same negativism. But Rush put it all in perspective for me. I've been an avid fan ever since.



3. "The reason I do what I do, the way I do it, is to get the largest radio audience possible and to get the largest dollar amount I can for commercials. It's a business -- strictly a business." - Rush Limbaugh, in a speech at Daytona Beach
   
   Like the preppy goody-two-shoes from high school who piously rattles off his favorite preferences of purity, Rush Limbaugh trumpets the superiority of "Talent on loan from Gawd" over the wandering masses he so panderingly courts in the quest for the almighty dollar. As if television pundits were not laughable and egotistical enough, Rush believes that on his radio show, which he brands as "entertainment" and sustains for three hours each day, conservative truths and reasoned conservative analysis cannot compete against shameless self-promotion. How sad it is that millions of Americans accept Rush Limbaugh's words as Holy Writ without understanding that he does not care a whit for you.
   
   Rush directed this ghost-written 1992 manifesto, "The Way Things Ought To Be," before he decided to submit willingly to the Powers That Be that same year after he occupied the Lincoln Bedroom on June 3rd. He met one of his antagonists: President George Herbert Walker Bush. Indeed, "starlet" Rush Limbaugh vocally supported the 1992 campaign of Pat Buchanan and threw devastating criticism against the Republican Party and the elder Bush for their abandonment of the conservative cause. In short, Rush submitted himself to the Establishment Elite the way many others do: For power. Limbaugh thus became a shill for the likes of Newt Gingrich and Bob Dole. He now occupies the title of unofficial spokesman for the modern Republican Party.
   
   Rush openly opposed conservative positions on issues for which he refused to rock his powerful benefactors for supporting both before and after the Republicans' historic takeover of Congress: GATT and the balanced budget amendment. On GATT, Limbaugh sided with blind acceptance the Gingrich party line that the Republican leadership's arguments refuted the protest against such an unconstitutional transfer of Congress' power to regulate commerce. Limbaugh blithely shrugged off concerned callers to his radio show who expressed uncomfortable dissatisfaction with GATT. The balanced budget amendment, an unnecessary insertion apparently to "correct" supposed "deficiencies" within our Constitution, would not ensure balanced numbers because it allowed any kind of imbalance with a 60 percent majority of Congress. The Constitution requires no such amendment because the document already outlines what can and cannot be appropriated by the federal government. But doesn't Limbaugh APPEAR to be looking out for the people's interests?
   
   "This is my program. I have always run this program using my interests, my desires, and my instincts. This is a program, where I set the agenda .... I am in total satisfaction with my attitude. I'm not going to change mine. I'm happy." - Rush Limbaugh responding to a caller who urged Rush to save by the country and its citizens by exposing the globalist agenda.
   
   Is not the above quote a fitting representation of the difference between We the People and those who sell out our constitutional republic for power? Many Americans otherwise educated and very patriotic express rejoice at the opportunity to listen to an enthused and passionate protector of conservative values and the common man. Unfortunately, they are deluded by this spinmeister and his dastardly deeds. RUSH LIMBAUGH is a preening self-promoter and a shill for those who do not protect your interests. As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free."
   
   Highly recommended reading: "The Revolution: A Manifesto" by Congressman Ron Paul, The New American article "Establishment Dittohead" from July 10, 1995, which served as the primary research for this review, and "Day of Reckoning" by Pat Buchanan.



4. you ought to be skinnier
   you ought to be not as arrogant
   you ought to change your picture on the cover, it creeps me out
   you ought to stop looking like that marshmellow man from ghostbusters
   you ought to find a gym near where you live
   you ought to go to that gym
   you ought to rent "ghostbusters" for motivation before going to said gym
   you ought to continue popping OCs



5. Limbaugh presents the classical conservative arguments offering details on a vast number of topics. He provides a very logical presentation of his reasoning outlining conservative strong points such as the economy, defense of the 80s, and counterviews to environmentalist and ozone enthusiasts.
   
   For Conservatives and Liberals alike, discovering an in depth analysis that represents the backbone of the Right Wing values will be enlightening; as long as one can get past the tone of self-importance so associated with Limbaugh. Thus even if you disagree with every point he makes, one cannot refute the fact that Limbaugh has put together a very good case for his points backed with a large amount of statistical evidence that although perhaps refutable in some areas would be a challenge to undertake.
   
   If there is a drawback to this book it is the polarizing approach that Limbaugh utilizes based on the apparent belief that the Republican Party line is absolutely correct on every issue and is intolerant towards any opposing thought. However, the book's intent clearly was based on providing Limbaugh's reasoning behind his and the Rightwing party values; of which Limbaugh aptly accomplished. I recommend this book to anyone seeking to better understand the Rightwing or wishing to undertake the challenge of refuting the party's positions.

4 comments about Mark Twain Tonight.

1. If you have read any of Mark Twains books and loved them, you should buy this, it is the best tape I have ever gotten! I love it and listen to it many times a day! Hope who ever reads this buys it, it is great!



2. I saw Hal Holbrook many years ago on the Kennedy Center stage, doing this one man show. After I saw Holbrook's performance, I bought both Columbia LPs of Mark Twain Tonight and More of Mark Twain Tonight.
   
   
   It rekindled that amazing show for me every time I heard these albums, until my record player died.
   
   The track list was "Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight!" (1959): "Introduction," "On Smoking," "Journalism on Horseback," "My Encounter With An Interviewer," "Huck Battles His Conscience," and "How To Be Seventy." and "More of Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight!" (1961): "Introduction," "Slow Train And Low Dog," "Dangers Of Abstinence," "Problems Of Missionarying," "Accident Insurance," "Requesting A Hymn Book," "Huck And The Lynching Bee," "My Ancestor Satan," and "Encore." All of the two LPS are transfered to this two disk CD collection, with clean masters
   
   
   Now on CD, the show is rekindled again for me and now my young nephew who I shared these with. He was studying Mark Twain and his works in school, so I played them on a car trip we had. He asked me as we listened to these CDs "Is this recording new, Uncle Bennet?" I said No, but they are new to you.
   
   As much as that sounds like drvel, If you have not heard these recordings, it is worth you time to hear Holbrook orating Twain. He capture Twain the man, the author and the humorist
   
   Enjoy
   Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD



3. This, as stated elsewhere, is a masterly recording of a master actor doing the material of a master writer. It is as funny and true today as when Twain was alive. Contrary to the editorial comments above, this two-cd set combines recordings previously only issued on cassette or LP. They were recorded in stereo and issued on Columbia Masterworks. The sound is actually pretty good. It is from two different performances before live audiences. These performances are not taken from the video broadcast (now on DVD), although there is some overlap in the material covered. Both these 2 CDs and the DVD are well worth having.



4. I have owned all 3 LPs for many, many years. I own the VHS of the 1967 CBS broadcast. I recent bought The Best of Mark Twain Tonight CD that pulled from all 3 recordings, but is not complete by any means.
   
   What this Double CD offers is the complete first 2 recordings. I pulled out the LPs and checked everything. The lists match. So for the price below a full price single CD, you get both recordings including one of my personal favorites, My Encounter with an Interviewer.
   
   Now there are no liner notes, but unless you want to learn about the preparation for the role or see photos as he transforms into Twain (some do), the performance needs little introduction.
   
   I have seen Hal Holbrook perform Mark Twain Tonight several times, recently a couple years ago at the Moore Theater in Seattle. He is now closer to the age when Twain went on his world tour. The history is that he had lost a fortune investing in a Print Setter. It failed and Twain owed over $200,000. His friends and financial advisors told him to declare bankruptcy, but Twain refused. Instead he declared he would pay back everyone he owed. This is how the lectures came to be. He lectured across the country and around the world. He was America's Ambassador - and yes, he amassed another fortune and paid back every penny.
   
   For a book to read that is not on the traditional reading list, I strongly recommend Letters From the Earth. Here is where the a different Twain exists. For people who love Twain, this is an essential.

5 comments about Hello, He Lied: And Other Truths from the Hollywood Trenches.

1. Lynda Obst uses her experience as an accomplished film producer to explain to new people how to make it in Hollywood. She hits every topic right on the head. I have experienced the same things in getting my films made, particularly The Indie Pendant. All of her info can used by anyone wanting to become a filmmaker. The chapter on figuring out which way the horse is headed was probably the best chapter I have ever read on getting things done in Hollywood. Look for all of this info and more during The Indie Film Hour on World Talk Radio. Hosted by myself. www.vdefilms.com



2. HELLO HE LIED is written by Lynda Obst one of the top female producers in Hollywood. (I only say female because she does talk about the challenges of being a woman in Hollywood). Her films include such classics as THE FISHER KING, SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE and CONTACT. She lives in Los Angeles and Texas -- which should give you a hint already that it's important to get some distance now and then (and maybe more) from TWINKLETOWN -- I MEAN TINSELTOWN. Her advice to NEVER GO TO A MEETING WITHOUT A STRATEGY is one we all should remember. All too often we worry about our powerpoint or our clothes or our car-- and not the strategy and outcome we want. IT's this good common sense business stuff that makes Lynda's book different from so many schmoozerama books -- how to schmooze and meet and network with Moguls in Hollywood. All too often MAGIC is associated with Hollywood movies and dealmakings and Lynda lets you know that it's not magic but good hard work and a thick SKIN. She also mentions Yoga and has a bit of a zen approach to all of this that makes us realize it ain't brain surgery! Her chapter on the TAO of Power and her description of how the film THE HOT ZONE did/didn't get made is fascinating....what a smart lady this is. If you are a woman you'll like the section called CHIX IN FLIX...oh you don't need any more recommenation-- just buy it - used or new-- I don't know why it took me so long to read it....BUT DO IT -- all of life is Hollywood in some way now -- ie American Idol etc.



3. Ms. Obst has written a delightful book filled with many lessons about how to get complicated projects completed, something she's expert at accomplishing. This book has applications for most complex business projects, and also for building a career. Obst knows how to get over hurdles, deal with interference, hang in for the long haul, and keep the project moving along despite all the difficulties that come with big dollar, competitive deals.
   
   It's one of the few excellent business books I've ever read (including the ones I had to read in business school). Even though it's centered on the movie business, the author has shared many nuggets that are relevant to all kinds of endeavors. Very high recommendation! Plus it's quite entertaining from start to finish.
   
   P.S. The negative comments of some reviewers are a mystery to me. Complaints about "Hollywood movies" (whatever that stereotype means), and unsettling business practices are common enough feelings, but these feelings are not sufficient as critiques of Hello He Lied. If you truly want to learn more about how big deals are done, read this book.



4. Sorry guys, but I was unfortunate enough to have bought this book years ago from some hollywood bookclub I can't even remeber anymore, but this is THE MOST SUCK UP book, on how to make it in Hollywood that I ever had the time to waste reading. Do yourself a HUGE FAVOR and take her advice with CAUTION--PLEASE!
   
   
   
   For the most part I simply felt her advice was outright--dishonest in a way...Tip-toe here...Compromise there...For what?
   
   
   
   Talking about sucking up, she mentioned a pitch session she had with David Geffen, who wasn't even listening to her. After she was done he simply said to her, "You know, you'd be more attractive if you had some collogen shots." Obst's response? "What did he mean?" IT WAS OBVIOUS THIS MAN WAS BEING RUDE! Obst wasn't even honest enough to admitt that!
   
   
   
   You want to learn the business and how to break in with at least half a chance on developing enough clout to call a shot? Consult with the INDUSRY HERETICS and PROFESSIONAL MAVERICKS! Obst is doing nothing but rehashing COMMON WISDOM a zillion different ways. The answer is not in COMMON HOLLYWOOD WISDOM.
   
   You learn the RULES then BREAK THEM!



5. "Hello, He Lied" is a Hollywood book that bridges the gap to become a mainstream read. I originally picked it up to learn more about the reality of life in Hollywood, for women and otherwise, but I got an easy-to-read Hollywood book that tackles general business and life issues in an amusing way.
   
   Obst tone is that of a Hollywood outsider with insider information. She has a sense of humor about the nature of her work, her business, and her industry associates. When she tells stories of her experience, she has a sarcastic wit that gives people hope that not everyone in Hollywood has lost touch with reality. In fact, her family life remains one of her utmost priorities.
   
   In sum, her book was what I wanted it to be: A light-hearted, insightful look at producer's role with life and business gems a long the way.

5 comments about Circus Fire, The.

1. Having read Stewart O'Nan's novel A Prayer for the Dying and loving it, I decided I would give O'Nan the opportunity to tell a true story of life and death.
   
   As a word of warning for those who come after me, if you are expecting a story centered around 5-10 "main characters," you will be disappointed. This is a story about the Hartford Circus Fire of 1944 and in telling that story, O'Nan attempts to tell the story of EVERYONE who was connected to it. It requires the reader to accept a large "cast of characters" who is willing to follow several threads of the "story" at one time. O'Nan's frenetic, peripatetic telling of the story gives the reader a sense of what it may have been like under the Big Top when it caught on fire.
   
   In telling the story of the Hartford Circus Fire, O'Nan also tells the story of "Little Miss 1565." "Little Miss 1565" was perhaps the most well-known victim of the circus fire. She was named after the number assigned to her body at the city's makeshift morgue. The debate over her identify rages on to this day. O'Nan does refute the contention of Rick Davey and Don Massey's contention that Little Miss 1565 was, in fact Elenaor Cook. For more on Rick Davey and Don Massey, you can check out A Matter of Degree: The Hartford Circus Fire & The Mystery of Little Miss 1565.
   
   Whether Elenaor Cook is properly or improperly identified as "Little Miss 1565" does not change the fact that she died in the Hartford Circus Fire. In telling the story of "Little Miss 1565" O'Nan is really telling the story of those who survived the Circus Fire and those who died.
   
   Dick Hill's narration is utterly breathtaking. He handles O'Nan's frenetic narrative with both style and grace. The only quirk in this production occurs in the one instance in O'Nan's narrative is where a dialog is recounted. Rather than using voice inflection to differentiate the speakers, a production effect is used in which the lines of the opposite speaker are slightly muffled as if Dick Hill is delivering the lines with his hand slightly covering the microphone. Otherwise, Hill's narration is flawless.



2. I have owned this book for several years and have read and reread it several times. Before picking it up, I had never heard of the fire in Hartford. After reading it, I wanted to find out even more. The best books about historical tragedies and disasters tell not only the story of a single event but convey the mood and atmosphere of the times in which they occurred. Mr. O'Nan does that very well here I think. This is not just a book about a fire but a snapshot of a specific time in American history. I appreciated that he did not shy away from depicting many of the more gruesome details of the fire and its aftermath in detail. To airbrush the details for readers would have shown an utter lack of respect for the victims of the fire as well as the survivors. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys learning more about American history by studying influential events. The Hartford fire, like the Triangle fire and the Iroquois fire, were great tragedies which created ripples across the entire American landscape. They lead to changes in our values, our workplaces, and our amusements. They are worth remembering, not only to honor their victims but as a part of understanding our American story.



3. Having grown up in this area, I was very much aware of the fire and it's consequences. But ... nobody ever really wanted to talk about it. This is a very good account. While reading, though, I grew frustrated because I forgot who was who, where in the tent they were, seemed too much space in chapters before they were mentioned again. But then again, that it reflective of what it was like under that big top. Chaos. Where was everyone in your family or party?
   
   Also good documentation of the investigation. Sometimes a little bit too detailed, but then again, that's what investigations are.
   
   O'Nan did well with this book. Too bad more people in that area refuse to read it. Guess time doesn't always heal pain.



4. My family is from Sarasota, FL, where the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus had their winter quarters for many years. My great-grandmother on my mother's side used to watch some of the circus kids while their parents trained, and my mom had heard stories about this fire, and then when I was younger, I had heard the same stories. We had known Merle Evans, and he told us about that day.
   
   I had not known about this book until reading about it in a thread on LT, so I thought I would give it a try and learn a little bit more about that awful day. O'Nan presents what is clearly a well-researched, if not always well-written, history about that day, and the events that (may or may not have) led up to it, and the circumstances that followed. After O'Nan introduces each person, he continues to write about these people as if the reader is as familiar them as he is due to his researching them. If you can let go of trying to keep track of who is who (there is a huge number of people involved) and simply read the book and accept the facts as they are presented, you will have a better chance of getting something out of this book. I kept trying to keep straight in my head who was who, but after awhile I simply gave up on this and just read.
   
   Due to the nature of the tragedy, I don't know that it's possible for O'Nan to write this without some sense of sensationalizing the facts, but everything that he writes clearly gets across the horror of the day. The accompanying photographs help you visualize exactly what happened during the fire. The book itself suffers from some writing errors throughout, and these probably could have been fixed with a stronger editing, but they are not overly distracting.
   
   O'Nan clearly researched his facts, and while he tries to present some possible explanations to the cause of the fire and circumstances surrounding it, he doesn't try to present these as fact. He relies on the established facts that have been proven, and draws on these to present the story as best he can. This book won't be for everyone. It was a horrible day, and O'Nan doesn't try to sugar-coat the events or what happened to the victims of the fire. For those that are interested in learning more about the fire, however, this will prove to be an interesting read.



5. Good books on historical events usually tell of events before, during and after the occurence. Some much more so than others. What is striking here is how O'nan manages to refer to everything related to Hartford's fire over a fifty year period! Everything is included. We are told of circus fires and accidents back in to the 19th century, circus mishaps in the years after the fire, other disasters of interest, and of the personal lives and fates of those involved. I have extensive knowledge of historic catastrophes, and can attest that nothing of any interest was left out. The author has said the book was a lot of work to write, and this is clear given its detail. There is no other book quite like it.
   
   But the book's strength is also its weakness. So much is included that the writing suffers some. We are constantly introduced to new characters and sub-stories, interrupting the flow, and creating a kind of 'literary turbulence' that is disturbing at times. But don't let this stop you from buying, and reading, this tale of a circus tragedy.