No comments about If I Don't Write It Nobody Else Will.

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5 comments about The World As I See It.

1. The book could have been structured a little better, but noone can argue with the words of Einstein. Several of the quotes in the book are about random and old-time topics that were lost on me, only being 23. However, this is still an amazing glipse into the man that changed the 20th Centery.



2. I had a v.old copy of this book which was falling apart so I replaced it with a less inspired production but still the same inspiring content. I like AE's view of the world, the greater power, truth and beauty -- it is written by a scientist with heart.



3. This is a short collection of various speeches, letters, and other writings on Einstein's thoughts on various subjects. Delves into matters such as his thoughts on war, religion, and a few other subjects. A very quick read and recommended for anyone who enjoys Einstein's brilliant insights into matters beyond Physics.



4. einstein's essay was a good readbut the rest of the letters didnt really get to me



5. To most of us the name Albert Einstein is synonymous with the formula E = MC-squared. Because the formula is such a simple statement of a complex idea, the public tends to see Einstein as both a simple and complex man. Like a god of sorts, he is omniscient, omnipotent, unknowable, and incomprehensible all at the same time.
   
   The World as I See It presents a clear and coherent picture of Einstein. It contains numerous Einstein's non-technical writings organized in four major parts: The World as I See It, Politics and Pacifism, Germany 1933, and The Jews. My favorite part is by far the first. This part is packed with pure wisdom on a variety of topics. I enjoyed reading things like: "To be sure, it is not the fruits of scientific research that elevate a man and enrich his nature, but the urge to understand, the intellectual work, creative or receptive" (p. 7). Such insights glue the entire book together.
   
   The reader will see in this book Einstein, the scientist, and Einstein the person, both in one unit. Einstein the person was very encouraging to others and thankful to people and things in the world. His letters to a college freshman, to an Arab admirer, to Japanese schoolchildren and so on, all have the same calmness of purpose to them as his messages to VIPs like Lorentz, Berliner, Katzenstein, and others.
   
   In these writings, Einstein distinguishes religion from science. It is clear for instance that he did not believe in God at the time of his writing. Even so, there is no evidence that he sought to dehumanize and ridicule believers, only to defend science and humanity. And defending it he did in Germany, Italy, everywhere. His defense was based on the notion that "There is nothing divine about morality, it is a purely human affair" (p.29).
   
   It is clear that Einstein loved science. It is not hard to understand from the writings in this book how he was a pacifist. He believed in democracy as an ideal, and not surprisingly, he declared in "Germany 1933" that "As long as I have any choice, I will only stay in a country where political liberty, toleration, and equality of all its citizens before the law are the rule" (p. 81).
   
   This is a great book - highly recommended.
   
   Amavilah, Author
   Modeling Determinants of Income in Embedded Economies
   ISBN: 1600210465

No comments about Reader's Digest My Most Unforgettable Character.

5 comments about The New Prince.

1. Mr. Morris' book is inspiring. I read the original Prince by Machiavelli, but it was inconclusive and difficult to apply to today's democratic standards (although there are some things that will never change). This book can be applied in all stations and situations of life, for all of these are relative.
   I believe that this is, truly, a guide to people--not just politics. It is a worthwhile read.



2. For many liberal Democrats like myself, Mr. Morris's plan to take the Democratic party rightward was a mixed blessing.

   On one hand, it cracked the Republican stranglehold on suburbia that hardened during the Reagan-Bush years and insulated Clinton from appearing too soft--charges that had plauged both George McGovern and Walter Mondale during their respective candidacies. On the other hand, it appropriated some of the very same imagery and concepts that people such as myself found repugnant such as overly simplistic notions of faith and family.

   Morris's observations come from a man who was in the trenches of what many people said was impossible past the 1960's--a two term Democratic adminstration that managed to retain the support of more solidly left groups on civil rights, reproductive issues and idenity politics while reaching out and embracing fiscal conservatives and moderates who would other wise believe that every democrat is uniformally of the "Tax and Spend" and "godless" variety.

   Indeed, there is a certain irony that a man who encouraged the Democratic party to downplay some of it's most distingushing principles on social policy wound up himself subject to some virtrolic character examinations following public disclosure of a political affair of his own. Although the resulting fallout did not profoundly impact his boss's success, it did damage Morris's own ability to effect political change and realignment.

   What had seemed creepy and moralizing before now appeared to be laughably hypocritical and ironically self-serving.




3. This is an interesting read. Morris describes how the new political system works. Since he and his best bud Bill Clinton upset the political formula in the nineties, this was something to behold.
   This book is chock full of good advice. I can repeat them here: have a message, focus that message to the voters, forget about the undecided-they don't vote anyway, stay positive, when the election turns dirty, focus on your opponents misrepresentations, etc. I don't think Morris actually followed this advice, but hey, what do you expect from a politician.
   I think this is sage advice. The messenger was bad. Americans don't like dirty campaigns. They want the message of what a person stands for. This is a book about how a good campaign should be run. For those considering running for an elective office, this is a very good read. It is Politics 101. I just wish the author was different.



4. I enjoyed THE NEW PRINCE, written and read by noted political
   strategist Dick Morris.
   
   He's the guy who helped secure President Clinton's comeback victory
   in 1996 . . . here, he takes the ideas first expressed in Niccolo
   Machiavelli's THE PRINCE some five centuries ago and updates
   them for the 21st century.
   
   Though written nearly 10 years ago, it still feels so fresh that it seems
   like both of the candidates currently running for President are applying
   the ideas . . . or at least they should be.
   
   For instance, among the many tidbits that I gained from listening were
   the following:
   
   * Issue messages are more effective than image ads in getting votes.
   They're also more effective in explaining the true character of the
   candidate.
   
   * Campaigns can't win if they are based solely on a negative message.
   
   * Voters pay little attention to allegations of scandal. After Clinton's
   impeachment, his popularity rose 5%.
   
   * Voters are a lot less concerned about the abstract qualities a
   candidate may have than they are about what he will do to help them
   in their own personal lives.
   
   * People are more inclined to vote for, not against.
   
   * The art of leadership is to maintain sufficient forward motion to control
   events and steer public policy without losing public support.
   
   And this one that every politician must remember:
   
   * After you lose, nurture your donors. Act like you didn't lose. And
   smile, even though it hurts.
   
   THE NEW PRINCE is just about essential reading for any candidate,
   regardless of whether running for a national, state or even local
   School Board office.



5. Dick Morris
   Tries mightily to bore us---
   Often on TV,
   Where he's an intellectual peewee.
   And Dick Morris
   Went with a whorris.
   His book
   Is politics with a meathook.
   He's as much like Machiavelli,
   As is Tony of the Soprani.

5 comments about Sound and Fury: Two Powerful Lives, One Fateful Friendship.

1. David Kindred has written what amounts to a duel biography of the controversial odd couple that is Muhammad Ali and Howard Cosell. The author tells us that Ali elected to not join the military because the Muslim Nation told him not to. To cross them was to literary toy with his life. The assassination of Malcolm X being used as an example. While not necessarily agreeing with Ali's decision Cosell supported Ali stating that taking his heavyweight championship away from him without any semblance of due process was completely wrong. There appears to be evidence that Cosell may have already been experiencing dementia when he came out with his second book entitled I Never Played the Game. Aware of the criticism in his book of his cronies in the TV booth for Monday Night Football Cosell was asked before publication whether he wanted to include these strong opinions. Since he always prided himself on telling it "like it is" he felt it would be hypocrisy of him not to do so now. Cosell was a devoted family man while Ali ventured into nocturnal delights. It was hard for sports fans to be neutral in regard to either of these men, but boxing was the ingredient that brought these two men together first in mutural respect and then in friendship. Incidentally, page 247 has a hilarious anecdote of Howard using his colorful vocabulary in breaking up fisticuffs involving teens in Kansas City. Whether you are a fan of either man or the part they played in sports you will find this to be an extremely enjoyable book to read.



2. Sound and Fury (14 hours, 11 cds, unabridged, Blackstone Audio) is a duel biography of Howard Cosell and Mohammed Ali.
   
   Sport writer Dave Kindred knew both men, he has written a bio that transcends his knowledge of both men. His text is an honest, no hold barred , warts and all biography. When a third person (like Kindred) writes a biography, he tends to put his personal touches with his own bias, this book is NOT that.The book showed an unlikely partnership created by media hype.
   
   In the audio narrative hands of Dick Hill, this audio project seems more like a docudrama in its scope. Hill's narrative voice takes on verbal personas of Cosell and Ali, without mocking them. His talent has grown from the days at Brilliance Audio.
   
   Sound and Fury is an amazing production . . . you won't forget it audio, long after you heard it
   
   Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD



3. Dave Kindred has done lovers of sports and history a favor with Sound and Fury.
   
   Using two cultural giants - Mohammad Ali and Howard Cosell - he has produced a fresh and readable social history of the latter half of the Twentieth Century. Let me be clear. I love Ali. Kindred refers to him as the most influential sports figure of the last century. In my mind, he understates the case; Ali is the most influential person of the last century.
   
   Cosell, on the other hand, may have hesitated to tell you he was. He was not. Trained as a lawyer and gifted with the ability to articulate complexity, he brought a thinking man's view to radio and television sports journalism.
   
   Individually, they were interesting. Together, they were hypnotizing. They produced controversy, drama and comedy almost every time they appeared together.
   
   Dave Kindred tells the story of this alliance from a unique perspective. As a newspaper and magazine sports columnist with nearly 40 years experience, he covered Ali's early fight days as a reporter for the Louisville Courier-Journal before moving on to the The Atlanta Journal- Courier and The Washington Post. He draws upon his experiences to re-create the Ali-Cosell story in ways I have never seen attempted.
   
   The result is a fascinating portrait of two outsized figures - their heroics and their demons. Drawing on personal observations, fresh reporting and interviews, Kindred writes a page-turning treatment of two lives that together changed sports, television and I would argue, the world, forever.



4. Where else but in American sports can an old, white, Jewish veteran befriend a young Black Muslim draft dodger? They may not have been friends who loved each other, but it was convenient for both of them. If you can't take advantage of a friend, then he's not. They had things in common. Both were driven. Both had over inflated egos. They were the greatest. If you don't believe it just ask them. Well, Howard Cosell is dead & Ali doesn't talk any more. Their early life & struggles are covered well so that you understand where they came from. Cosell was a World War II vet. He earned a law degree then decided he wanted to do sports on television. He was brash, obnoxious & smart. His relationship with Ali & Monday Night Football made him a nationally recognized sports journalist. Ali, originally Cassuius Clay had a fairly normal upbringing. Then he won Golden Gloves Championship & Olympic gold metal in 1960, that propelled him into his pro career. Before he was finished he had became & is the most recognizable man on earth. He was the world Heavyweight Champion, that most singular of all championships, three times.
   Ali was despised for his faith, his refusal to serve in the military & of course his race. Eventually, he overcame all these obstacles. The U.S. government pursued him, denying his draft deferment status. As a result he was also denied the right to box for several of what would have been his most productive years. He lost millions of $$$ & was stripped of his championship. Eventually, he was aquitted. Cosell covered him all along his journey. The author, Dave Kindred spends quite a bit of time on Ali's three fights with Joe Fraizer & rightly so. Ali's life has become an inspiration to kids on all continents but especially the impoverished millions in Africa. He was persecuted by his own government & cheated by the leaders of the Black Muslim faith that managed him. He apparently is now a quiet soul bearing no malice to anyone. Cosell on the other hand became embittered after his MNF gig. He wanted to be taken seriously as more than a sports announcer. When he wasn't he didn't take it well. Poor health eventually claimed him. A good sports book for all us fans of a certain age that remember Cosell & Ali in their prime.



5. Howard and Ali were pals...you can feel their love for each other in this book. We miss both of these players...

No comments about Martin Luther King, Jr: Young Man With a Dream, Library Edition (Ready Reader).

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No comments about Conduct Under Fire.

5 comments about Tearing Down the Wall of Sound: The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector.

1. I've read them all, and this is both the best-researched and best-written biography of Phil Spector. I got a fuller picture of Spector, the (troubled, neurotic, brilliant, unstable) man than I have from any other book. In addition, the author places Spector's work in its proper historic perspective, with great insights into the shifting world of pop music, from Spector's rise in the early 60s through his decline in the 70s. He interviewed many of those who helped to create the "wall of sound," so we get a good idea of how the Spector classics came to be, as well as innumerable amusing, interesting or, at times, appalling anecdotes. If you love Spector's music, or 60s pop in general, this is a must-read.



2. This book is so well writing that half way through after my wife got so sick of me talking about this jerk spector she tossed it in the fireplace just to make it stop. This guy got away with murder. NO doubt about it.



3. Interesting biography of a sick, sick puppy whose scant 2-3 years of true creativity have financed a hell of a lot of bad behavior and lulled our culture into thinking he's a legendary genius. Did you know that Phil's parents were first cousins? Eeeeeeew.



4. Phil Spector-Wasn't he the musical genius in the 60s and 70s, the man who created "the wall of sound?" Wasn't he the guy charged with murdering a 40-year-old actress Lana Clarkson whom he had just met. Spector is both-but so much more in between.
   
   I appreciated the thoroughness of this book. Brown left no aspect of Spector's life unexamined. We ride the highs and lows of his work with the Ronettes, The Righteous Brothers, Cher, and other famous groups and individuals (including two former Beattles), and too many others to mention.
   
   Counted as a friend were John Lennon and Lenny Bruce, who both died young. He shared with many of his friends the experience of father abandonment (his committed suicide when he was 9).
   
   Spector often co-wrote songs (or simply added his name) and was a very accomplished musician on several instruments. He had a keen ear for the right combination of instruments and sounds.
   
   The Righteous Brothers "Lost that Loving Feeling" (produced by Spector) is the most requested song ever-first to exceed 7 million performances. But Spector was so difficult to work with because of his demands and eccentric behavior that many worked with him only once.
   
   Brown filled the 466 pages with so much info I was often on overload (happily). Every story showed Spector bordering on genius-and madman-often at the same time. He was eccentric in both clothing and hairstyle, and loved being noticed, even negatively. Once he had the status of needing bodyguards, he could be rude and they'd handle things.
   
   A loyal secretary said, "I don't think Phil likes himself as much as other people like him," and he was forever trying to prove himself, mostly to himself. He didn't know what happiness was. A former girlfriend said, "I don't think he minded being thought of as neurotic, but he didn't want to show that he was venerable." For multimillionaire Spector, money did not buy happiness.
   
   I found the book fascinating and would recommend it to anyone who loved music from that era-or reading about a genius who fell hard. Only a small portion of the book is devoted to the 2003 murder and trial, the first ending in a mistrial in 2007.
   
   Armchair Interview says: Brown, a British journalist, author and broadcaster, used a very even-handed approach to Spector's life, and it is obvious he also really knows the music business.



5. Phil Spector is an important person in the history of American pop culture, and is definitely worthy of this treatment. He's also a severly damaged and flawed person, and probably a murderer as well. This book makes no excuses for the flaws, but does not sensationalize them either -- there is balance in the book which, in my opinion, makes the subject easier to understand.
   
   I also agree with the previous reviewer who suggested reading this book with an iPod full of Phil's hits.