5 comments about Measure of a Man, The: A Spiritual Autobiography.

1. I first encountered Poitier on screen in the film, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?, which my father insisted I watch with him along with many other classic films. Though I later couldn't recall many particulars about that movie, the memory of an urbane Black man exuding integrity and elegance stuck with me. I later had the pleasure of watching many of his other movies of which my favorite is, Lilies of the Field. So when I saw this book's spine while browsing in a used bookstore, it was a quick decision to buy it.
   
   Poitier refers to this book as a "spiritual autobiography" where he records his ruminations on life in contrast to an earlier autobiography which was simply a "book about my life". As I read, I imagined I heard Poitier's pleasing voice speaking to me in the many colloquial expressions that characterize the style of the book: "You see?", "Listen to me...", "You hear?". But Poitier combines this casualness with touching eloquence: "Well, I'm no scientist, and certainly I don't have Carl Sagan's technical understanding of the universe and our position within it. I simply believe that there's a very organic, immeasurable consciousness of which we're a part. I believe that this consciousness is a force so powerful that I'm incapable of comprehending its power through the puny instrument of my human mind. And yet I believe that this consciousness is so unimaginably calibrated in its sensitivity that not one leaf falls in the deepest of forests on the darkest of nights unnoticed." Sorry, Carl Sagan, but I'm with Sidney Poitier when it comes to appreciating how intimately connected we humans are with the universe.
   
   Included in the book is a delightful description of meeting Katherine Hepburn for the first time as they were preparing to film, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?: "When I arrived at her door and that door opened, she looked at me and didn't say a word and didn't crack a smile. But that was her M.O. After the longest while, she said, `Hello, Mr. Poitier,' and I said, `Hello, Miss Hepburn,' and the conversation began. I could tell that I was being sized up every time I spoke, every response I made. I could imagine a plus and a minus column, notations in her mind." Scenes such as this spoke to me as a member of a relatively small ethnic minority in the United States - Asian America. I found myself contemplating the possibility of an Asian-American Sidney Poitier to charismatically and with integrity shift Hollywood portrayals beyond demeaning stereotypes.
   
   I'm glad I found the book (or the book found me) as I find myself referring to it as an example of not giving in to bitterness, the importance of integrity, the truth about the interconnectedness of all things, and that at least for some members of the Hollywood community, spirituality does exist.



2. I bought this book in the hopes that it would be interesting enough to keep my attention...boy way I right! Once I started, I couldn't put it down! Mr. Poitier writes so eloquently that you feel as though you are experiencing and seeing everything first-hand.



3. Brilliantly written novel! But than nothing less could be expected from Sidney Poitier. Also for all of you that are learning English as a second language it is an example of modern American English at its best. This is as good as it gets!



4. I read this book and I loved it. It is a moving story about Poitiers early life in the Bahamas, how poor people lived, racism, his bout with prostate cancer, friends,family, and film career. It is a well written book and I absolute love Sidney Poitier as an actor and a man. I loved his movies Lillies of the Field, Heat of the Night, Patch of Blue, Blackboard Jungle, and To Sir with Love which are some of the ones I enjoyed watching on tv. He is such a versatile actor and writer and handsome too. My 81 year old Mother loves him too. I cant wait to pick up the book that he wrote about his grand grandaughter (MESSAGES). For those of you who love Sidney Poitier, or a great biographical read. GET THIS BOOK. Wonderfully written and moving.



5. I very much enjoyed this book. This book focuses on his life, and his decision-making, and what he has learned through the journey. It is a good way to get some biographical information about him, and to see him as a real person - a normal person, not an actor. If you are looking for a lot of tidbits about his acting career, you might want to try another book. This book touches on those things, but it is not the focus. Very good read.

5 comments about Leading with My Chin.

1. I have read this book at least THREE times. I've given it to almost everyone I know. I gave it to my nephew when he was 14. One day, we saw him shaking and crying on his bed. When I asked what was wrong, he rolled over and handed me this book!!!! He couldn't even speak, he just pointed to the part he wanted me to read. It is soooo funny. Whenever my mother feels down, she just opens it up to any page and it cheers her up. If I ever met Jay, I'd tell him this is my favorite book. I made the mistake of taking it when I was waiting to see if I would be picked for jury duty. I kept laughing out loud and everyone kept looking at me. It really is funny. I don't know if his life was this funny, or if he left out most of the bad stuff, but if you have ANY sense of humor at all, GET THIS BOOK!



2. As a comedian starting the biz in 1990 myself, I enjoy reading these comedian autobiographies. It is very interesting to see how different the industry was back when some of these guys, who paved the path for the rest of us, started. I've always heard great things about Leno, that he is the hardest working guy in show business and one of the friendliest guys in the industry. He is supposedly very supportive and I know he did a free show every year at Zanies in Chicago for all unemployed people, who showed their unemployment checks to get in.
   
   The book tells some of the best stories I've heard of coming up in the business. Leno started back when there weren't comedy clubs, more playboy rooms and strip clubs. He was one of the first club regulars and no doubt his skill, along with the others at that time, helped make the comedy club scene big. (Although I've heard criticisms about his Tonight Show monologues, Jay is known in the industry to have been one of the most talented comedians ever back when he was touring regularly.)
   
   Jay recalls episodes of his life in an easy-to-read style and isn't afraid to tell stories revealing his strong respect and love for his parents. My favorite story wasn't a funny one at all; it was the one where Jay got his first car, even a passion back then, spent lots of time and money to get it all fixed up and was sitting in his high school classroom, staring out the window at impending sudden doom of rain, looking at his convertabile with the top down. He couldn't get to it. Suddenly, his parents drove up and... you'll have to read the book for the rest of the story.
   
   It's also really cool to read about the other up and comers Jay came in contact with in his early years, as well as those who didn't make it or passed before their time. Among them are Jerry Seinfeld and Robin Williams. A fun, quick read for anyone who enjoys standup comedy or wants to read about a grateful star, of which there is a great shortage of today.



3. Sorry I don't usually swear...but the message I took away from this book was a standup comedian's life is hell! And Jay Leno deserves to make millions a year for being stick-to-itive. While hitchhiking, he was picked up by mean men. He slept in a garage near a car because a manager of a comedy club claimed he provided comedians with a "condo". He worked in tacky, dark places. It was awful. I'm glad he made it big! He didn't have a super affectionate family. But Leno describes them with loving acceptance.



4. Comedy is difficult to rate because personal taste accounts for a large degree of one's perception of the material. I have always been a fan of Jay Leno and appreciate his sense of humor, hence Leading With my Chin was very enjoyable. It falls right in line with the sense of humor you anticipate from watching the Tonight Show or any of his stand-up routines; however it is not merely a series of jokes as Leno presents an account of his life growing up in Massachusetts. If you appreciate Leno's wit and have interest in discovering the life that helped developed his sense of humor, you will enjoy this book.



5. I thought this book would be interesting but didn't realize it would be this funny. There are several stories in this book that made me laugh out loud, to the point where I had to be careful reading it at night and waking up hubby. Jay Leno's memoirs of growing up in Massachusetts and breaking into show business are both poignant and hilarious. You get an appreciation of what he had to go through to get to where he is, and he tells all these stories for the funny absurd situations that they were.
   
   Having also grown up with Italian family in the Massachusetts North Shore area, I could relate to many of the scenes in the book, for example his dad loudly demanding "WHAT KIND OF POTADAHS ARE THESE?!" in the audience of a club where Jay was performing. But there are also plenty of stories from his days in New York and later in Hollywood that you don't have to be from Massachusetts to relate to.

5 comments about Raising the Hunley: The Remarkable History and Recovery of the Lost Confederate Submarine.

1. To a Civil War buff, the story of the Hunley is irresistable. The book begins with the conception and execution of the "fish boat" in Mobile and continues with its introduction into service in Charleston. The book then interweaves the distant past with the very recent past, telling the tale of the boat's crews (3 crews, none who answered to 'Lucky') and the tale of the multiple personalities involved in raising her some 135 years later. The writing is only adequate; the story of the boat and her design is more interesting reading than that of her crew and her salvagers. Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable book that can easily be read in one (pleasant) day.



2. I first ran across the story of the Hunley in a popular journal on archaeology and was fascinated by the tale of courage, desperation, and originality. Subsequently I saw parts of a film on the subject, and I was hooked. I found the book by Brian Hicks, Schuyler Kropf in Amazon.com's menu and decided to pursue more information on the subject.

   The authors are journalists rather than professional historians or archaeologists, but they do have a talent for writing and a sense of the character of the South and Civil War history that gives the book a more readable quality. They also seem to have researched their topic well. The final pages of the book recount their efforts to follow the "fish boat's" story from first inception to final successful strike against the USS Housatonic, a Union ship participating in the blockade of the Charleston harbor. Considering that the Hunley was a secret weapon and a stealth weapon at that, its paper trail would be expected to be a difficult one to follow. The authors made a remarkable success of it, giving life to their subject.

   Interesting too was the narrative of the Hunley's resurrection and restoration. The serendipitous survival of the boat in a nearly intact condition is itself an amazing story. The great care with which it was removed from the water and painstakingly preserved is a credit to underwater archaeology. Certainly it could easily have been a disaster. What the preserved remains had to say about the vessel itself: its construction, its advanced styling, the likelihood of it's having continued to be water free for long enough to allow small stalactites to form, etc. made it an even more entertaining study. It's definitely on par with the Titanic for human interest.




3. If your interests run to one of the most ingenious achievements in naval history, the gritty determination of desperate men, or simply a good, old-fashioned mystery, this book should captivate you as much as it did me. The authors have sifted through rarified documents and firsthand accounts to present a very intriguing story as only investigative writers in Charleston might. The real merit of this book is its careful, reader friendly presentation of what could otherwise have been an abstruse topic. Here are basic charts, drawings, photos, expert insights, interviews, and personal backgrounds all introduced in historical context. Throughout the book appropriate facts are cleverly recalled and embroidered in the story of the evolving discoveries. When you finally put this book down, you will wish it could have been twice as long and had provided answers to the Hunley's remaining mysteries.



4. An absolutely fascinating book. In depth and accurate historical research
   gives this book its feeling that the authors where there as it happened. A
   work of non-fiction that can be as exciting as a work of fiction, but it is all true !!



5. What an exciting and informative book! Part history, part research, part archealogy, but all joined and very readable. The incredible dedication and bravery of the crews who parished aboard the "fish-boat" deserve the highest honor. These men of the past never gave up, just as the modern day team who had to move natural and govermental mountains to raise her from her watery grave. Since the research is on going and the mysteries haven't been all solved this book does not have the definative answers, I try to log unto the hunley.org site periodically to check for new developments. It's well worth reading by anyone interested in Civil War history, early submarine warfare or archealogy.

2 comments about When Heaven & Earth Changed Places.

1. Le Ly Hayslip's novel gave a new insight into the Vietnam War that many Americans are reluctant to look at. Because the war was fought on the soil of her homeland, it not only took away her brothers and father, but unthread the basic foundation of her life. Le Ly was forced into the war because of her residence not political affiliations. Le Ly is a strong woman forced into a difficult situation and survives with a message for the world. It is definately worth hearing.



2. The book follows the first twenty years of Hayslip's life, beginning in the Vietnamese village of Ky La. The United States/Vietnam war begins early in her life, and she discovers that her centrally located village is stuck in the middle. By day the villagers are technically controlled by the U.S./Republican force, and threatened to ensure their loyalty, but by night the Viet Cong attacks and claims the village for their own, a process which is reversed the next day. The villagers try to pacify each side, and many are destroyed by both. Hayslip tells her family's story- they alternatively first for and are attacked by the Viet Cong, depending on the changes in the wind.
   
   Quote: "The least you did- the least any of us did- was our duty. For that we must be proud."
   
   I liked this book very much. Although I sometimes found it difficult to keep abreast of the movements back and forth in time, it generally fit together fairly well. Hayslip does not blame either side for the war- in fact, she is attempting to make both sides understand one another better- despite the fact that she suffered brutally from both. Instead, she tells her story to share the futility of war to get the average person what they really want in life: family around them, lasting love, watching children grow old- peace.

5 comments about Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII.

1. David Starkey's 'Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII' is obviously a highly researched piece of work. I've read many Tudor biographies, and this is by far the most extensive I have ever laid eyes on. But unfortunately I have more bad than good to say about it.
   
   What good I can say is trivial. It's a large, long book that takes some concentration and thought to get through. Starkey knew his material well before getting down to business, although I don't believe he wrote about everything he could have. In the space of 765 pages (not counting the index and notes, which took an additional 80+ pages) there is so much information on the politics of Henry VIII's marriages, one cannot help but feel some awe. But that is where the interest ends for me as a reader. Unlike with the Tudor biographies of Alison Weir and Antonia Fraser, I wasn't drawn into the story in the least. And this is where the bad begins.
   
   Where should I start? First of all, the book is completely unbalanced. Well over 300 pages are devoted to the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn, while barely 40 explain the relationship with Anne of Cleves. The same can be said for the story of Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr. Perhaps there really is much, much more to the relationship between Boleyn and Henry Tudor, but I still believe that a balance could have been found and more depth explored with Henry's other wives.
   
   Many reviewers have lashed out against Starkey's language and grammar. While I'm no English expert, I must agree that it's difficult to "get into" the story and stay focused on Starkey's writings. And yes, he does tend to ask too many questions and doesn't hesitate to express his opinion, and stick with it, over historical facts.
   
   And last for this review, but certainly not least and not the truly last of my personal complaints against the book, is Starkey's blatant disregard for other historians and authors. In his introduction, he denounces the books of Fraser and Weir (with author names), which totally lacks class and respect and in my opinion. And that's far from the only time he does such a thing. I remember at one point in the book, just after the birth of Elizabeth (daughter of Henry and Anne Boleyn), Starkey denounced, with a bit of cool arrogance, the "unsubstantiated" claim that Anne wanted to breast-feed Elizabeth but Henry wouldn't allow it. I won't deny that I have read about this before and that I really don't know if it's true or not, as I am not a hard-core historian. But I am curious as to why Starkey believes, as he seems to in many sections of his book, that his is the one and only true version of events. How does he know that? And just because there is no hard evidence for certain events, how does Starkey know that they did or didn't happen?
   
   PBS created a mini-series based on Starkey's book (Starkey himself narrated) which turned out to be worse than the book. It's a sorry thing that a book so long and informative should turn out so uninteresting, but it did.



2. Starkey's writing is terrible! First off, he thinks his view is the one, true, right one and all other Tudor biographers got it wrong! He has an annoying habit of making ridiculous assuptions about the personalities of the queens. He puts them into misogynistic,cartoonish categories--he dismisses Jane Seymour as a boring, mousey doormat, then speculates whether that was all really a *calculated act* on her part! I guess that's the only way she could be interesting to him as he seems to relish the conniving/bitchy/vamp portraits he paints of Ann Boleyn and Catherine Howard. Starkey supposes that 16th c. queens reacted to certain situations in a flippant manner as would modern teenagers, or teens on the "O.C." This is so ridiculous. These were patriarchal times and these queens were literally fighting for their lives. I can't believe some people loved this steaming pile of poop! This book is a waste of time and money! It isn't fit to line my bird's cage!



3. Friends, this is an excellent book. If you were to watch his DVD series on Elizabeth and other Tudor monarchs, you would clearly see that David Starkey is an excellent scholar, has an outstanding grasp of the Tudor monarchs, is quite articulate, and can take the highly complex issues and explain them in a very understandable way. This book is no exception. It is very intelligently written, is helpful, and not just a rehash of other scholars.
   
   I find Megan's reveiw of this book so far from reality and utterly foolish as to be offensive. Her suggestion that one could learn as much from a story book is utterly absurd. Undoubtedly, her review must be the result not only of pure bias but also of pure inebriation.



4. I read this book with great deal relish in thinking that I might get fresh perception on the history of the six wives of Henry VIII. What I found was an easy to read, easy to understand, well researched but highly opinionated book. I think the author tries so hard to be different from other historians and books on this subject that he managed to turned opinions and conjuctures into facts as he see it.
   
   Most of the book deals with two wives, Katherine of Aragon and Ann Boleyn. The rise, love and fall of both women who dominated much of Henry's life takes up much of the author's book. The rest of the four wives, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Katherine Parr all got parred down, almost like an summarized aftermath after the two main events. I always thought each woman was pretty unique. (Henry seems to like "Katherine or Catherine as a name in his women.)
   
   This book also proves to be dominated by Henry VIII as he's in almost every single page once he's crowned. From this book, the reader will have a good understanding about how Henry deals with his interpersonal relationship with his wives. You may have a better understanding of Katherine of Aragon and Ann Boleyn even if you may not agreed with many of the author's opinions. But after that, the rest of the four wives adds nothing to what lies published before this book.
   
   I would recommend Allison Weir or Antonia Fraser books on this subject initially. I would recommend this book only for experienced readers of this subject matter. Reason for that is that the author proves to be too opinionated in his writing and it would be best if you read this book if you got a good grounding on the subject.



5. David Starkey's "Six Wives" is very engaging and easy to read, despite the intimidating weight of the hardcover. Starkey is a brilliant historian and he breathes life into his subjects as he covers their life and times. He is an expert on all things Elizabethan and readers can trust that his interpretation of events always has extensive research behind it. The few pages of prints in the center of the book are a nice addition, though personally, I wish there were illustrations of the various castles and manors as well as the formal portraits we are given.

5 comments about Three Cups of Tea (Playaway Adult Nonfiction).

1. I spend a lot of time reading books, magazine and newspaper articles, and watching TV programs that pertain to work being done by nonprofits and NGOS. I spent part of my career in the nonprofit world and have volunteered in my community for as long as I can remember as my mother is also very committed to service.
   
   I talk to friends about their nonprofit work and my company gives generously to a whole host of these organizations. I have a carefully chosen few organizations that I donate to and if friends send me a notice that they are running a race or taking part in some other way to raise money for a charity they believe in, I'm good for a donation. Lately I've been feeling the need to do more and I'm not sure if that means joining a board, lending my business expertise on a pro-bono basis, or committing a great amount of volunteer time. Maybe it means starting my own nonprofit.
   
   Because of my interest in education, especially that of girls in developing nations, I picked up a copy of Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. The book charts the course that Greg Mortenson took to building schools first in the village of Korphe in Pakistan, then all over that country, and most recently in Afghanistan. I was so moved by Greg's story that about 50 pages through the book I went to the website to make a donation. He is compelling, engaging, passionate, and he's in the field for all the right reasons.



2. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
   
   Greg Mortenson has set a bar so high that it is beyond the reach of most of us. However, as a female Geography teacher, for many years I have explained to my students every semester that one of the biggest problems in the world today is the lack of educational opportunities for females. Thank you, Greg, for helping to alleviate that problem. Also, as a Geography teacher, I particularly appreciated the incredible descriptions of places I will never be able to visit. Thank you David Relin. This is a fabulous book.



3. This is a great book that shows how a combination of commitment, focus, and dedication can bring about remarkable changes for others. A must read for those interested in making a difference in the lives of others!



4. It's hard to put into words my feelings after reading this book. It should be required reading for every American. Greg Mortenson's story reads like a non-stop Indiana Jones Adventure. "Dr. Greg", as he is known throughout Pakistan and Afghanistan, proves that one person really can make a difference. His passionate mission to promote peace by building one school at a time in some of the world's most dangerous territories will amaze and inspire you.
   
   Greg navigates his way through dangerous social, political and religious mazes as he strives to bring secular education to the poorest and most remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Just when you think he's literally about to loose his life, he manages emerge victorious yet again by winning supporters and allies in the most unlikely places simply by honestly and passionately sharing his vision.
   
   People like Greg make me think there really is hope for world peace. I can't think of anyone more deserving of a Nobel Peace Prize than Greg Mortenson.
   
   [...]



5. I just finished reading Three Cups of Tea. I found the story compelling, and perhaps life-changing. Contrary to others, I did not find it poorly told, and I was often moved to tears. This is an excellent book which should be a must read for anyone in our US administration, to see what one man with vision can accomplish.

5 comments about Don't Make Me Stop This Car!: Adventures in Fatherhood.

1. Simply stated, this is the worst book I have ever read. In fact, I have to admit that this is the first book I can remember not being able to finish. It's just that bad. By the time I abandoned "Don't make me stop this car", approximately a third of the way through the book, the baby hadn't even been born yet. Instead, Roker spends over 100 pages walking the reader through every painful, minute detail of he and his wife's efforts to get pregnant, including a miscarriage and the step-by-step details of her artificial insemination. Anybody with kids will care less, because they'll have already gone through it themselves. Anybody without kids will care less, because there's just nothing interesting to read about. Have I mentioned how bad this book is???? As I write this, used copies of "Don't make me stop this car" are available on Amazon starting at...



2. Frankly, I am disappointed. I thought this book would be humor filled. I guess I was hoping for another like "Bill Cosby: Himself". This was not to be.

   All the other reviews are excellent, but I cannot recommend this one. Where he tried to be funny about his wife and things they went through, I thought instead he was being utterly RUDE toward and about his wife. He even criticizes his wife when he asked her to look over and critique his manuscript and she left her opinion for him. Why ask her opinion if he is just going to throw her suggestions back into her face?

   I do not recommend this book to anyone and that is a rare thing for me to do.




3. I expected something really funny and light. Instead, I learned WAY too much about the birth of one of Al Roker's children. I walked away thinking that I had learned a lot more about what a wonderful person Al Roker is......but the title led me to believe that I would have something funny to listen to over and over again.



4. By now, I've probably read this book three or four times. Although the beginning was a bit boring, a couple of chapters in I got really into it. All of it was told with a bit of a funny tint. You can tell he loves his kids through it!



5. This book on tape, read by Al Roker himself is a mixed bag. There are laugh out loud moments and sweet moments, but generally speaking the book has too many filler moments, WAY too much information about his second wife's attempts to get pregnant and sometimes is sickeningly sentimental. The last half of the book saves the first half from being a total disaster.

5 comments about Next of Kin: What Chimpanzees Tell Us About Who We Are.

1. Although this book was written some time ago, it is exceptionally timely because the relevance of chimp behavior to our own continues to unfold. The devotion the author invests in his charges and the passion he feels about the atrocities visited on chimps both in the laboratory and in the wild drive his story. This abuse is reinforced by the backward and ignorant thinking that stems from bible thumpers who fear the truth about evolution and man's close relationship to apes. Roger Fouts and his wife have provided an invaluable service to our understanding of chimps, and their research related to sign language is truly stunning. They have succeeded in accomplishing their observation and reporting against considerable odds. All these aspects, and the Fouts' fully rounded examination of their subjects make for a gripping and emotional tale well told.



2. At age 62, I still look for writers who will change and deepen my sense of our human nature and our place in the natural world. More than writers about religion per se, I think these writers are able to help us advance our moral and spiritual understanding and reconcile our human/animal natures. For some years I've been reading Goodall and others on primates, but Next of Kin was, for me, a pinnacle illumination. Even if you aren't interested in these types of questions, I think this book will move you deeply. If you ARE interested, may I also suggest the recent Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets.Take Me With You When You Go



3. A must-read for any animal lover. Roger Fouts and the recently deceased chimpanzee Washoe are my heroes.



4. "Next of Kin: My Conversations with Chimpanzees" is one of the most amazing, heartbreaking, and inspirational books I've ever read. The book is written by Roger Fouts, a primatologist who devoted his life to studying the language patterns of chimpanzees. While in graduate school, Roger was introduced to Washoe, a precocious young chimp who became fluent in American Sign Language. Eventually "Project Washoe" expanded to include many chimpanzees, all who learned to communicate with humans using ASL and demonstrated unique personalities, complex emotions, and astounding intelligence.
   
   I've always been a big animal lover, but reading this book taught me so many things that I never knew before. Anyone who questions an animal's ability to think or feel will get a sharp reality check after reading this book. Chimpanzees are people, too, just as much as human beings are. Unfortunately, the majority if humans in this world don't agree with that logic, and thousands of animals, including chimpanzees, are routinely kidnapped from their natural habitats and bred in captivity for the sole purpose of participating in biomedical research. In many cases, medical laboratories house animals in appalling conditions and literally torture them to death. "Next of Kin" details the horrors that go on behind closed doors at biomedical laboratories, and chronicles the steps Fouts and other animal activists have taken to protect chimpanzees from being treated inhumanely.
   
   I absolutely loved this book. Reading it made me feel close to Washoe and her chimpanzee friends, even though I never met any of them before. (Sadly, Washoe passed away last fall at the age of 42, but I hope to visit members of her family at the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute in Washington someday.) Parts of this book are incredibly depressing and difficult to read, but hopefully learning about the terrible ways animals are treated will inspire people to take action. I admire everything that Fouts, his family, and his colleagues have done to protect chimpanzees, who are our next of kin on the great evolutionary scale. I hope other readers get as much out of this book as I did.



5. A very readable & enjoyable book. I especially enjoyed the chapter on autism & the origin of language. Fritjof Capra's book "Hidden Connections" referenced this informative & amusing text including the link between brain function involved with hand gesture, signing, & tongue movements that unexpectedly led to the promotion the uptake of speech in autistic.
   There are many insights into the shared psychology of humans & other primates. Despite the physiological and genetic similarities of all primates that have made chimps attractive model organisms for research,it was interesting to read about the reluctance of biological scientists to accept the anthropomorphic traits of chimps. There can be little room for a claim to "value-free" objectivity by biomedical researchers who can apparently dismiss the psychological effects of enforced confinement & sensory deprivation, on the effectiveness of anti-viral medications, or a range of other pharmaceuticals. The author has shown considerable bravery & commitment to expanding this area of learning, despite the threats against his personal career by people with vested interests in ignoring or denying the contradictions to their implicit or explicit values.

No comments about The family : the real story of the Bush dynasty.

5 comments about When Pride Still Mattered : A Life of Vince Lombardi.

1. I picked up this book after hearing a strong recommendation. I knew next to nothing about Vince Lombardi, other than that he was an excellent football coach. Very glad I bought the book as this was a particularly engrossing biography.
   
   The author was very thorough in his research and traces Lombardi's life in detail for his full nearly 60 years. He provides a lot of detail on Lombardi's strengths and weaknesses. At times I wanted to slug him and tell him to quit being so intense about football and pay more attention to his family. Other times, I found myself admiring the daylights out of him. It is astonishing to think he could take the most losing team in football and turn them into major winners in just one season.
   
   There's a lot of food for thought in this biography. Is winning really so important that you should sacrifice your family and your health? Is success really success if you never enjoy it? As a recovering perfectionist, I saw many powerful examples from Lombardi's life about why I DON'T want to be a perfectionist! Nothing is ever good enough, and you never, ever get to be happy. That is one lesson in Lombardi's life that really comes blasting out of every story.
   
   If you like biographies, you will really enjoy this one. Glad I decided to pick it up.
   
   Jan Dahlin Geiger, author of "Get Your Assets in Gear! Smart Money Strategies" Get Your Assets in Gear! Smart Money Strategies



2. I couldn't help feeling that I was right there in frozen Green Bay, in the 1960s, at one of the Lombardis' Sunday post-game cocktail parties, and everywhere else Vince Lombardi went in his life, while reading this great book.
   It's a great read, very vivid, about a great coach and (as Maraniss illustrates) not the greatest father in the world. In other words, a portrait of a human being who did great things with his work, but who had foibles like everybody else.



3. This is the best sports biography that I've ever read, and is the gold standard by which I rate every other sports bio. I originally read the book when it was published in 1999 and decided to read it again. I didn't realize that I had forgotten so many details. Many of the games discussed I remember like it was yesterday. If you were a Packer's or NFL fan from the 60s this is a must read book.
   
   I'm very skeptical of Amazon's public reviews as I find 80% +++ of the reviewers are too easily impressed (especially business/investment books). Most grossly overrate books. With such skepticism, I did scan through a page or two of the now 138 reviews to see why anybody would give this book < 5. Two compliants said it had too much minutia and wrote too much about Vince's early life. I find that most if not all biographies talk too much about the person's early life and the person's lineage. I usually scan the early chapters of a biography until I get into the person's adult years. On my second reading of this book I picked it up around Vince's time at West Point.
   
   One last point about the author. I've also read First in His Class & his book about Roberto Clemente. Both were excellent books. However, Maraniss did co-author a book with a younger woman, who's title I forget. It was obvious from the reading that the woman had written most of the book and Maraniss wrote little of the book. His name may have been listed as a co-author to sell books.



4. Presidential biographer David Maraniss ("First in His Class") turned his attentions away from Washington, D.C., and towards Lambeau Field in this remarkable book. His subject was Coach Vince Lombardi, who took over a losing program and turned Green Bay, Wisconsin, the smallest market in professional sports, into "Title Town, U.S.A."
   
   Immediately prior to Lombardi's acceptance of the head coaching position, the Packers managed to win only a single game in an entire season. In short order, Lombardi made Green Bay synonymous with victory. The trophy given to the team that wins the Super Bowl is now named for Lombardi. The Packers won the inaugural Super Bowl and repeated the following year under their celebrated head coach.
   
   Lombardi was a star player for Fordham when that university still had a football program. He developed and refined his coaching abilities at the high school level and he was promoted to assistant coaching positions at the United States Military Academy (West Point) and with the New York Giants of the NFL.
   
   As Maraniss demonstrates, Lombardi enjoyed influence throughout the country during the Sixties: he became a much sought after business conference speaker and Richard M. Nixon even contemplated offering him a place on the political ticket of the Republican Party for a brief time.
   
   This is a superior biography and a document of a time that now has gone.



5. This is the complete Vince Lombardi book. The author has left no stone unturned it seems and goes into great depth in looking at what made Lombardi tick.
   
   It is not a shrine to the greatness of Lombardi book, the author does write about the Coach's flaws (lack of attention to family) but it is so engrossing that I was upset when the final chapters on Lombardi's death were being read.
   
   Maybe the book is a smidgen too long, there were times that it seemed to drag a little but all in all, a great book.