2 comments about A Study Guide to The Scarlet Letter.

1. Very Goo



2. i had to read this book during my english class.At first it was boring then once you get to the second chapter you won't put the book down. It shows you how mixed feelings people get when adultry is committed. Love does some crazy stuff to people. So go find this book and read it. You won't forget it.

5 comments about The Path to Power.

1. Sure, I have a personally inscribed copy, and consider this book one of the greatest treasures of my library, held along with the cherished memory of meeting Lady Thatcher. But, as you know by now, I can remain completely objective. This is a wonderful book.

   If you are at all interested in Torys, conservatives, or strong female leadership, this is a must read. I found the discussion fascinating, although, yes, as an attention span challenged American, a tad tedious in spots. However, it's well worth the effort.

   Also look for "Downing Street Years", for additional writings by Lady Thatcher.




2. In this book, the prequel to her more successful (and essentially more interesting) volume entitled 'The Downing Street Years', Margaret Thatcher gives us a glimpse into her life, and the events and people who shaped her, basically, who made her who she is.

   You'll learn about her time at university, her early days in politics from a personal standpoint (for instance, she used to do her own ironing to press dresses immediately before going out, as she couldn't afford to have them pressed, and other small details like this abound), early days in the government and then leading up to the time in opposition prior to the elections of 1979.

   Thatcher also adds a postscript to this book, completed after the account of her time as Prime Minister, in which she gives her prescriptions for a better Britain and Europe (in some ways, she might agree that her stance on the Eurocurrency is a la Nancy Reagan, i.e., 'Just say No!'). She has a few swipes at John Major, the man she helped into power, perhaps hoping to be able to be an active and effective agent from behind the scenes. Major retaliates a bit in his own autobiography.

   In all, unless you're REALLY into British politics or Thatcher personally, this book could be easily missed. Read 'The Downing Street Years', and, as I've seen you can often pick this book up for some bargain-bin price, buy it so as to have the set. And you might peruse a chapter here and there.

   It does have a good style of writing, but goes on quite a bit. Historians will appreciate it, but I often wonder if politicians think that most will actually read through all this material, considering they are invariably written when the author is off the centre stage?




3. How did a young woman from nowhere (Thatcher describes her childhood background in the kindest way possible but it was the last place you'd expect to find greatness) rise to become a politician and then Prime Minister of Great Britain? Baroness Thatcher tells the story of her life with humor and restraint. She never uses being a woman as a crutch or excuse and although she obviously loved her husband and children the main focus of the book is what was going on in her head. Tough, stubborn and bold she slowly pushes forward through school, through a legal career, through the back benches and finally when the chance for the highest office in the land comes her way she pounces on it.

   Path to Power is excellent reading for those who find Parliment to be incomprehensible, for those who wonder if an American woman can ever be another Thatcher and for those who simply like a Horatio Alger story. Now, is it a bit dry? Yep, it certainly is but you didn't really expect gooey girl talk from Margaret Thatcher, did you?




4. A Decent Memoir, June 28, 2004
   
   This was a decent read, though I think that Lady Thatcher hastily wrote it as a prequel to the more celebrated "Downing Street Years." That being said, it was interesting to read about her rise from backbencher to Conservative Party leader. In grabbing the reigns of Tory leadership, she toppled a mindset that accepted Britain's economic decline as being part of "the natural order of things." She also offers insights on the European and international scenes during the middle to late 1970s. On this, she criticized the idea of detente as being a recipe for disaster. The memoir ends with Britain's so-called Winter of Discontent, which propelled her into Downing Street.



5. Just how did the grocer's daughter end up on No. 10 Downing Street? Grit, conviction, and her famous steel backbone combined with an razor sharp wit to boot. Lady Thatcher rivals Sir Winston Churchill as being one of the greatest international leaders of the 20th century. This is her own account of the path she took to topple decades of Labour Party Socialism that crippled Britain. But what do you expect from someone who would let nothing stop her? At 17 the young Margaret Roberts was refused recommendation by her headmistress to receive a scholarship to Oxford University. The reason was that she did not complete three years of Latin. Margaret went directly to the Admissions office and challenged the entrance exam. She crammed three years of Latin into three months and sat as an independent. Margaret aced the test and studied chemistry at Oxford before becoming a tax lawyer and politician. Thatcher stood up to the coal miners, stood up to the unions, and stood up for Britain. She earned the title Iron Lady by taking a stand and never bending in the name of popularity. Her wrath was to the debilitating social welfare state what Churchill's "Bulldog defiance" was to the Axis powers during WW2.

5 comments about Madness: A Bipolar Life.

1. Not to detract from the seriousness of the author's journey, Madness: A Bipolar Life also contains a very sweet love story. It is not easy to love someone with mental health complications, and during the book I kept expecting to read of an unbalanced relationship, where he was the protector, and she was the victim. Instead, Ms. Hornbacher distills a mix of humor, uncertainity and unyielding affection to show a real relationship with her husband, Jeff. In doing that, she gives hope to us all.



2. I found this book to be extremely captivting. I could not put it down. I have a family member who is bipolar, and I really think this was a wonderful account of the disease. I would recommend this to anyone who wants an inside look at this disease.



3. I did not like the way this book was written at all. I also thought she was just rambling on and on. She allowed herself to live in so much madness for so long because she would not listen to her Dr.s advise and when she knew one of the Doctors were not giving her the right treatment by knowing she was indeed drinking to much or even drinking while taking meds at all then dismissing it altogether she did not seek someone else to treat her even though she knew her drinking was way out of control and it helped her mania become worse. She went through a lot as well as putting her family through a lot. Mostly it was because she would not do what she needed to do to get well and live a close to normal life that she could for so many years.



4. I have read both of Marya's books and while I do believe she has suffered from both a mental illness and eating disorder, I find parts of it to be either exaggerated or written for creative flow. Also, in a way it is like the same book twice as she covers the very same years she covered in her previous novel Wasted. Only here we hear nothing of her problems being realated to being bulimic or anorexic but rather she was bipolar from the age of 5 and no one knew.
   
   What I find to be unbelievable is her recall verbatim from the age of 5. Who really can remember their childhood or even last year that vividly? Also, being in a state of disorientation begs the question again of how believable the incidents are in the novel.
   
   I find that as in Wasted Marya tends to blame society, the health care system anyone but herself for the problems she has faced last time she wrote it was her against the diet industry, against the culture of being thin equates with beauty now it's the healthcare industry not recognizing mental illness for what it truly is a life debilitating illness with no real cure.
   
   The most disturbing concept she brought forth that compelled me to review this is her theory of being bi-polar by age 5 and that by age 10 or 11 the psychiatrists she had seen couldn't see that, I am sorry there are reasons why a child is not given a psychological diagnosis a child's mind is still growing and developing and to suggest giving psychoactive drugs to a 10 year old is not only irresponsible but dangerous. I have a feeling this is not the last we will hear of Marya as mental diagnosis can and do change, I would not be surprised if she were to develop other personality disorders along the way.



5. I wanted to read this book because I am a fan of Marya's and have read both "Wasted" and "The Center of Winter". Mostly I was anxious for this one because I've always suspected I myself was Bipolar, and was needless to say more than curious to read about a first hand account of living with this disease from someone I so admire. The book is certainly really intense. There is virtually no detail left uncovered, she spares no expense when describing her worst hells and best highs. She does seem to at times have a flair for the dramatic, taking seemingly innocuous events and making them into grandiouse experiences. But then again, I guess in a way thats exactly what part of being Bipolar means, right?
   
   It was extremely informative and harrowing to read, and although she doesnt seek people's pity or sympathy, you can't help but feel for this woman because of all the stuff she's been through. Whether some of it was brought on herself or if it was from things she couldn't control. I experienced mild bouts of anxiety just reading this because it seemed that she had so many burdens at once at times. Just, wow. Its a lot for once person to balance and deal with on a daily basis. Needless to say I admire her even more because of this. She is an extremely gifted and eloquent writer, that much cannot be ignored. While I suspect I have a much more mild version of Bipolar, Bipolar II, I could definitely identify with a lot of what Marya depicted. The feelings of being invincible, untouchable at times....even though it was completely unwarranted and random. Wreckless and indulgent behavior, impulsive decision making with little to no care in the reprecussions. Depressions so low that I don't even want to think about the next day and the one after that. The way the two feelings can fluctuate and intertwine themselves so quickly and effortlessly, it's scary. You truly feel like you're no longer at the helm and something, someone bigger than you is steering and taking over.
   
   This book was very helpful for me because it made me realize I need help to get this under control, if I want to ever live a healthy and functioning life, I can't just self medicate, self-diagnose, and turn a blind eye to whats become so obvious. There is a lot of information following the end of the book, as far as useful links and facts about Bipolar Disorder. She dispells a lot of myths and sheds light on many facets of the disease. There's long, long, lists of websites and the like to go to for info and help. Some of which I have already visited myself.
   
   But the book- overall it was really good, maybe a bit lengthy and somewhat redundant at times, but the good far outweighs whatever bad there might be.

5 comments about Tis: A Memoir.

1. This book was great and was definitely more light-hearted than Angela's Ashes. You don't need to have read his first book (Angela's Ashes) to enjoy this part of his memoir; in fact reading the first book made me enjoy this one less simply because there was just no way for it to compare to the first.



2. I ordered this book USED/GOOD CONDITION. It came in Very good condition. I was very pleased and will not hesitate to order a used book again.



3. Frank McCourt wrote "'Tis" as an obvious follow-up after the success of "Angela's Ashes". This second memoir is less visceral and dramatic, perhaps because it does not deal with memories of a childhood in poverty. Nevertheless, it is still engrossing and emotionally moving, full of humor and sadness, revealing the deep family feelings and the individual self of the author.
   
   Starting with his arrival in New York City at the age of 19, McCourt describes his first shocking experience with the priest at the hotel (I could not stop laughing, although, sadly, this is not something to be taken lightly), which led to his first janitorial job in a hotel lobby. His struggle for money to sustain himself and send enough to his mother in Limerick led him to work at the docks, where he met a plethora of people and started experiencing the true New York diversity. In his pursuit of education, he discovered the library, but could not even imagine a way to get a college degree...until he was drafted to serve in the Korea war.
   
   Never actually sent to Korea, Frank spent his army time in Germany instead, first working with dog training, and then as a clerk. He became a skilled typist, which allowed him to get a clerical job back in New York City. Another benefit of serving in the military was his entitlement to go to the university. Despite his lack of high school diploma and massive inferiority complex, Frank got a degree in English and became a teacher. In college, he met a beautiful girl, Alberta, who later became his wife (perhaps he viewed her as a challenge? A woman epitomizing everything American?). I loved his descriptions of problems with students and the school system, the family perturbations a little less so - but, all in all, "'Tis" is a great book, which reads very well and is hard to put down. I enjoyed it as much as "Angela's Ashes": in a little bit different way, but I did not expect it to be the same - the period of Frank's life here is that of a young man, and he focuses more on his personal development and experience, not so much on his family (which, anyway, is an eternal presence). Is it a typical route an immigrant could follow at that time, or highly personal? I think it is both, in a way...
   I like McCourt's language, the flow of his sentences like a story told at the fireplace, his sensitivity and eye to detail. I enjoyed his view of the New York City, too.
   
   I assume will read the third part, "Teacher Man", with equal pleasure and I am looking forward to it.



4. I thought Tis was a better read than Angela's Ashes. Being an American born in 1970, I can not relate to Ireland circa 1925 (it was apparently an awful place - move on). However, I found McCourt's historical accounts of WWII America to be fascinating reading. Americans were so openly racist back then toward every group imaginable. If anyone can claim a reason for America's greatness, it's her ability to change for the better, although Iraq is a bad example. But then again, GW Bush actually lost those two elections, so we tried. I suppose there will always be material for books, like Tis, about ugly Americans who despite themselves turn out to have functioning hearts. A sincere thank you, Frank.



5. Oh my word. I don't know what most reviewers are talking about. Tis is a true gift to readers who're interested in the author's life. Angela's Ashes had more poetry while Tis has more modern day cynicism being caged to a life imposes. In transparent words, this is the book where McCourt grows up in the USA. It's about his odd and awkward days of longing for women and wondering why he was the odd one out, about days when he wanted to be disconnected from his family and despite not being poor, the author finds himself in another predicament of missing Limerick, Ireland.
   
   Frank McCourt is my favourite author. I don't know about writing styles because I've never read many books but Tis truly broke my heart a few times and it made me laugh out loud atleast six times. In my opinion, it is a bit criminal to say that this book is better than Angela's Ashes but I must admit I enjoyed reading this even more.
   
   Do me a favour and ignore all the negative reviews. Arm chair critics wouldn't know better.

No comments about Julia: An Intimate Biography.

5 comments about Joe's Law: America's Toughest Sheriff Takes on Illegal Immigration, Drugs, and Everything Else That Threatens America.

1. Joe Arpaio's approach to immigration enforcement is to "get tough" and to shame anyone who thinks differently. I'm not satisfied with getting tough on immigration, it's time to "get smart" on immigration. Arpaio's gestapo tactics rely on fear and violence, and have the net effect of pushing people elsewhere -- forcing more migration. Arpaio lacks any true understanding of the "push" and "pull" factors that are the engine of Latin American immigration patterns into the US -- the forces that push them from their home communities (lack of employment and education opportunities, indicative of problems within their countries of origin) as well as the forces that pull them to the US (an economy dependent on cheap labor). Rather than engage this phenomenon intelligently, he'd rather put a posse together and scare people senseless by employing tactics that are violent, brutal, and uncompromising. Arpaio's the wrong man at the wrong time in U.S. history, and this book demonstrates just how out of touch he is...



2. Joe Arpaio is better than I had heard. He runs a high school with tough standards. Has prisoners take care of animals to learn to respect living things. Has women prisoners do work. Took away nearly all TV entertainment.
   
   He tells how he has singlehandedly found and then arrested big international drug dealers.
   
   He has a large posse of volunteers who pay for all their own equipment including vans, trucks, and even a helicopter! How they used the Phoenix volunteer's helicopter to help in New Orleans when Lousiana sheriffs were afraid.
   
   How he uses the posse to find vehicles carrying illegal immigrants. How he uses the posse to notify parents of drug use in certain high schools.
   
   An inspiring book to listen to. Best I ever listened to.



3. A must read for all law enforcement agencies and politicians, especially democrats!! We need more Sheriff Joes.



4. Joe's Law: America's Toughest Sheriff Takes on Illegal Immigration, Drugs and Everything Else That Threatens America
   
   I truly enjoyed this book. Of course, Joe is one of my idols. With him we can get this county back in order, He is the most courageous person that has been in this office as Sheriff since I have been in Phoenix (Maricopa County) Arizona. (1979). Keep up the good work.
   
   This book is well written.



5. I have been following the Joe Arpaio/Maracopa County Jail story for several years, and have been a big fan of his common-sense approach to law enforcement. The tales of the drug war, border enforcement, and fighting the bureaucracy were extremely entertaining. I was frustrated that he never got to put Paris Hilton in one of his chain-gangs, but my guess is she will stay out of southern Arizona until Joe retires.
   
   And then we got to chapter eleven...politics. The sheriff and Senator John McCain do not like each other, I get it. But was the timing of the book just coincidentally in the final stretch of the presidential campaign? Maybe, but the suspicion casts a negative shadow on an otherwise fascinating story. Joe, I wish you'd left politics out of your book just as you've tried to keep them out of your job.

5 comments about All the Best, George Bush: My Life in Letters and Other Writings.

1. This is a collection of letters, memos, and diary entries by President George W. Bush that were written throughout his life. They include official documents, but also notes to his families and friends, as well as notes for his own use. Some of them are of national importance while others are humorous or personal.
   
   You will want to read this book if you are a student of the Presidents, especially if you are interested in the Bush 41 or the Bush family. However, it also offers information for students of other topics. For example, Bush was the Chairman of the RNC during Watergate and the material provided here is very interesting. I think the letter he wrote his children on July 23, 1974 is as fair and balanced an assessment of Nixon and Watergate as you are likely to find. Of course, Bush did not know Nixon was also lying to him and the entire Country at the time he wrote the note. When the smoking gun tape comes out everything changes, and Bush's comments to Haig and others are agonized, but to the point as is his final letter to Nixon the day before the President announced he would resign the presidency.
   
   The book also provides a chronology that will help you remember what Bush was doing at any given time. The chapters are organized around various posts Bush has held or key periods in his life. You will also want to dip into index to find certain people and events for review.
   
   He comes across as an honorable man with a deep sense of tradition with political ambitions, but within certain bounds.



2. But, still, don't waste your money. If you must read this, get it from the library and buy a book here from a real American like Al Franken.



3. George Bush (41st President, the father) wrote his autobiography while he was Vice President. After he left the Presidency, he decided to not write his memoirs (unlike other presidents) and let historians decide how his presidential years were. This is a big disappointment because it is always fun to read a Presidential Memoir when they come out, and also to learn about the different periods when they are a President. Fortunately, Bush was coaxed into collecting all his letters he had sent out to other people throughout his life and making it this book. I would say that the best part of the book is when you read the letters he sent out to various world leaders like Deng Xiaoping after the Tiannamen Square Massacre, and to Gorbachev after the Lithuania uprising. The period during the first Persian Gulf war is also interesting. You actually get to read the letters that Bush wrote, and this is quite a difference from other presidential memoirs where the author usually says in a line or two what he discussed with other world leaders.
   
   Also interesting are some of the letters he wrote to his children, including George W Bush. There is a letter from Bush the father to his children, written just before Desert Storm, where he talks about how sad and difficult it is for him to send US soldiers in harms way.
   
   The letters to Bush's mom where he talks about his fiancee Barbara is also interesting, but I was more interested in his presidential years. To me, the book became interesting after he started being appointed to various posts by different Presidents, e.g. Ambassidor to China by Nixon, CIA director by Ford, etc.
   
   However, as written by Kitty Kelly, Bush is a bit of a person who kisses up to people when the time is right. For example, while Bush was Chairman of the Republican Party, until a day before Nixon announces his resignation, Bush is in full support of him. Only then (and probably after he hears that Nixon is going to resign) does he send a letter to Nixon saying maybe it is time for him to resign.
   
   I think in future editions of this book, his letters to George W Bush during his son's presidency should be added, and also letters where he describes his feelings about Bill Clinton should be added too, since Clinton and he have become best pals.
   
   Overall an okay book. Would still prefer a typical Presidential Memoir though.



4. I bought this book to learn a little about the best looking United States President in history, at least according to me. The structure of the book is different, yet interesting. 630 pages in which you get to know this Congress Man, embassador, DCI, Vice President, President, and family man. One can learn how such an important public figure juggles politics and family life. Love him or hate him, this book is touching in every sense. He writes these letters from his heart, and a good portion of the book is a journal that he kept. He shows his point of view on everything that went on during his politician days, as well as his thoughts and feelings when he had to make any kind of decision during his presidency. All in all, the book is worth every single cent. Get to know this important figure like I did, and you won't regret it.



5. For a book title, "All the Best" is a dead give away. As one might have expected, this is a collection of sanitized and self-serving commercials that sell a certain image of GHWB. The second George Washington. Man of letters, wise elder statesman, resolute warrior for truth, justice, and freedom. The book has no revelations worth mentioning, no penetrating insights, no perceptive critiques, not much of anything even remotely interesting. It reads as if a sweet little old lady had been at the head of an oil company, Director of the CIA, and President of the United States of America. Conspiracy theorists looking for clues to a hidden and sinister Masonic agenda, or even just folks looking to learn something about the decision making process at the highest levels of government will be bitterly disappointed.

No comments about Lost Civilizations: The Mangnificent Mayans Remnants of Glory and Genius (Audio Adaptations of the Time Life Book Series).

5 comments about Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (And What the Neighbors Thought).

1. I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed it because it puts some of the humanity back into a subject many of whose personalities have been so lionized that they have become icons, non-people. However, I'm not certain to whom I might recommend it.
   
   To begin with, the book has the direct, simple style of books written for children, grades 4-8. The language is a little too complex for those under age 8, the style a little too simple for those over age 13. Since I occasionally read children's books anyway, this did not stop me as an adult from reading the book and taking satisfaction from doing so. Nor would I have had any problem with recommending the volume for a school or public library, except....
   
   I enjoyed the book primarily because I had already had a rather extensive exposure to art of all types through my mother, who was a working artist herself. Our house was littered with books about artists and their art works, and I started visiting museums in her company from the age of six. When Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought) discussed Rembrandt, I already possessed a pretty clear impression of his style and of some of his more famous works. The possibility that the he did not paint Man with a Golden Helmet surprised me, because I have a very clear picture of the work-one of my favorite Rembrandts-in my head. Someone who didn't would find it difficult to care; it would be just another bit of free-floating information.
   
   In short, the book fails to fulfill a goal as a vehicle of teaching young people-or any people-about art because there are no illustrations of it. While there are entertaining anecdotes about a nice selection of famous people who perform a variety of styles of art, they might be anyone with eccentric behavior.
   
   I'm not certain where the fault for this glaring defect lies. Perhaps it arises from an attempt to produce an interesting and attractive book that is still affordable, especially for children. Perhaps it was a matter of inability to procure a right to reproduce a work of art belonging to someone who has exclusive rights over it. Still, I find it difficult to believe that the museums of the world would be unwilling for their masterpieces to be represented in a book on famous art, especially for children, if only because it represents free publicity for their establishment. Certainly if any given museum is unwilling, there are other works of art from which to choose: therein lies a certain degree of leverage.
   
   Whatever the reason for the lack of art in an art book, I can only suggest this book to schools that provide a thorough grounding in the subject. An art teacher might give lectures on periods of art, their characteristic works and personalities, and suggest that this book might be fun to read. For a young person who has been prepared, this might return "great" art once again to the realm of human endeavor.



2. I found this book in the children's section of the library, but this is not a children's book; although children might enjoy it. This book is very reminiscent of the "Politically Incorrect Bedtime Stories" series. It's a wonderfully campy little book full of facts about just how bizarre artists are. It would make a great coffee table book. I just loved it! I can't wait to read the companion book about musicians.



3. I found this book while looking for a way to get my children more interested in art and famous artists from various periods. This book was exactly what I needed. It tells a little about each artist without being boring giving them a glimpse at each one. After reading this book to my 3 year old and then letting the 11 and 15 year old look it over, I was asked about various artists in the book which led us on hunts at the library for more information.
   
   So this book makes a good introduction if you're wanting to just give your kids an idea of all the artists that have come and gone. I do agree with another reviewer that it would have been nice if they had included at least one piece of their artwork in the pages. Of course, that just means we will have to find them on our own which for us homeschoolers is part of the "thrill of the hunt".



4. Lives of the Artists is light reading with approx. 2 pages of facts per artist, so it is not an in-depth look at their private lives; however put it on your "Fun" reading list. It is a highly amusing book and a great source of dinner conversation. Also Check out Lives of the Musicians:Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neigbors Thought)



5. I loved the concise nature of the book. It gives enough information to let you know more than dates about the artist but doesn't bog a younger reader down in details like, "during their 32 year of life....". It is fast paced and interesting enough to want to sit down and read the whole thing through during the first reading. I got this for my dd, 10, and she loved that it was good compliment of male and female artists. They even mentioned a female Renaissance female artist I had never heard of and was able to teach my art students about.

5 comments about A Life on the Road.

1. The genius of Charles Kuralt--and what makes this book great--is his ability to find insights from the smallest of things, which the rest of us would pass over on the way to more "important" matters. In some ways his life was extraordinary. But in other ways he led a rather conventional life, going from one greased pig competition to the next hoe-down on his rickety bus. He never walked on the moon, or cured a disease, or broke a batting record, or played at Carnegie Hall. But his insights into the simple experiences in life, from a field of wildflowers to the beauty of an autumn day, make A Life On The Road a book to cherish, and return to again and again. I can't recommend this book enough. America lost a true artist when Mr. Kuralt died. He probably never would have been so presumptuous to claim the title for himself, but that's what he was.



2. Kuralt has a wonderful sense of humor. His wit shines through in every page of this book as he tells stories of Americana and his experiences while covering the news in Cuba, South America, Russia... His simple and descriptive style of writing flows by fast and I could vividly imagine his experiences. What were these experiences? Pick up the book. Suffice to say it spans from the story of a simple brick layer he met in rural america to a proud, grumpy soviet ex-pow who had been waiting 40 years to send a message to an old friend in America.

   I put this book down with a great faith in humanity and a deep admiration for Charles Kuralt. He leaves you feeling that this world is filled with thousands and thousands of remarkable stories that are waiting to be discovered and that life is full of opportunities around every corner.




3. This 316 pages of America isn't the America of the media or of Hollywood or of the headlines of shootings and money-grubbing, cheating and robbing, but of the REAL America. Of honest people and real places, of pride and honor and values that really count.

   Here you'll meet the men who built the Golden Gate Bridge and a doctor who charges whatever his patients can afford. You'll learn about a woman who spends every day of her life cooking and feeding her neighbors because she wants to be a friend to man. These are the true nobility of our country, the real success stories of lives worthy of note and respect. In comparison to these, Bill Gates, Lee Iacocca, Ted Turner pale in significance.

   These are lives fully lived, the promise of the individuals completely realized. They are the human evidence of what happens when a person does unto others as they would have others do unto themselves.

   Sunnye Tiedemann (aka Ruth F. Tiedemann)




4. I once heard Dan Rather on TV talking about his late friend Charles. He admired his uncanny ability to describe everyday experiences of common Americans and make them stand out in a positive way. Rather talked about how Charles went against the grain of network television, when networks were consciously "dumbing down," Charles was trying to appeal to Americans who had read at least one book per month. He had faith in the intellectual capacity of citizens and their ability to help democracy.
   
   This book contains wonderful stories, crafted only in a way Charles could. He saw the everyday heroes in the USA, the heroes who didn't make the headlines, but who mattered a lot in the hearts and minds of many. Charles was trying to be a bright light in a sometimes dark world, and he succeeded.
   
   Give this book as a Christmas present to any friend who truly cares about his country and who is tired of the partisanship that is tearing the nation apart. To call the stories in this book "refreshing" is an extreme understatement.
   
   Jeffrey McAndrew
   author of "Our Brown-Eyed Boy



5. I enjoyed this book. I remember seeing his show in the last few years it was on. The stories about the show are very inspiring.