5 comments about A Life Decoded: My Genome: My Life.

1. January 25, 2008, Page B3, The Wall Street Journal
   "Scientists Advance In Effort to Create Synthetic Organism"
   "Biologist Craig Venter and his team replicated a bacterium's genetic structure entirely from laboratory chemicals, moving one step closer to creating the world's first living artificial organism."
   
   Craig Venter strikes again. As reported in the story in The Wall Street Journal and other international news, the baddest boy in biology since James Watson and his team made a tremendous, Galileo-like or Einstein-like advance.
   
   Venter's story is remarkable. A California surfer dude, he's drafted during the Vietnam War and winds up working in a DaNang hospital treating thousands of mangled and maimed young soldiers. Transformed by trauma, he embarks on a life in medical science, famousy cracking the human genome in 2000 and now seeking to create life itself.
   
   The story was told in 2005 by James Shreeve in "The Genome War." It's a fine book. But now we have a first-person account, a tell-all account in which Venter pulls no punches. It may be the finest book about biological science since James Watson's "The Double Helix".



2. Someone suggested skipping the early chapters in which Venter describes his childhood. That would be a mistake. In contrast to the current day in which parents rigidly structure the free time and play activites of their children, Venter was told in his 1950s childhood to "Go play!". That, plus his high IQ, were a formula for either failure or success on a large scale. Venter succeeded in a grand way that has transformed biology. And he did it in spite of obstacles placed in his way from unexpected, and disappointing, quarters. What, for example, should one make of James Watson and Francis Collins, who could have improved their own images immeasurable by acting for the best of the science, rather than for what was best for themselves? "What's in it for me?" seems to be a common whine heard from many of those working for Venter as well as against him. What he accomplished was a marvelous achievement, made even larger by the fact that he had so much opposition, personal, political, scientific. While this may not be high literature, it is a scientific adventure story of a high order. Read it, and be sure that your children have freedom to play and be creative.



3. Un muy buen libro, un poco de autobiografia
   al final del dia... la historia de la ciencia, de la persistencia y la capacidad...
   la vision para saber que mas alla de lo que vemos, siempre habra respuestas...
   el camino de lo minusculo a lo infinitamte diminuto...
   para finalizar en la Vida Misma
   Gracias "Mr. C Venter"



4. First and foremost, I am not a "biology" person. The highest of Biology courses I took were undergraduate. But I have always been fascinated by the topic of genetics. Venter's life story is riveting. From the get go, he makes no apology for deciding to write his own biography and so soon, too. From this, I gathered that he was a bit of an egomaniac but face facts, he did and has accomplished something truly visionary and if one likes to toot his own horn, I say he has earned it.
   
   Once, the reader can wrap his/her mind around this fact, you can truly focus on the science and the man. Yes, he doesn't seem to put himself in the side as being the only person that was never in it for money but in the same breathe, he also succinctly tells you that regardless, he was not going to let others take advantage of him.
   
   His early childhood in San Francisco, being borderline bad, and going to Vietnam and it having such a deep impact on him is humbling. He decided where and how far he wanted to go and he accomplished it all.
   His tale is a little one sided in bits and I guess no one ever really wants to cast themselves in a poor light but I feel that if he had accepted fault for something, well anything, the book would be all so much more powerful and victorious.
   
   He also keeps his personal life out of the story, barely mentioning his first wife, the second one or the fact that at some point he was on to number 3 (well almost).
   The decoding and sequencing of the human genome is one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs of the modern world and simply, because it opens up new infinite possibilities in treating/preventing disease.
   
   There is one additional thing to be expected though, he does a gallant job of trying to keep the biology babble to a minimum but to explain what and how he got to where he is, he did have to put in some stuff. So a couple of pages might have you doing a quick scan and moving o:)
   
   Enjoy



5. This is a memoir by the scientist whose team was the first to map the human genome - and handily beat the federal government at the task with less funding and time. Unfortunately, the latter half of the book is less about science than the politics and business around it. Not only do scientists at Venter's level have to cozy up to venture capitalists, Congresspersons, and Presidents (and get courted and used by them in turn), but there's a lot of self-promotion and jockeying for position between and among colleagues.
   
   Venter doesn't sound particularly bitter about petty, two-faced, and undermining peers (there are plenty) and their apparently dishonorable behavior, but he clearly gets back his own with this book. Thus, the greatest scientific achievement of Venter's life reads less compellingly than the more quotidian aspects of his earlier life and career: playing chicken with trains as a kid, racing jets with a bicycle as they lifted off from San Francisco Airport, and the lessons of the "University of Death" that was Vietnam, where Venter served as a medic at Da Nang navy hospital.
   
   Venter's descriptions of the science he pursues assume a fair amount of knowledge on the part of the reader, and may be tough for the lay reader to follow, but are always thankfully short. Sailors may enjoy the accounts of his escapes to the ocean, handily winning a trans-Atlantic race and fighting a storm in the Bermuda Triangle. One of the stronger features of the book are boxes set off from the narrative that describe various details of Venter's own genetic code in relation to the latest findings about inheritance, disease, and how genes express themselves in our bodies and lives.
   
   Others discuss possible genetic links to long life, cancerous tumors, blindness, depression, eye color, Alzheimers, diabetes, thrill seeking, irregular heartbeat, fatness, cardiac vulnerability to caffeine, asthma, addictions, and circadian rhythms. Even if such knowledge doesn't lead to cures, identifying markers in one's genes could certainly guide preventive nutrition and medical practices.
   
   The greatest lesson of Venter's memoir involves the complex dance between chance and will. He escaped death repeatedly and seized opportunities as often through forces beyond his control as by choice. For him, the old nature vs. nurture debate is so beside the point it is hardly worth acknowledging: "An organism's environment is ultimately as unique as its genetic code."

5 comments about The Declaration of Independence: The Story Behind America's Founding Document and the Men Who Created It.

1. This is an absolutely wonderful book. It makes the summer of 1776 come alive in ways few books can achieve. The attached replicas of key documents (including a full-size copy of the Declaration) are sure to draw readers, teachers, students, librarians...and anyone with even the remotest curiosity about what is arguably the most important document from our country's founding. This one is a treasure!



2. This book I just purchased a week ago and it has served me well. I am a graduate of 8th grade and I know that this book would be useful in so many branches of school work such as oral presentations and visual aids. This book describes in a lot more detail than I could ever have emagined. I'd recommend this book to history teachers any time and for 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders learning about this subject. GREAT BOOK!!!



3. Rod Gragg has done an excellent job of accurately portraying the events leading to the declaration of independence. Furthermore, he did an excellent job of remaining true to the actual historical events, rather than approaching the subject with a political agenda. I highly recommend this book to any person desiring a deeper understanding of America's founding fathers and the events that led to our independence. I can not wait to read more of Mr. Gragg's books.



4. Museum in a book indeed! And it's not just for the youth either. The fact is our history is lost to most Americans, especially when it comes to the Colonial/Revolutionary War era of our nation. This book - The Declaration of Independence: The Story Behind America's Founding Document and the Men Who Created It - can change that. In my opinion, it should be in every American school, in every American library, and in every American home. It should be required reading for every public school child and immigrant. Of course, that would never happen - the ACLU wouldn't allow such a dastardly thing - imagine forcing school children and American-wannabe's to learn about what made this country great - and it IS great. The greatest, in fact, even with its faults.
   What our fore-fathers did was something that one would never see today - people willing to give one's life, to possibly suffer in a torcherous prison - by signing a document to ensure a free and independent country where one would not have to be controlled by a tyrant. Where a peanut farmer, an actor, or a backwoods lawyer could become the President. And this book gives not only wonderful written descriptions on how that all came about, but allows the reader to experience, through replicas of original documents that one can actually hold and read as if grasping the original (including a draft of the Declaration) writings that made the formation of our great United States.
   By the way, there is no political correctness in this book - just pure factual American history - so if your are looking for the anti-European revisionist history books mandated by the liberal left, this one isn't for you.



5. Although this is not an exhaustive academic study of the Declaration, this is a very useful and informative book. There are many illustrations and other props included that add to the literary content. When I bought this book the intent was to use it as a coffee table book that folks could pick up when they come to visit. It serves that purpose well, but I believe that it could also be an interesting book for an adolescent who is very interested in American history.

5 comments about MemoraBEALEia: A Private Scrapbook About Edie Beale of Grey Gardens First Cousin To First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

1. Who would have ever imagined that Mr Newkirk could exceed his marvelous recording "LITTLE EDIE - LIVE!" with a private scrapbook detailing his personal, and obviously cherished, relationship and devoted friendship he shared with Little Edie Beale, but he could, did .. and has! (Those who know him never doubted his talents or abilities for one second!) He has provided an intimate window into the life of this great woman and has allowed us to witness the true and honest accounts of the unique and beautiful qualities that proved to be the 'real' Little Edie. For this, Mr Newkirk is a real gentleman. As for the book itself: I literally stopped everything when it arrived, sat down, and read it cover to cover - twice! I am much too overwhelmed by Mr Newkirk's creation to go into lengthy detail as to why everyone and anyone who is interested in the true Little Edie Beale from Grey Gardens should own this book, except that I just had to write something and simply say: "THANK YOU!" It is indeed marvelous! too wonderful for words! I loved every word, paragraph, image, anecdote, memory ... everything! It is FABULOUS!!! The line between the past and the present becomes a little more vivid, thanks to Mr Newkirk and his book - "MemoraBEALEia!"



2. Reading about a years long relationship through letters and conversations is a very good way to get to know someone. Edith Beale and Walter Newkirk clearly had a special friendship that continued through her last years. The photos and insight gave me a special appreciation for her personality. A good read.



3. Loved it! A very interesting memoir for any Grey Gardens fan. The watercolor illustrations are beautiful, I would love to be able to purchase a print of one. As any GG fan has realized, anyone who knew Edie loved her. Walter, so glad you did not sell her letters on ebay! A wonderful book.



4. I was pleased to discover that Edie's Miami Beach apartment was in a luxury complex (Harbour House) right on the beach! These condos are selling for around half a million dollars! Her condo had a large pool and the beach just beyond-it looks like it was perfect for grabbing "a couple days on the beach". Also fun was to see Edie all decked out in New York city after her move there and all manner of tidbits that fans will enjoy. It looks as though Edie lived the good life after Grey Gardens (did Jackie help?) Thanks for the book Walter!



5. i just loved Memorabealeia,it was nice to get another glimpse of the fabulous Little Edie

5 comments about U2 by U2.

1. For any U2 fan, this is the real thing.
   From their early years up until 2005, the band share every single moment, plus a collection of pictures that complement very nicely the entire book.
   100% recomended.



2. My husband and I are big U2 fans. We both are really enjoying this book. It has an intimate feel to it. The pictures are great, too. It makes a nice coffee table book, too.



3. I am a U2 fan, but by no means am obsessed (trust me, I have friends who do fit that description). This book has become one of my favorites to just flip open and read and enjoy. Its passages are simultaneously humorous and sagacious. That is saying nothing of the artful layout, design and photography of the volume. You won't be disappointed.



4. As a certified U2-phile, it was pre-ordained that I would own and read this book as I have done with much of the other biographical work in book and magazine form. This tops the lot.
   
   Repeatedly asking any person to share the details of their lives can result in tedium for the subject, the asker, and the reader. In fact, I have for the most part given up reading more than one interview from a certain period of time (tour, album release, etc.) as all of the questions seem to be the same, and all of the answers likewise. Even with Bono who seems determined to reinvent the U2 epic with each word that leaves his mouth can mire in a rut of propaganda as various interviewers vary only tone and inflection on the same questions in hopes of mining a previously unheard gem.
   
   This book seems to find new ground by simply allowing the band to find its own points of emphasis. As the members of U2 retrace the careers from a mature point of view, the stories actually become grander and more engaging. Either they have become so much more adept at political messaging and spot-on branding, or they have relaxed and become more human. Rather than reading like the typical fan-zine pop fiction that seeks to feed the mythology through the trite and true tools of music journalism which boil the characters down to one dimension, the book and pictures read like a complete memoir. Rather than focusing only on the radio-worn greatest hits of U2 history, the reader is treated to a rich catalog of human experience.
   
   It might have been the perspective of mature distance from their youth. Perhaps, they have been up with the sun and back. Whatever the reason, at last we are finally able to see them as the four youngsters from Dublin who made it work and turned into the world's greatest rock band while staying human.



5. This is a great book to own if you are a U2 fan, and would like to know more about the members; their history, their past, present, and future...
   
   Fair warning! This book is the hardcover version, and it's very heavy & bulky... I bought this book to take on the bus with me to read, but there's NO WAY I'm gonna try to haul this giant heavy book with me!!!
   
   But other than that, excellent book!

1 comments about Favre: The Man, the Legend with CD.

1. I really enjoyed adding this to my Favre Collection. It is a must have for any Favre fan.

5 comments about Jerry Falwell: His Life and Legacy.

1. Falwell was a vile bigot. This book is a cheap attempt to whitewash his true history as a racist con man who bliked the eldery and the stupid to build grand palaces for himself. It is also very poorly written.



2. The book explores the life and times of a man who boldly stood for truth. The last review by Jason shows who is the real bigot. Was Jerry Falwell perfect? The answer would be no. But anyone who knew him personally can see through the hyperbole that the "liberal left" spreads in the name of being "moderate". All I know is that if you are in the middle you get ran over from both ways! I believe that you can learn who the real man was over how he was portrayed. After all, Jesus was accused of being the devil by the people of his time. I think people will enjoy this book or his autobiography entitled Falwell.



3. I bought the book because I herd so much haltered from the media I wanted to know why.
   
   I now know why. Jerry Falwell devoted his life to one thing, to telling everyone he could about the love and salvation of Jesus
   
   He did it well, and he did it with no hidden motive. This is impossible to understand if you don't know Jesus. They tried everything to make him mad, to find him out, to uncover his weakness and he just kept smiling and telling them about the love of Jesus. There was nothing to uncover, he said he cheated no one, and he didn't, he said he hated sin but loved the sinner, and he did love them. He said he cared about people and when they checked carefully it turned out that he cared about people. That made them mad.
   
   Praise God
   
   Frank



4. I am from Lynchburg,Virginia therefore I am very familiar with Jerry Falwell and TRBC. I think the book portrayed Jerry just as he is and I am very proud to be from Lynchburg because of Jerry! I was glad that Mrs. Falwell set the record straight on alot of things and I hope people will remember the good things he did during his life time. I had to reach for the tissue box when he was offering the waitress a scholarship but that was Jerry through and through. I purchased another copy of the book for my dad for Father's Day and I have passed my copy on to my sister and neice. I hope everyone enjoys it!



5. I was lucky enough to attend and graduate from Liberty University. In the years since I've graduated I've gotten used to the need to be prepared for all reactions when I tell people I was one of "Jerry's Kids". The opinions are rarely middle of the road..either love him or hate him. I can say I loved him..He was a great role model to students, he seemed to be a great father and husband and he was exactly as Mrs. Falwell presented him in her book. It was great to hear her side of the story after all these years. The book was excellently written and once I started it, I couldn't put it down. I appreciated hearing all of their stories from their life, and the excerpts from folks who knew him well only added to the book. Whether or not he agreed with a person, he always showed a love for them...perfect example is Larry Flynt. I count it a privilege to have been able to see how God can use someone when they are completely willing to serve Him. Jerry and Liberty truly instilled in me the knowledge that anything is possible with God. I would recommend this book to anyone who thinks that the Jerry Falwell presented in the media is the only side of him there was. There was much more to him than that, just as there is with all of us.

1 comments about Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid.

1. In 35 short chapters, Ralph Fletcher shares stories of his childhood neighborhood, family, and friends. Covering topics that include a description of his neighborhood, his feelings and memories of the important people in his life, games he played, school days, pets, and childhood illnesses, this story kept me entranced from start to finish. I loved the author's simple yet moving revelation of his own feelings, especially the poignant chapter about his father, "Last Kiss."
   
   Publisher information sets reader age at grades 5 to 8, but the kid-friendly layout of this book will appeal to readers in grades 2-4, particularly if read aloud. Teens working on author reports or personal essays will find the book interesting as well. Teachers will find this memoir a handy tool in writing workshops, if used in conjunction with specific writing topics such as description, characterization, or dialogue. Fletcher's use of details brings his stories to life. Student writers can learn much about turning ordinary life events and feelings into effective stories.
   
   As an adult reader, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It's got a little something for every reader. I can't recommend this book enough for teachers. If you assign journal writing for young writers, this book will provide infinite topic inspiration.

5 comments about The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down.

1. You might think a person interested in pirates would get into the historical records to learn more about those rough wanderers. Colin Woodard came at it from the other direction: he has a fascination with history and "got into" pirates as a vehicle to bring U.S. colonial history to life. "The Republic of Pirates" is the fascinating product of his research.
   
   Woodard focuses on what he calls "the Golden Age of Piracy," a ten-year period from 1715 to 1725. The few thousand men -- and a few women -- who populate this story were a different breed from the government-sanctioned privateers of earlier times. As Woodard describes them, they were " ... engaged in more than simple crime and undertook nothing less than a social and poitical revolt. They were sailors, indentured servants, and runaway slaves rebelling against their oppressors: captains, ship owners, and the autocrats of the great slave plantations of America and the West Indies." Some of them were set up as a rebel navy by supporters of James Stuart, the half-brother of Queen Anne, exiled after her death in 1714.
   
   Woodard's three main pirate subjects -- Samuel Bellamy, Charles Vane, and Edward "Black Beard" Thatch, grew up in an England made harsh for the lower classes by the waning of feudalism, the enclosure of public grazing land, and the flight from rural regions to London. The fourth focus of the book is Woodes Rogers, a Bahamian governor and former privateer who would eventually be the downfall of the pirates' Golden Age.
   
   Funded in part by the wreck of a great Spanish treasure fleet off Florida in 1715, the pirate bands began to congregate in the Bahamas and to grow in strength and daring. They roamed up and down the coast, finding safe harbor in Virginia, Long Island, Cape Cod, and the islands off the coast of Woodard's native Maine.
   
   While the pirate bands were based on a model of democratic decision-making and equal sharing of booty, Woodard leaves us with no doubt that life on the main was harsh and dangerous. "The Republic of Pirates" is a lively look at the realities of life in England and America in the eighteenth century, and is a great example of dry records and correspondence giving up their treasure to one who knows how to search them out.
   
   Colin Woodard is a native of the tiny Maine town where I live now and he spoke last year at the local library, a rare and precious event for the town. He lit the room up with his passion for those old days, both the wild adventures and the mundane relationships. Three hundred years ago -- but as real as yesterday in this wonderful book. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys seeing history brought to life.
   
   Linda Bulger, 2008



2. From the author's introduction I was prepared to find pirates of the golden age like the heroes of my childhood. Although some never abused or killed their victims, they were not nice in their theft of goods, impressments holders of needed skills, and wanton destruction of ships. Granted, as the author points out, they were rootless, onetime privateers, escapees of an exploitative merchant marine and cruel navies, but they were still thieves in the night bankrupting small merchants, and impoverishing townspeoples and farmers who were not their oppressors. Some may have been polite to their captors but others were vengeful sadists. Although I was tempted to romanticize the earliest of the golden age pirates, I ended up disgusted with them and feeling (though I have reservations about capital punishment) they deserved the gallows and gibbet.
   
   Piracy is such a romantic topic, I would love to find a book that puts it in a world historical perspective. Woodard gives us a good tale of the golden age. I would love to know more about its rise with the coming of long distance maritime trade three thousand years ago, its role as an economic, political, and military weapon of leaders and political entities, like cities, or empire and piracy as a form of thievery. Woodard's book is an exciting read, but piracy has always been with us. What has it been all about?
   Charlie Fisher author of Dismantling Discontent: Buddha's Way Through Darwin's World



3. If THE REPUBLIC OF PIRATES is the first book on historical pirating that one has picked up, it should be put right down again without being opened even a crack lest one be tempted to read it through. No, shelve it at once and pick up EMPIRE OF BLUE WATER instead, for it portrays the true beginning of the "Golden Age" of pirating in 17th century Caribbean waters. EMPIRE ends in the waning years of the century with the death of Henry Morgan and the destruction of Port Royal in a massive Jamaican earthquake, which is almost exactly where THE REPUBLIC OF PIRATES begins. The two books complement each other perfectly and, between them, give us a comprehensive view of pirating from the 1600s into the early 1800s.
   
   The writing styles of both authors are entertainingly readable. The historical events that they relate are as fascinating as any fictional novel could be, making their books both instructive and captivating.
   
   REPUBLIC does develop occasional textual problems about halfway through. For instance, on page 168, we are told that the ships for one expedition were stocked with "enough salt, bread, flower, and preserved food" to feed its sailors and soldiers. I'd like to know how they preserved that "flower." Page 202 has sentences erroneously using "them" for "they" and "affect" for "effect." Page 209 has Blackbeard's men "ascribed to a number of attacks," whereas the intent is obviously to ascribe the attacks to the men. The syntax is utterly reversed! Pages 214 and 222 both misspell the Antilles islands as the "Antillies," a particularly ironic error in a book dealing with seafaring. Finally, I sm still searching for the definition of "paridor" that appears on page 236; granted, it is in a quotation dating from about 1718 and may now be an obsolete term, in which case, an explanatory footnote would have been valuable. Not counting the obscure quoted term, almost all the grammatical and syntactical errors occur in a span of 54 pages and do not afflict the remainder of the 332-page book (not counting the endnotes). Perhaps the proofreader somehow missed those pages.
   
   I do not find the occurrence of grammatical errors so numerous or so frequent as to weaken the book significantly, but I would hope that the few that do exist will be corrected should the book be reprinted for future editions, for they are distracting when they do occur. The book also lacks a bibliography, and, while the reader can ascertain the author's sources by reading though 37 pages of endnotes, a concise listing of published sources and additional books on the subject would be potentially useful.
   
   Despite its occasional flaws, REPUBLIC easily receives my rating of five Amazon stars. In addition to continuing the historical saga of pirates where EMPIRE leaves off, the book gives us glimpses into early bribery of colonial officialdom, affords us glances of life in the eastern seaboard of 18th century America (North, Central and South) and the islands off that seaboard, and even shows us the real-life source of Daniel Defoe's fictional Robinson Crusoe. Benjamin Franklin also makes an appearance as a youthful poet writing about the death of Blackbeard (a snatch of which comprises the title of this review). We are reminded of (or perhaps learn about) the English monarchical lines of the Stuarts and the Hanoverians, the Jacobite uprisings, the War of Spanish Succession and even the well-forgotten War of the Quadruple Alliance, and especially the impact that all of these had on the New World. Descriptions of the wildernesses that became today's Florida and the other seaboard states to the north remind us that an extensive history of settlement, trade, banditry, and the fluctuating fortunes of war played out on this continent long before the establishment of today's nations. Best of all, this intriguing history plays out before our eyes in an engaging manner that will captivate almost any reader.
   
   I recommend both EMPIRE OF BLUE WATER and THE REPUBLIC OF PIRATES (to be read in that order) to every reader who enjoys unusual history, tales of adventure, and generally well written narratives about the men-and a couple of women-who helped form the New World.



4. Because of the popularity of Pirates of the Caribbean, many books about pirates have been published in the past few years. Most are light-weight works.
   The Republic of Pirates is a real history which puts the pirates of the early 18th Century in perspective, concentrating on the Bahamas.
   This is one of several excellent books I've read recently about pirates.
   My interest was originally sparked in 1995 with David Cordingly's "Under the Black Flag" because this book pictured the privateers/pirates as sea-going guerrillas.
   Beside "The Republic of Pirates", the following are worth reading:
   Peter Earle Pirate Wars
   The Sack of Panama
   Stephan Talty Empire of Blue Water
   Benerson Little The Sea Rover's Practice
   The Buccaneer's Realm
   Richard Zacks The Pirate Coast
   Frederick C. Leiner End of the Barbary Terror
   
   Together these works cover piracy from the late 16th to the early 19th Century.



5. This book was very descriptive and detailed. All the pirates, their crews, and ships were all named, and a few of the ships were pinned down to the port they were made at and the type of wood they were made from. Somehow the author was able to compile all of this data and turn it into a real story.
   
   I couldn't put it down.

5 comments about Miles Gone By: A Literary Autobiography (with CD).

1. "Miles Gone By" seems to be a near complete biography and one that allows the reader to see how the puzzle fits together. It would be easy to overlook the uniqueness of this life by labeling the author as mostly reflecting a political point of view. He has shown in many of his other books his diversity of interests and his ability to inform his readers about activities and the events taking place in the world at the same time. I remember in his book "Racing Through Paradise how much I learned about sailing and how interesting it was to consider his political points of view presented as a part of each days activities. Miles Gone By seems to show the many sides and interests of his life as pieces of puzzle that reveal more of who he really is. The story is not in his point of view but is more so in whom he really is.
   
   A favorite chapter (2) was "God and Man at Yale" which was about his first book. I like to underline in red what stands out as I read and this chapter is mostly "red" in my book. In 1950 it was controversial to defend individualism, religion and capitalism. His education seemed to be, somewhat like his early life, one full of advantage and opportunity. Considering that it was even more of a surprise when he questioned the very mission of the institution he had been privileged to attend. He replied to his critics saying "a very recent graduate is not only supremely qualified, but uniquely qualified, to write about the ideological impact of an education he has experienced."
   
   Later in the book he says that as a senior citizen his faith has never left him. Through out his life we find in this biography that he has held tight to his religious convictions. Considering the years his life has spanned in the political arena this willingness to proclaim his own faith is made even clearer in this book.
   
   Both Buckley and Nixon have written about world leaders in a way that really adds to ones understanding of events. In many of Nixon's books those insights, even though insightful, seemed stand-alone. In this book many of the chapters deal with relationships but instead of standing alone as a subject for consideration they validate the unique impact that Buckley has had thorough out his life. This book will show you a very very interesting man.



2. Miles Gone By is an account of the life of William Buckley, whom many see as a conservative icon. Buckley shares many facets of his interesting life, particularly the following:
   
   1. Early childhood and close-knit family (I believe he was one of 10 children).
   2. Memories of his father and mother both of who he loved dearly.
   3. His years at Yale University and how the liberal bias drove him to write his book "God and Man at Yale".
   4. Memories of the 1950 class at Yale.
   5. His deep sea expedition to see the wreck of the Titanic.
   6. His sailing and skiing trips with various celebrities.
   7. Starting the National Review.
   8. Relationships with 10 special people of various backgrounds and poltical persuasions (David Niven, Ronald Reagan, Henry Kissinger, Clare Boothe Luce, Tom Wolfe, Vladimir Horowitz, Roger Moore, Alistair Cooke, Princess Grace, and John Kenneth Galbraith). I particularly enjoyed this section.
   
   The areas mentioned above are just a few mentioned. While Buckley undeniably comes from a rather refined background, his writing style is not arrogant. Indeed, he often thanks his Creator for the life he has lived and gives credit to other people when due.
   
   Read and enjoy the book and learn more about one of our country's great conservative icons. Recommended.



3. William F. Buckley Jr. is now in his 80's and visibly winding up his affairs of this world. National Review, the magazine of conservative opinion that he founded and led for half a century, has been turned over to newer hands. Blackford Oakes, hero of a series of spy novels, has been heroically killed off. His production of public commentary is down to a few columns per month. 2004's "Miles Gone By", subtitled "a literary autobriography", is of a piece with this process. It is a collection of essays from his writing lifetime, with items about his childhood, his education at Yale, his time in the Army, his adventures as a sailor, portraits of colleagues and friends, and a sampling of other topics.
   
   Buckley has lived a fairly public life as an advocate for the Conservative point of view. "Miles Gone By" may therefore have no surprises for any future biographer. What the reader does find is William F. Buckley Jr at his finest, an educated and often witty observer of his world, pondering the moment and its meaning, finding delight in the skillful use of the English language. Also on display is Buckley's irreverance for the stuffy and the unsound. Highlights include a thoughtful essay on the 50th reunion of his Yale Class, a rueful account of an extended rail trip through Siberia, and brief sketches of his friendships with David Niven and Whittaker Chambers. An extended piece on "God and Man at Yale" recalls the book that started it all.
   
   This book is highly recommended to fans of Mr. Buckley, who will enjoy this fine sampling of his work, perhaps the last to be put out by his own hand.



4. When I was a kid, William F Buckley was a hero of my weekend TV, always the wordsmith, always clear, learned, and completely vicious in his rhetoric. This book compiles (mostly short) writings on a variety of topics, many quite personal, that show a loving son/husband/father, a wine aficionado, and a very warm human being. The writing is great: it is a joy to see those un-split infinitives, those real latin-rooted words, those well-crafted sentences. What comes across is a genuine man, one of towering intellectual power, who also worried about what his dad would do when he found out that he had bought a plane at college. If for no other reason, buy this book to enjoy (and inspire) great writing.
   By the way, I do not agree with him on any topic, perhaps excepting wine (buy cheaply, drink with friends).



5. MILES GONE BY is a compilation of William F. Buckley essays, columns and anecdotes which tell the story of his life. His writings are so prolific that the better parts of his life had already been chronicled, by himself no less, prior to his death.
   
   I began reading National Review in 1978 as a young liberal college student. Buckley was my cure for liberalism along with the practical demise of liberal theology under Carter. He was also a mentor and hero, of sorts, as the Reagan Era was ushered in and the world changed. I dug deep into Buckley's lore reading the Blackford Oakes novels, his journal at the United Nations, and his sailboat chronicles (AirBorne and Racing Through Paradise).
   
   WFB was a classic conservative voice at a time when conservatism had few national voices. Goldwater, Reagan, Milton Friedman, Gingrich and others would emerge as leaders but Buckley was always the apologist for the right. His bully pulpits were the National Review and Firing Line television program. At times I wondered if he befriended people like John Kenneth Galbraith to keep them busy while conservatives were busily furthering their agenda.
   
   Besides being the voice and conscience of the conservative movement in America, Buckley will be remembered for his civility. He was a gifted host and debater who confronted and entreated opponents with grace, tact, and utmost civility. He raised the national debate to a higher level of discourse.
   
   America is poorer for his passing.

5 comments about God's Generals: Why They Succeeded and Why Some Failed.

1. Here they are. The 20th century legends of Christianity. One of them, Wigglesworth, has been the target of numerous writers. Why are we so fascinated with these people? Because they are heroes, every one. They had the courage to step out of the boat and walk on that H20. They were God's Generals!
   
   Perfect people? No! They made mistakes. Some of them sank into the waters. But each and every one of them loved God and dared walk in the supernatural. Signs, miracles and wonders followed them wherever they went. They won multitudes to Christ, healed the masses and brought God's good news of deliverance to their generations. They were flawed, some had serious problems. But they didn't let that stop them. They were serving a mighty God!
   
   If you want to get inside the minds and hearts of some heroes, read this book. Mark it up, highlight the key principles. Heed the warnings. And follow in the footsteps of these faith giants. Their successes inspired me to produce the Super Heart Living film series. And their walks will inspire YOU to do great things.
   
   Want to know their SECRETS? How they were able to heal the sick, raise the dead and persuade thousands to follow Jesus Christ? It's all in the pages of this one powerful book. Right there for your learning. Dive into each chapter and listen to these great men and women whisper "Follow me as I follow Christ!"
   
   You'll love Dowie's boldness in the heat of opposition. Wigglesworth's daring in the face of dreaded diseases. And McPherson's great love of the crowds and desire to entertain them with God's Word! God's Generals is moving, insightful and life-changing. I dare you to study these lives and develop their SUPER HEARTS!



2. I Have two things to say about the purchase of this book: First, that it was delivered to my house in a timely fashion and in perfect condition. Secondly, the book itself is a wonderful look into God's hand on people's life in history. The Bible says that God created each and every one of us with a purpose. Sometimes, that purpose is to live a quiet life of ministry and love. Sometimes God uses us for extraordinary purposes. This book is an encouragement to all people that God can do anything, no matter who you are, if you put your trust in Him.



3. A balanced, thoughtful, entertaining and useful look at some of God's major powerplayers over the past 100 years or so. Concerning the likes of Kuhlman, Wigglesworth and Branham, most writers either choose to vilify them or worship them. Author Roberts Liardon chooses a more accurate middle road that exemplifies a love for the truth combined with his own helpful Pentecostal insights.
   
   This is a VERY interesting read that Spirit-filled Christians particularly will find both fascinating and useful. Useful because there is much to be learned from the successes and failures of these saints -- much that can be applied to our own lives.



4. God's General's is one of the most inspirational books that I can remember reading. In addition, it gives the history of some of the most powerful men and women of God since New Testament times. This book is a must read!



5. This is a fantastic book containing the short biographies of twelve influential evangelistic people with healing ministries:
   
   John Alexander Dowie
   Kathryn Kuhlman
   Aimee Semple McPherson
   William Branham
   William Seymour
   Charles Parham
   Evan Roberts
   Smith Wigglesworth
   A. A. Allen
   Jack Joe
   Maria Woodworth-Etter
   John G. Lake
   
   The book is from a Pentecostal/Charismatic perspective and as the title suggests, discusses where these people had success and where they had failure. Personally, I found the book a treasure to read.