5 comments about Wish I Could Be There: Notes From a Phobic Life.

1. I have been agoraphobic in the past, and I have grappled on occasion with many of the same issues as the author and like another reviewer, I had very high hopes for this book. But I couldn't stomach it. For me, it was absolutely, utterly, hopelessly bleak. Reading it brought back feelings of panic I put behind myself years ago. I bought the book under the misapprehension that I might find something redeeming, or at least humorous- maybe, in the challenges that phobics face. I could not have been more wrong! Mr. Shawn has my sympathy, but I wish I had not read this book.



2. In the foreword to Allen Shawn's "Wish I Could Be There: Notes from a Phobic Life," the author states that he has been afflicted with agoraphobia ("an abnormal fear of being in crowds, public places, or open areas, sometimes accompanied by anxiety attacks") throughout his adult life. When a friend suggested that he write a book about his struggles, the fifty-seven year old Shawn "balked at the idea of presenting this aspect of [himself] in print." The reader quickly senses the author's reluctance to lay his soul bare. Shawn states, "I have not attempted a memoir in a ... comprehensive sense." Therein lies the problem. Instead of letting us into his world and providing meaningful glimpses of his day-to-day life, Shawn keeps us at arm's length. Except in passing, he does not discuss his marriage or his children. Using stilted and formal language, he spends many pages discussing "the brain, the physiology of fear, the way we form habits of thought and behavior, [and] what Freud was trying to describe of the inner life of the mind...." For those not studying to be clinical psychologists, these passages are slow going. Even when Shawn reveals details about himself and his family background, he does so with such detachment that it is difficult to identify with his plight. This sentence says it all: "I have deliberately tried to make my own past into something of an abstraction so that the reader is encouraged to think about his or her own life." "Wish I Could Be There" provides an intellectual perspective into the evolution and biological roots of fear. However, it will disappoint those who prefer a livelier and more anecdotal approach.
   
   Shawn is afraid of heights, traveling by water, open parks, fields, bridges, closed-in spaces, wide-open spaces, tunnels, elevators, and subways. He forces himself to travel, in spite of the anticipatory anxiety that he endures before each trip and his exhaustion when the excursion is over. During panic attacks, he has one or more of these symptoms: nausea, a tightening of the muscles, breathlessness, a raised heart rate, and a feeling of intense isolation. His is "a circumscribed world," but he has managed to enjoy romantic relationships and a fulfilling life as a musician and teacher. There may be a genetic component to Shawn's problems, since his father, William Shawn (who edited "The New Yorker Magazine" for thirty-five years) was phobic and his mother had emotional problems that plagued her for years. In addition, Shawn has always felt deeply saddened about the plight of his twin sister, Mary, who is mentally disabled lives in an institution. His experiences growing up in a family "with many invisible barriers" and secrets (including a hidden affair that his father conducted with a colleague for more than forty years) may have contributed to his troubles.
   
   If you enjoy first person accounts of individuals who courageously confront mental illness, I recommend the superb "The Center Cannot Hold" by Elyn Saks. Ms. Saks's story is amazing and well-written, but what makes it outstanding is her unflinching honesty, clarity, and personal approach to her subject. "Wish I Could Be There" may too clinical and dry for most laymen.



3. This was just what I was looking for. It's an autobiography from a phobic man and it's written medically as well as personally. He uses a lot of information yet keeps it interesting to read and learn about the life of an agoraphobic person with tons of other phobias as well.



4. My problem with this book is not the writing, but its identity. The author has no academic authority in psychology or neurobiology, which is the reason why this book is a form of personal memoir or "notes". But he writes so much about psychoanalysis and neurobiology. If I wanted to read those subjects, I would rather go directly to the writings of the experts. (By the way, I have taken psychology and neurobiology classes, and have read books by Oliver Sacks, Freud and Jung) Although I must say that he writes quite well and obviously does a really good job in summarizing theories, he fails in relating his personal experiences because he writes them in such impersonal, disjointed manner and with subtle flavors of self-absorption.



5. I ordered this book on my Kindle, so I don't know which page I was on when I decided that I absolutely could not endure reading one more page. The book starts out okay but there isn't much personal information ( and what there is, is not very descriptive or informative) and then the author launches into the physiologic working of the brain and nervous system, Darwinian explanations for flight and fear mechanisms, etc. I am bored out of my mind and I have developed an agonizing headache!
   Maybe it gets better at some point, further on in the book, but I am not willing to read any more to find out. I studied all this stuff in high school and college and know it quite well, thank you...What I wanted to know and thought I would find out was how the author experienced phobia(s) in his personal life, when they happened, how did he experience/cope with his phobia's,
   etc. I did NOT want a lesson in biology/psychology. I would have bought a textbook if that was my interest.
   Don't waste your money.

5 comments about Blessed Are the Bored in Spirit: A Young Catholic's Search for Meaning.

1. As a high school Youth Minister, I am always on the look-out for books that my teens will enjoy and learn from. This book was brought to my attention by another youth minister in my area.
   
   I purchased a copy. Read it all the way through in less than two days. And, then promptly purchased enough copies for my graduating class. We are using it as a book study for our Senior Series this year.
   
   The teens LOVE Mark Hart. He is inventive, creative, and in-tune. He relies on the Holy Spirit. He practices what he preaches. Which says a lot in today's society.



2. I LOVE this book. I've read it a couple of times, I've written in it, I've taken notes, I've highlighted, I've passed it on. It's one of my favorite books ever. It's so inspiring and encouraging that I just love to read it over and over. Even though it's written for young Catholics it's been helpful to me, a 50 something mother and high school religious ed teacher. I'm thinking about purchasing copies for all of the graduating seniors this year. I'd recommend it to anyone.



3. Blessed are the Bored in Spirit
   Mark Hart
   
   Wonderfully written, excellent page turner, I couldn't put it down. I would suggest this book for every Christian who is looking for a clear cut way to strengthen their relationship and experience with God. It is geared toward the Catholic youth of today, but adults and any denomination can benefit from its words as well. Mark Hart is a writer, who can portray the importance of the matter at hand and use humor without losing any of the value.
   
   There are three specific focuses of the book and they are:
   1. Our prospective
   2. Our approach
   3. Our self-offering
   
   
   Mr. Hart starts his book with a story of how he was changed in the way that he views and experiences God. He had to have a near death experience to come to this realization. He was on an airplane that had to do an emergency landing right after reaching cruising altitude, and during the whole frightening affair he started to notice his relationship with his maker and all the sins that he had committed.
   
   "The truth was that the crash landing didn't wake me up; it was the final step in an arduous journey that had begun years before. That morning was the jolt I needed in the ongoing process that carried me beyond conversion." Conversion is the starting point to transformation, which is where you totally surrender to God. Paul is used as a biblical example of a transformation, not just a conversion. Another aspect in this chapter is how do you see God, as a judge or father? There is an exercise to write out how you see God and then write out how God sees you. If they are too similar then it usually means that your vision of either is not completely realistic. Mr. Hart ends the first chapter with the words... "If you want something you have never had, you must be willing to do something that you have never done."
   
   Next the question of what are you most afraid of is asked. Trust in God is the key point of this chapter. It also describes fear of the Lord as being in awe, not literal shaking fear. The order as how you as a person views God is addressed, the Nicene Creed is used as an example here "the Father, the Almighty", and how you can invite God in your daily life with awe if you see him as father first then as a judge. "God gives us over four thousand promises in scripture." That puts the awe in awesome, and shows you exactly how much He loves you, and wants a relationship as a father to you.



4. Mark Hart is just one clever guy. The book reads like a memoir of a typical cradle Catholic going through the motions. Many will relate to his anecdotes about his family's weekly trek to Mass and his misunderstanding of various Catholic nuances.
   What's really special though is that Hart shares pearls of wisdom throughout the whole book, right underneath your eye. As you reflect on your own personal upbringing as a Catholic-by-title, you learn just what all these strange traditions, rites, practices, and dogmas really mean. I especially enjoyed the chapter on Confession, which is truly the forgotten Sacrament.
   Hart could really be a stand up comic. As he bluntly shares childhood stories about his poor understanding of his religion, you can't help but picture him on stage. And yet he is a genuinely devout Catholic man. Perhaps more commonly known as the Bible Geek, Hart is a tremendous scholar and a vital part of Catholic Youth Ministry today.
   Read this book, and unpack the hidden treasure of your faith!



5. I was a Confirmation sponser for my nephew in 2007. One of the requirements was that we meet together once a month for a number of months. While his CCD class provided some outlines for the meetings, there really wasn't enough material for an hour of talk, especially between guys who don't want to particularly "share". I ordered this book from Amazon, and we used a chapter or two each month as the primarly basis for the meetings. There is plenty of material that speaks to way youth and adults live their life, many scriptural references, and mention of other similar books that you can check into later.
   
   I don't think that there is enough theology in this book to make it a primarly source for a year of CCD study, but it could be used as I described or in a class if it is backed up with the Cathechism of the Catholic Church or the Bible. It is an exhortation for Catholics young and old to live the Christian life.
   
   One last comment. If the emphasis of Confirmation - and perhaps even earlier years of religion classes - would be on living the Christian life ( as described in this book ) and on knowledge of the faith, and not on so much on the touchy-feely stuff that seems to be very present, maybe there would be more young adults knowing and living their faith. Perhaps there would be fewer young Catholics coasting through the years of religion classes - ending in Confirmation - without really learning anything substantial (as the author described of himself).

5 comments about Phineas Finn: The Irish Member (Oxford World's Classics).

1. At the heart of Trollope's Phineas Finn lies quite a unique (and perhaps presciently postmodern) notion of politics. However, to get at this theory, we readers must wade through the immense amount of exposition that typifies Trollope's writing. We must patiently and assiduously gather plot details from the frequent and plentiful parlor chat, table talk, and other various and sundry gossip that Trollope uses to advance what is an otherwise exceedingly meager plot. Nevertheless, such exposition, which moves at a pace roughly equivalent to that of continental drift, rewards the reader with quite a keen insight into mid-nineteenth century British politics and its relationship to the reality of human nature.
   
   Perhaps the easiest way to approach the political critique at the heart of this novel is by defining the operative assumptions underlying representative politics in general. In theory, representative government is intended to grant the citizenry a say in legislative process, albeit indirectly. A particular representative is supposed to vote on a piece of proposed legislation in such a way that reflects the greater concerns of his constituency. Prior to the events of Phineas Finn, British representative government is grappling with the issue of whom to extend the franchise based on the criteria of real wealth, property, region of origin, etc. One thus gets the sense that the presence of such exclusionary criteria betrays a rather Platonic distaste for general democracy on the part of the parliament ministers. Thus, in creating a system of barriers or gateways between the public at large and the legislative apparatus, the governing body reduces the potential for an anarchic clamor of myriad and wide-ranging interests on the part of the citizenry, which could potentially derail the legislative process altogether. As a result a properly civic-minded representative may always act for the good of his constituency by exercising his judgment, regardless of whether or not his vote conflicts with his constituents' desires. In other words, built into this system of government is the elitist conviction that the governed may be at times too unruly to exercise its franchise prudently. Therefore, by withholding the franchise from those deemed too ignorant to vote wisely (a determination based on various socioeconomic considerations), and by inserting elected officials between the enfranchised and the legislative apparatus itself, government achieves a normative regularity.

   However, with the implementation of such a system of governments also come opportunities to exploit and abuse the system. A certain aphorism-- which I attribute to Michel Foucault, though I am not entirely certain that it is indeed his-- comes to mind: "a system is defined by what escapes it." In other words, because a system results from the desire to perpetuate the plane of consistency from which it emerges, the system must necessarily exclude that which is inconsistent with its purpose. Therefore, around any system arises a margin of excluded possibilities and potentialities; however, those dedicated to the system seek to refine it in such a way as to increase its power to envelop and re-absorb that which it had originally pushed to its margins. Thus any system exists in a state of perpetual refinement because it aims to absorb back into itself that which has escaped it into the margins.
   
   Into such a system steps the young and callow Phineas Finn, a man who is indeed marginal in that he is Irish and a commoner, and it is that position of marginality which the system seeks to incorporate into itself. However, one must understand that the system does not incorporate into itself those who dwell at its margins in order to empower them. Rather, it seeks to neutralize the threateningly unregulated marginality that individuals like Phineas Finn represent by bringing them into its regulatory, normalizing regime, and as we shall soon see, this is precisely what almost happens to Phineas.

   With the above in mind, one may ask if whether there is any real benefit to entering such a system, if it is indeed essentially neutralizing and normalizing. I answer provisionally that the system into which Phineas enters, i.e., British Parliament, conceals its regulatory, homogenizing and neutralizing essence beneath a seductive veneer of power and celebrity, and it is this veneer to which Phineas succumbs. That is, it seems that at first a government office offers one the ability to satisfy one's desires, because it is a forum policymaking that also generates a cult of celebrity, and I need not explain the advantages of being a celebrity. Therefore, although we may initially think Phineas one lucky devil, we soon discover that Phineas's various political adventures are characterized by the necessity of forsaking that which he desires. For example, Phineas must abandon his desire for Lady Laura Standish because he cannot satisfy Lady Laura's own political ambitions, and later his political indebtedness to Lord Brantford forces him to abandon of his desire for Violet Effingham, with whom Lord Chiltern is in love. In fact, Phineas soon discovers that posturing, longwinded orations and cloakroom alliances epitomize politics more than any deep desire to get things done.

   Mr. Kennedy, on the other hand, is quite a virtuous consummate politician, because he is devoted to carrying out every administrative detail that accompanies government office. In truth though, he is really nothing more than a particularly diligent paper pusher. But, however propitious his demeanor is to the endless administrative duties he must carry out, Trollope nevertheless portrays him as a dry, sober, and nearly humorless. Furthermore, Trollope also portrays Mr. Kennedy a sort of gentle but effective disciplinarian in his married life. Thus we may conclude that political success requires the abnegation, or at least the endless deferral, of one's true desires, and that the most successful politician is one who can most effectively subordinate his desire to the workings of government. Therefore, the system seduces Phineas and his peers with a promise of power that it never delivers, and furthermore the system steals one's position of resistance from him via assimilation into a normalizing regime.
   
   Thus we have arrived at the essence of Trollope's political critique: that the British system of representative government is not dedicated to progress, but to stasis. The government preserves and extends the influence of the status quo through a subtle and complex array of practices: e.g., needlessly repetition of proposed legislature, stupifyingly long-winded filibusters, etc. These practices thus result in a perpetual deferral of desire on the part of plebeian, politician and rising young man alike.




2. This Oxford World's Classics edition contains two appendices titled Explanatory Notes and Who's Who. Unfortunately, they give away plot developments not only for this book but also for sequels in the Palliser Novels, of which Can You Forgive Her? is the predecessor to this work. This seems altogether unforgivable, so I recommend you seek out another edition. The novel itself is quite good if you have a lot of time; I was looking forward to the sequels, but now that I know so much of what is going to happen...



3. The chances are that "Phineas Finn" will not be the first or the second or even the third Trollope novel that you read. Several Barsetshire novels and "The Way We Live Now" are likely to get pride of place. This is probably fair enough. But that fact says more about the merits of the other books than of any defect in "Phineas Finn." It isn't perfect, but it is a very satisfying novel, indeed - perhaps the best "political" novel since Disraeli's "Sybil," It is "political," that is, not in the sense that it tackles big issues, as "Sybil" does - "Phineas Finn" gives a once-over to voting rights, tenant rights and the Irish but it's all somewhat perfunctory. No: it is "political" in the sense that it is about the lives and fortunes of a public man, and of those who offer help or hindrance on the way.

   The core elements of the plot are fairly familiar: callow youth sets out to conquer the world and finds out that it's trickier than it looks. Impetuous young woman enters into marriage full of high hopes only to find out that she is stuck with a bad deal. But then, you don't read Shakespeare for plot. I wouldn't say that Trollope is Shakespeare. Still, it is impressive how much by way of character and situation both writes can milk out of a structure that is almost haphazard.

   Other commentators have also noted that the ending to "Phineas Finn" is weak, but I don't see that as a crippling vice: I'm hard put to think of a really good novel whose ending is not weak.

   One of the many notable facts about the cast of characters is its great range: we have the home folk in Ireland. We have a marvelous portrait of Finn's landlord, the law-copyist, and his employer, the successful barrister - in each case, along with their wives. We have a narrow-minded country squire and a feckless young playboy. And we have a sketch, brief and incomplete but still convincing, of the grandest peer in the realm.

   Aside from the sheer breadth of reach, the other thing to be said about the cast is the extraordinary range of interesting women. Phineas, devil that he may be, catches the fancy of at least one back home in Ireland and three more in London. Trollope is often good with women and here in particular he shows remarkable sympathy and comprehension of what they are up against. And not least of the three is, of course, the remarkable Madame Max Goesler, who is surely in contention for recognition as the most remarkable Trollope character at all-for a lady named Max with a touch of a moustache, she is a Victorian sexpot.

   It would be fun to read this in comparison with Henry Adams' "Democracy" another novel of politics in more or less the same period, though on another continent. Meantime, I'm clearing time to read the rest of Trollope's "political" novels, in the hope that he maintains the high standard that he has set here.




4. Recently, a personal tragedy resulted in a rare hiatus in my reading. In attempting to return to normal, I found the only author that suited (and soothed) me was Anthony Trollope. As an English major at Dartmouth, I never encountered his works, and none were on the required reading list; yet now, there are few writers who can "embed" me in their world so easily as Trollope.
   
   This is the second of the Palliser series of six novels, the first of which was CAN YOU FORGIVE HER? Although it is not a prerequisite to understanding PHINEAS FINN, I recommend that readers start at the beginning, so that they have some idea of British parliamentary politics in the mid 19th century and the characters of Plantagenet Palliser, his wife Lady Glencora and their circle.
   
   To begin with, there was at that time no monetary recompense for being a member of the House of Commons. The assumption was that: (1) the member was independently wealthy or (2) the member had a day job which paid his bills. This becomes an overriding issue in the novel.
   
   Enter Phineas Finn, an engaging Irishman, who gives up the practice of law to run for an Irish seat in the House -- much to the consternation of his friends and relatives who worry how he is to make ends meet. He joins in with a group of Liberal politicians centered around Lord Beresford and his beautiful daughter, Lady Laura Standish. No sooner does Phineas get up the courage to propose to her than he finds he has been beaten to the punch by a wealthy Scottish member, who happens to be a dour and rigid Presbyterian.
   
   Next he targets Violet Effingham, who has an on-again, off-again relationship with Lord Chiltern, the brother of Lady Laura. In targeting Violet, Phineas runs up against the choleric Chiltern, whose "red hair is no lie," to quote one of my favorite lines in THE QUIET MAN. The two actually fight a duel across the Channel on a Belgian beach with no serious injory to either party. But Violet makes up her mind for Lord Chiltern, and Phineas is out in the cold again.
   
   As Phineas eventually makes it into the Treasury, which does carry some salary, he meets a beautiful wealthy Jewess named Mme Max Goesler, who has some feelings for him. Unfortunately, he had fallen under the tutelage of Mr. Monk, another Liberal politican who runs up against the prevailing political winds in the house. Not only does Phineas become a victim for his principles, but the Liberals are voted out; and Phineas is out of a job and flat broke.
   
   He returns to Ireland, marries an old childhood sweetheart, and gets a sinecure position in Cork as the Tories busily redraw the political map under Disraeli (called Daubeny in the novel).
   
   In addition to being a charmer -- though a bit feckless at times -- Phineas finds himself liked wherever he goes. Mind you, not enough to nab a beautiful, wealthy wife -- but there is a sequel to come called PHINEAS REDUX, which I am reading now, in which Phineas makes a comeback in his old haunts.
   
   As in all of my favorite Trollope novels, there are the obligatory fox hunting scenes, including one in which Phineas helps save Lord Chiltern, whose horse rolls over on him. He even saves the life of Mr Kennedy, Lady Laura's husband, by driving away some muggers. There is something sunny about the title character, and this quality shines throughout the novel.
   
   Anthony Trollope wrote some 47 novels: This one is one of the best, and will certainly make for an enjoyable read.



5. If I were going to be stranded on a desert island with only one novel to read for the next 50 years, this would be the one I'd want. The world picture it paints is finely detailed and entirely believable; and taken together with Phineas Redux it comprises the most nuanced exercise in character development I've ever seen in English fiction.
   
   Trollope's London is thickly populated with memorable characters, but two women stand out in particular: Lady Laura Standish and Marie Max Goesler. Both are gifted, charming, and in love with the eponymous hero -- a handsome (but poor and socially inconsequential) Irish barrister who finds himself swept up into the world of parliamentary politics.
   
   Without giving away too much, Lady Laura becomes a kind of study thwarted passion. She is riveting; a sad, tragic figure but one the reader never stops caring about. Trollope considered her to be the best character in the novel, and one of his finest literary achievements. Phineas proposes marriage to Lady Laura, and she rejects him, pledging herself instead to a rich man she does not love. This rejection happens quite early in Phineas Finn, but it haunts the characters through both Phineas novels like original sin and propels the entire plot.
   
   About Madame Max I feel I can't safely say too much without spoiling everything, but she is, to my mind, utterly captivating and the actual best character in the books. The scene in which she seduces the Old Duke by allowing him to catch a glimpse of her perfectly turned ankle is the best written seduction scene I've ever had the pleasure to read anywhere. One doesn't usually think of Trollope as a steamy sort of writer, but this is certainly very very erotic stuff.
   
   Another reviewer states that many feel the conclusion of Phineas Finn to be rather weak. Perhaps. But Trollope says that Phineas Finn and Phineas Redux should be understood to comprise but a single narrative. I suspect that many readers who've had the patience to read through both novels will agree with me in stating that the conclusion to the latter novel is probably the most gratifying they have ever read, but it wouldn't be so had the first novel ended in any other way.

5 comments about James Madison: (The American Presidents Series).

1. Garry Willis's biography is a short, brilliant biography of a short and brilliant man. It covers the breadth of his career and conveys a great sense of the man's personality and his place in American history, and at the same time avoids the pitfall of hagiography; it does not hesitate to point out Madison's flaws, and one can read it and come away with a sense of having learned something new, even if one is already familiar with the era. Any reader of early American history will find his time well-spent with Willis's biography.



2. Garry Wills is fast becoming a favorite Historian and Author to me.
   
   As is his habit, he brings his pithy and rich style to an examination of Madison's Presidency which in many ways was decidedly less successful than his stellar legislative and constitutional achievements. Rather than stating surprise at this, as many historians do, Wills outlines why this outcome was somewhat predictable when the skills of Madison early on are examined dispassionately. Madison was a superb legislator and a thorough academic well equipped to study and digest history and come to a reasonable conclusion. These skills made him indispensible in the work done upon the American Constitution. As an administrator, however, he lacked the drive and focus that others brought.
   
   Make no mistake, Wills does not fail to give credit where credit is due and as an 8 year president who left office more popular than he came in, there is much to say positively.
   
   There are good biographies that go into far greater detail in many areas. However, if you want a short overview which will leave you with a good understanding of the Madison presidency and how it ties into the themes of the day, you will be hard pressed to find a better one than this.
   
   Well worth the read.
   
   5 stars.
   
   Bart Breen



3. As stated in the Editor's Note, the American President series, of which this book is a part, aims to ".... present the grand panorama of our chief executive in volumes compact enough for the busy reader, lucid enough for the student, authoritative enough for the scholar." At 164 pages of text, this book is certainly compact. It is quite lucid and it is surly authoritative. The book is not, however, an analysis of the life of James Madison, or even a comprehensive presentation of his whole life. It discusses the many facets of his life in terms of his contribution to the United States. As the man considered to be the "Father of the Constitution", a co-author of The Federalist (the series of essays that were instrumental in getting the Constitution ratified), as a leader in the first Congress, Secretary of State (under Thomas Jefferson) and then as a two term President, Madison made immense contributions to the founding and early government of the Untied States. All these facets of his career are discussed, but given the compactness of the book they are only discussed briefly.
   
   The primary thing that I came away with was the feeling that Madison was an enigma. I guess that this just shows my ignorance of the finer points of American history, as historians have been trying, largely unsuccessfully, for the last two hundred years to explain the enigma that was James Madison. Indeed, Madison was also vexed with the difficulty of trying to explain his many contradictory actions. In working on the Constitution he unsuccessfully tried to give the federal government the power to veto state laws. Yet he later was secretly the author of the Virginia Resolutions that promulgated the idea that the states had the right to nullify federal law. He opposed Hamilton's Bank of the US, but then tried to renew the charter and when this failed he supported the formation of the second Bank of the US. He opposed war, yet he led the US into a war with Britain for which it was completely unprepared. Garry Wills tries to come to grips with these, and other contradictions, but I do not think that he was completely successful, but then again neither has anyone else. For me, just realizing that this conundrum exits was worth the price of the book.



4. Garry Wills is an exceptional documentarian, and this effort is a fine example. A very comprehensive review of the formative years of this Founding Father is provided, those years that helped define the political system and policy of early America. Madison's contribution to the constitutional constructs of Virginia and the U.S. are well-woven, even if his presidency is less a focus of Wills energies. Portrayal is of a deeply insightful humanist who performed best as a thinker than an administrator, WIlls has captured the essence of the man himself.



5. Garry Wills, eminent author on the American mind, writes a literate and compelling political biography of James Madison, "Jemmy" as he was called earlier in his life. Here was someone whose resume seems made to become president. Yet this man, "the Father of the Constitution," was not near the success that one might have guessed from his background.
   
   His pedigree includes: key figure in the Constitutional Convention--from getting George Washington to attend (a coup) to helping structure the agenda (from amending the Articles of Confederation to trashing the extant constitution and replacing it with something very different); to serving as a major figure in the early Congress (including helping to produce a Bill of Rights), to organizing the first political party (along with Thomas Jefferson, although it took Martin Van Buren and his circle to perfect the arrangement).
   
   Wills begins by observing that there is consensus that (Page 1) ". . .Madison, though one of the nation's greatest founders, is not one of its greatest presidents." Wills suggests that one can account for this by (a) bad luck falling Madison's way (which Wills discounts); (b) his temperament (he had more legislative than executive talent--more apt an explanation in Wills' view); (c) errors (a very poor reading of the British Empire, leading to foolish foreign policy and the War of 1812).
   
   As with other in "The American Presidents" series, this begins with a brief sketch of the future president's youth, his early career, and his rise to the presidency (from the Constitutional Convention to Congress to Jefferson's Secretary of State). Trivia is included: Madison was the shortest American President ever.
   
   This represents a standard, literate Wills' work. His literary approach is as expected (what a wonderful command of the language!). The work nicely lays out why Madison was not as good a President as one might have guessed--as well as his later life.
   
   All in all, an estimable addition to this valuable series.

5 comments about Little Evil: One Ultimate Fighter's Rise to the Top.

1. This book was more than I thought it would be. I really wanted to know about Jens Pulver but this book takes you on a wild ride that he calls life. I loved every minute of it and I couldn't put it down. After reading this book I have a new respect for Mr. Jens Pulver.



2. After finishing within 2 days, I felt that it was very much more of a sob story than anything else. I am not trying to disrespect Jens. For those who want to read about Jen's past, this would fit the bill. It gives detailed account of his family life, school, financial situation etc. Perhaps for him, this was an especially emotional story hence certain people may not like this autobiography.



3. Very good read, it's a bit on the short side but very good. It's really great to get a chance to see inside the mind of someone who overcame what he did. It will change you view of "Lil Evil" and make you an instant fan.



4. I am a mma fighter myself so that might be one reason i liked this book. But i would have to say this is my favorite book i have ever read. It literally had me wanting to read.(and i hate reading) I suggest anyone who likes mma or just fighting to get this book!



5. I've read Chuck, Matt and Tito's books, Randy, Ken and B.J.'s autobiographies in the beginning of their books, and this is the best (with Tito's a close second). Although I'm a big MMA fan, I was never a huge fan of Jens until this book. Jens could have turned out to be a janitor and this would still be an incredible story. I was surprised not only by his story, but his admirable honesty and humbleness with which this was written. Two thumbs up!

5 comments about Dreams Of Trespass: Tales Of A Harem Girlhood.

1. I found this book to be entertaining, educational, inspirational and thought provoking all at once. I personally and Americans in general are largely confused and misinformed about the concept of the harem and how the women in them lived; and it is no wonder or surprise that we are! It seems that even within the high walls and locked gates of the harem the residents cannot agree on the subject! What is a harem? Is it a den of iniquity? A commune? A brothel? A prison? An extended family? A refuge?
   
   Told from the perspective of a 6-9 year old girl growing up in a domestic harem in Morocco in the late 1940s, this book has a freshness and naiveté that only a child can muster as she ponders her place in her home, society, and the world at large.
   
   Her observations of the world around her are uncensored, and guide the reader to a greater understanding not only of other cultures and other women, but of our relationships and ourselves. Only a child has the innocent courage to stand up and say, "The Emperor has no clothes!"
   
   As I learned about another world, I began also to draw parallels to may own life and current times. Changing laws does not grant freedom to individuals. Here in America we have all the freedoms that these women were deprived of and fought for, and yet in many cases we remain trapped- prisoners of our fears, our habits, our insecurities, and our weaknesses.
   
   In this book I found lots of hope and inspiration, reminding me of many ways to experience freedom inwardly- without the necessity of changing outward circumstances.
   © 2006 Shahina



2. The book was great and interesting. Amazon sent it very quick.



3. I couldn't help but fall asleep whilst reading this book. I only was able to go through about a little over a half, mostly because I was required to read it. Generally, the book is about a middle eastern girl living in a Harem and surrounded by the conflicting Western Power, the French Army. Lots of battles with tradition and western cultures, and primarily about the rift between men and women. So you're in for a subtle yet quite obvious gender conflict, which was in my opinion awfully sexist (I know it's from the view of a woman but that doesn't take away from the fact that she explicitly tries to write as if she were a child again with "innocence" yet fails because of her mature agenda). The author, Mernissi, spends about 10-15 pages per chapter driveling on about the most useless facts or coincidences. Just when you think she's reaching her point and finally bear fruit, it's the start of a new chapter and another take on a topic or segment of her life that is completely irrelevant.



4. I read this after returning from Morocco. The insight into what life used to be like for most women enriched my understanding of the culture which I found fascinating. I'd spoken with several women while in the country who are "liberated" but heard none of the story of the lives of women who adhere to the old traditions. I saw many others who still live behind closed walls. This is the story of the latter group's growing up years that I couldn't have gotten otherwise.



5. Ms. Mernissi states that "The frontier is in the mind of the powerful", and that "...looking for the frontier has become my life's occupation. Anxiety eats at me whenever I cannot situate the geometric line organizing my powerlessness." This book is a very moving first-hand account of the secluded life of a young girl, born into a prosperous family in Fez in the 1940s. She is confined in a harem, which in this case consists of the women and children of an extended family, imprisoned behind walls and a guarded gate for their own protection in an occupied city. "When Allah created the earth, said Father, he separated men from women, and put a sea between Muslims and Christians for a reason. Harmony exists when each group respects the prescribed limits of the other. Trespassing leads only to sorrow and unhappiness. But women dreamed of trespassing all the time. The world beyond the gate was their obsession."
   
   Throughout the book she illustrates the ongoing attempts of her mother and grandmother to discover the outside world, establish their individual identity, and exercise some tiny bit of control over their own lives. Her mother listens to radio Cairo when the men are out of the house, and despite her mother-in-law's disapproval, embroiders birds on her clothes instead of traditional patterns. Although her mother is barred from attending literacy classes by a vote of the leading men of the family, Fatima and her cousins are allowed to attend public school when the country's religious leaders vote to support women's education and schools are opened to female students. Suddenly the outside world is open to her, but she still feels powerless. Her Aunt Habiba provides liberating advice: "It is not enough to reject this courtyard - you need to have a vision of the meadows with which you want to replace it." Fatima must now discover her unique, personal dream, the vision that would give her direction and light. This is a radical change: she is not just a daughter and future wife and mother, she is also an individual with unique and valuable gifts to share with the world.

5 comments about On the Way Home: The Diary of a Trip from South Dakota to Mansfield, Missouri, in 1894.

1. This book is written in a much different style than the other Little House books. Laura kept a journal of the trip and these are her day-to-day entries. It can sometimes be dry or confusing. I have been reading the series with my daughter and this one has been a little more difficult. We enjoyed it, but not as much as the others.



2. It's often said in tones of this-is-true-but-it's-also-heresy that Rose Wilder Lane, daughter of Laura and Almanzo Wilder, is the real unsung heroine in the Little House books, because while she let her mother have credit for the famous series, it was Rose, via her careful, invisible editing and re-writes, that turned cheery memoirs into beloved classics. I suspect that's true, but in the case of this book, it is beyond all doubt what happened. Rose took her mother's raw diary and prepared it for publication, and the product is the book On The Way Home, which tells of the journey Rose and her parents made in 1894, from DeSmet, South Dakota, setting for the final half of the Little House books, to the Ozark country, where the family would spend the next sixty years. The description is unsentimental, not glamorized (as it tends to be--for the sake of betterment--in the other books) and it paints a portrait of the difficult traveler's life on the by-then crowded prairie overrun with east-central European immigrants, many of whom being exactly the type portrayed in novels such as My Antonia. The Wilder family completes its draining re-location by covered wagon and arrives in Missouri, a state so much a promised land to them that a reader cannot help but share their relief when they safely arrive.



3. I can see why Laura Ingalls was able to write such good books about her early life on the Prairie. Her diaries were packed full of information and detail which she could later draw on. This is one of her diaries, with notes and a setting by her only child, daughter Rose Wilder Lane who was just a girl during this trip.
   
   Laura Ingalls Wilder is, of course, famous for her little House books describing her childhood growing up at the edge of American settling in the mid Nineteenth century. Constantly pushing to new territories and places Ingalls father lead them west into Indian territory and later to Dakota where they settled. Laura met and Married Almanzo Wilder in de Smet, Dakota (Those happy Golden Years, and First Four Years) however those books left a me feeling a bit downhearted. Especially teh First Four Years, in which Almanzo 'Manly' and Laura seemed to be struck with tragedy (the house burning down) etc.
   
   I found this diary to be hugely uplifting. It is not the detailed stories of her childhood, or living in a wagon as an adult settler, but it is a great tale detail of a family moving, of finding something which they could call their own, but far away in the Ozarks.
   
   The most interesting thing to me about it, was that while they were on the road they were constantly being passed by other settlers, some going north and others going south, but the number of people on the move was amazing. At one point Rose adds a note that she looked back while they were about to cross the 'muddy' and there was a stream of covered wagons behind them.
   
   Little details of what life was like really draw this out - tomatoes 10c a bushel and so they bought 2c worth. Huge watermelons for 5 c, Almanzo selling fire mats (ASBESTOS!) and all those little everyday details about life for Laura.
   
   While she did not put her stories down until many decades later, clearly she was a writer in the making right from the beginning. Rose, her daughter has provided much of the detail necessary in here, but it would be really nice to see an illustrated edition of this showing the place as it was and as it is now. It was interesting to use Google Earth to view some of the trail which you can see right now. It gives it a sense of scale which I will not be able to do myself unless I acutally visit.
   
   The only reason this has four stars is it is not as gripping as Ingalls novels - it is still a great read and highly recommended.



4. The Book, On The Way Home, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, is basically what it says it is. It is a Diary of a Trip from South Dakota to Mansfield, Missouri, in 1894. This book was not that enjoyable just because it was just diary entries, like "today we ate meat." But other wise it was quite intriguing to discover the ways in which people traveled back in the day. In one part of the book it talks about how their covered wagon is not a covered wagon at all but that, "It had been a two-seated hack though now it only had the front seat." I also found it very enjoyable to read about the worth of money back then and compare it to now. It talks about how Laura had earned a whole one hundred dollars which today is like penny cash but back then was a fortune. In the beginning of the book there is a setting by Rose Wilder Lane, Laura's Daughter, which is a great piece of writing, it is like the rest of Laura's books in that it makes you want to read the rest of the book. I found this book interesting but a drag because of the slow pace in the book. If you would like to take a slow dip into history you should definitely read this book.



5. This Laura Ingalls Wilder diary is somewhat dull in parts, but the introduction by her daugher, Rose Wilder Lane, is worth the price of the book. Lane gives a first-hand account of the days before and after the journey that puts Laura in a new light. There are also several good photographs unavailable in other LHOTP books.

No comments about Lady Q: The Rise and Fall of a Latin Queen.

5 comments about The Last Man on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and America's Race in Space.

1. What a great read. Parts of this book was a bit hokey, but I really enjoyed the book. Based on what I've read in other material about NASA, Gene was one of the most liked astronauts. What a great guy. A must read. I've read a lot of material and books on the Mecury thru Apollo missions, and I think the best I've read was Micheal Collins "Carrying the Fire" this lends itself to great detail and leaves you with a good education.
   
   KLD



2. Some people may be disappointed by this book. There's very little about Commander Cernan's time on the surface of the moon. If that's all you want to know about, I'd still recommend the book but you'll only want to read a couple of chapters. But to buy the book for that reason would be to miss the point. This is the story of the man that was last to stand on the moon. The moon was his home for 3 days. For a guy over 70 years old, that's not a large period of his life, even if it is what history will remember him for. This is what it was like to be an astronaut for NASA at that time and that's all you need to know, and it's personal, heart warming, fun, exciting, distressing, stressful and sad, just like real life.
   In 2007 I got the opportunity to meet Gene Cernan and had the pleasure of sharing dinner with him. He told me this book was the best way to know what it was like to be on the moon.
   And he's right, in every way. It describes many years of hard work, dedication, hardship and sacrifice, for a short period of time in which he was kept so busy he had to treasure the moments where he could take it all in.
   It is a testament to the quality of writing that my opinions of Commander Cernan are the same now, after reading the book as they were when I bade him farewell. He's a genuine, pull no punches guy. I don't think his heart is on his sleeve but he'll say what he thinks.
   I was honoured to spend a time in company with Commander Gene Cernan and get to know him. Reading this book, you will get to know him too.
   Read this book. It describes the pinnacle of human achievement and how it was done. The men, the women, the engineers, the scientists, the emotion, the humanity. It's all here and it makes you proud to be part of humanity because we may not be perfect, but neither were they.
   
   It's magnificent!



3. I liked this book for its coverage of all the space flights from the beginning with Gemini to the end with Apollo. Gene was in fact the "last man on the moon" as we stopped going to the moon after his flight! He did more in his lifetime than most anyone. He started as a Navy pilot, about to go into Vietnam, when he got pulled for astronaut duty. I liked reading his descriptions of the celebrity lifestyle the original astronauts lived, with lots of parties at the Cape in Florida (while the wives were banished to their homes outside Houston!). I thought he touched on what it was like for the wives to live with a larger-than-life "space hero" in their midst, but he pulled back in some places. He does give his opinion on all the famous astronauts like Al Shephard and Neil Armstrong, and what he thought of their personalities and also their ranking as far as the best of the astronauts. The only downside to the book was, because Gene was involved in so many space flights, both as a backup crew and regular crew, that by the time you get to his last moon flight it's a bit routine hearing once again about getting the rocket ready for launch, stuffing themselves into their bulky spacesuits, etc. Overall, the book is very thorough and good but maybe could have used more humorous stories. I also liked the very beginning of the book where he talks about his grandparents old-time farm in Antigo, WI, without any running water or electricity.



4. It's no surprise that it's well-written considering how many journalists Gene Cernan knows, and he couldn't have picked a better co-author than Don Davis. It is accessible to all because they kept it non-technical.
   
   The author keeps his family in the forefront and puts his wife and daughter on a pedestal. He lets us in on how an Apollo astronaut's career could be a real marriage-tester due to his time away from home, and the wife being on stage. I liked the way they chronicled the story not only with dates, but with what songs were playing on the radio and what the non-NASA headlines were.
   
   Personal judgments abound. He pulls no punches on Buzz Aldrin and a few other astronauts, resurrects the Apollo 15 "scandal," and then runs a one-man campaign to redeem and lionize Alan Shepard, burying the screw-ups of Apollo 14. (For those who consider Shepard a hero, as I once did, may I suggest Andrew Chaikin's authoritative and well-researched tome "A Man on the Moon.") Another thing I found really different about Cernan's memoir: Wally Schirra is finally vindicated as an unsung hero of the space race. The author recaps Schirra's brash manner during the Apollo 7 flight as others have, but also points out that Wally had been that way during the previous 21 months (since The Fire), getting in everyone's face with his demands at North American and other contractors. It made me realize how much Wally Schirra had to do with us (people) getting to the moon by the time we did.
   
   Any Apollo aficionado would be remiss without reading this. (Ditto for Chaikin, and Jim Lovell's "Apollo 13.") This is an inspiring American success story.



5. When I started to read The Last Man on the Moon I wondered: What did it feel like to walk in space and on the moon? I got more than I bargained for. I enjoyed one of the greatest true adventures of all times when Cernan removed the shackles of the earth and took me to places where few have gone.
   
   Cernan's book is exceptional at describing what it felt like to be an astronaut in the 1960s and what it was like to walk in space and on the moon.
   
   One of the parts I could relate to best was his descriptions of a space walk during a Gemini mission and his moon walks. His descriptions of a pressurized suit that was tough to move and navigate in were amazing. As a diver who has been to places such as the Galapagos islands (with cold waters) I know what its like to have a life support system and bulky suit. Cernan's descriptions helped me understand (just a little) what it is like to walk in space and on the moon.
   
   There were many close calls in the space programs that were truly nail biters. For example, during the Apollo 10 mission Gene Cernan discusses Tom Stafford and himself spinning out of control while just above the moon. The countless hours of training and razor sharp skills of the astronauts saved them. Stafford pulled them out at the last couple of seconds just before they would have crashed into the moon.
   
   There were also stories of tragedies such as the loss of the three men in the fire of Apollo 1. Everyone on the space program was deeply saddened. Afterwards everyone's resolve to go to the moon safely reached a new level of commitment.
   
   The book is definitely a page turner with many amusing antidotes. One story that sticks out in my mind is when Cernan explains that the early astronauts were like rock stars (they could do almost anything they wanted to). For example, they would let there wives know they were coming home in the evening by flying right over their homes with their jets before landing at a local base (a true flyby). Then they would jump into their Corvettes and drive like a bats out of h**l to their homes screeching into the driveways. This is stuff that legends are made of.
   
   Cernan writing style is engaging and fascinating. He is both a strong Critical Thinker and philosopher rolled into one.
   
   For example, in one telling excerpt he discusses the importance of going to the moon as a commander, not just walking on it. His thoughts are summed up when he says: "I have always believed that destiny is a matter of personal choice, where you carefully think out your decision, consider the downside, accept the risk of being wrong, and press on."
   
   Cernan eloquently writes about his passion for space travel when he says: "Our legacy is that humans are no longer shackled to the Earth. We opened the door to tomorrow, and our trips to another celestial body will rank as the ultimate triumph in the Age of Achievement. And for the price, it was the biggest bargain in history."
   
   He goes on to say: "Sometimes it seems that Apollo came before its time. President Kennedy reached far into the twenty-first century, grabbed a decade of time and slipped it neatly into the 1960's and 1970s."
   
   I have been fortunate to meet Gene Cernan on a few occasions at Astronaut gatherings in the past couple of years. He is one of the greatest advocates for the space program and is a gentleman and a scholar. He still has a bounce in his step and a twinkle in his eye...and I wouldn't be surprised if he has a little mischief in him as well.
   
   Once at a dinner I was sitting at Cernan's table and someone asked him whether seeing the moon was different from earth orbit or from the moon.
   
   Gene Cernan got very quiet and thoughtful and said that it was entirely different. He went on to say that from orbit the earth is beautiful with its blue oceans, majestic large land masses and more. Then he paused and got very serious. He said from the moon the view of the earth was unbelievable. He went on to say that seeing this little blue ball that hung in black space by an invisible string (axis) that it turned on was unbelievable. You could see in his eyes that he had a life changing experience when he saw it from the front porch of the moon many years ago.
   
   There are several excellent books on the early space program. The Last Man on the Moon is one of the best of the best.
   
   The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

1 comments about A Voyage Round John Mortimer: A Biography of the Creator of Rumpole of the Bailey.

1. Interesting to find his real life---While I love Rumpole, John Mortimer's life seems fraught with indiscretions--of which we dwell on too much.
   I guess I wanted him to be more like Rumpole.