3 comments about Klimt (Big Art).

1. Over the years, I've only looked at Klimt from the edges - that is, I was aware only of the more popular poster images you couldn't help seeing here and there. But this book is a big revelation to me. Such genius! He is truly amazing, and I had no idea of the range of his thought or the depth of his talent. He was a superb draftsman, which enabled him to take risks with the figure because he knew exactly what he was doing.
   
   A well-designed book - a complete visual pleasure, and fire to the imagination.



2. First of all, the book is not covered as shown in the amazon photo which shows the famous "kiss" painting. The book, apparently updated in 2006, shows a cover photo of Klimt's famous Danae (1907-8) oil on canvas painting. I think this cover is more provacative and more organic and softer than the famed Kiss painting which reveals a couple entwined in gold looking rather stiff. Danae was certainly a better choice for the cover. The book is definitely not written for the casual art reader. It is written with extreme depth as what I'd expect from a historian of the arts on a university research level. As verbose as it is, it has plenty, if not hundreds of photos of the famous works, including all of Klimt's paintings and lesser known sketches. The author discusses several of Klimt's famous paintings in depth and reviews various critics of Klimt's time period as well as Klimt's personal opinions and struggles. Culture, politics, and various movements in the arts is also discussed at length. This book is too deep for the casual browser or reader but makes a great coffee table book if only for the pictures alone. It is a high quality book and the pages are high quality (acid free) and glossy. The painting photos are rich and fully colored, better than other books I've bought on Klimt (where the precious gold paint is reduced to lousy brownish or greenish prints). The gold tones in this book, so famous in Klimt's work, are reproduced extremely well as well as the other vivid colors so characteristic of Klimt's work. It's a bargain to get this book at the price.



3. My disappointment comes from the printing process rather than the content,
   which is chock full of color plates of Klimt's paintings and some great
   photos of Klimt's life and times.
   All of the color plates and the photos are printed soft-edged and the wonderful vibrant golds are somehow absent. None the less, it is a lovely
   book with a very good text and a marvelous range of his work.

No comments about Thrumpton Hall: A Memoir of Life in My Father's House.

5 comments about My Life and Hard Times (Perennial Classics).

1. I am 52 yrs. old. I read this book in High School and couldn't put it down. When I read it again as adult, I laughed even harder because somehow it made having the weirdest family in the whole world a joke instead of a hardship. It made Thurber's family, the Coneheads, the Simpsons, and the Osbornes seem like life is good as long as you can laugh once in a while, and even better if you can laugh at yourself.



2. Take your mind back half a century and read these mildly amusing essays about life in the 1920s and 1930s. The style is so different from modern prose, but it is well worth the read.



3. Thurber is a great favorite of mine, and this was another fun book to read.



4. Should be required reading for all folks of any age looking for an introduction to life in these United States, for those learning to overcome despair and disaster with humor and grace, for any and all learning the English language.



5. James Thurber was one of the funiest authors of all time and this book cements his reputation. I enjoyed it many years ago and after re-reading it, I enjoyed it again.

5 comments about Made in America: The Most Dominant Champion in UFC History.

1. Matt Hughes has been one of the most dominate champions the UFC has ever known. This book is essentially his life's story, and how a man went from a small rural town to the big lights of the UFC.
   
   The book is honest and revealing: Everything from street fights to his conversion to Christianity, to his near death experience at the swirl pool to his long up and downs with his current wife. The book does a great job of capturing Hughes' voice and personality.
   
   I found this book to be more entertaining than Iceman: My Fighting Life (although I would never say that to Liddell's face). Nevertheless, both were great reads and provide extraordinary behind-the-door information about the fastest growing sport in the country.



2. Several reviews have already said it better than I can, but my opinion of Matt Hughes after reading this has dropped considerably. I am a huge sports biography fan so I understand that athletes are human, but there were several anecdotes in the book that left me baffled.
   
   For example he told a story of his uncle having issues controlling his bladder. There was no context for the story and it made Matt look like an immature jerk for even including it in the book.
   
   He often recounts stories of his interactions with other fighters and fans where he either bullies or acts like an arrogant jerk to them. Instead of telling the stories as if he made a mistake and regrets his behavior, he seems to think he actually did the right thing in those situations and feels completely justified.
   
   Like others have said, the writing is terrible and there is no flow or rhythm to the stories. MMA junkies and Matt Hughes fans will probably like the book because there are a few "inside access" stories that are interested, but get it from the library.



3. Wow, I'm amazed by the horrible reviews here. Do you people even know what MMA is??
   
   Matt Hughes is cocky, he isn't the most dominant champion of all time, he's a horrible writer, that's what they said! Well of course he is cocky, it's called the superior confidence of being a dominant champion. That kind of "cocky" confidence, is what gets your hand raised at the end of the fight, these are men, professional fighters that want to break your face more than anything.The writing isn't perfect, right, that means that the words are straight from Matt, not some notetaking editor.
   
   I'm a hardcore UFC fan and I've seen Matt win and I have seen Matt get totally dominated, never has he been disrespectful to an opponent. He earned his place in the UFC and reigned as champion, his glory days are over, but he will "DEFINITELY" be in the UFC Hall of Fame.
   
   I read this book in about a week, thats quick for me. I loved it!
   
   It's Matt's life, his story, the ups and downs, the road to the UFC and his personal life. The book is very entertaining, with many funny stories, as well as great fight stories.
   
   If you love the UFC and MMA you'll love this book. 5 Stars!



4. I think this book is worth the money I spent on it;but I was hoping he'd say his bad attitude was fake to sell tickets.He truly is a jerk and if you read this book;he'll tell you all about it!



5. Great story as told by a Great Champion. Reading Hughes' book was informative and a GREAT read. Hughes is a hero in and out of the Octagon. The account of his life and his Christian faith is very uplifting. This is a must for any M.M.A fan, (without being preachy) I wish Hughes the best of luck in the future and hope whomever reads "Made In America" enjoys this book as much as i did.

5 comments about The Long Gray Line: The American Journey of West Point's Class of 1966.

1. This is narrative American history at its finest; Atkinson is a master of the form. The author selects a handful of cadets from the Class of 1966, follows the twists and turns of their paths from West Point to Vietnam, and their re-entry into American life. If you enjoy William Manchester; Edmund Morris; H.W. Brands; etc., you'll love this. I own hundreds of history books, and this is among my favorites.



2. This is one excellent book. It is a must read for people who have been in the military and for that fact, anyone and everyone. This book starts with the Class of 1966 as the enter Westpoint. They start out as freshmen (I believe the term was plebes), the book takes the readers through the trials and tribulations of each of the main characters as they endure that first year. As the book progresses on you get to know each of the main characters as they experience school, romance, hard times, easy times, sad times and happy times. The book continues as they graduate from school and enter Vietnam. You experience the horror of war and the bond the forms with soldiers in combat. After Vietnam the reader will continue to follow the characters as they experience life after Vietnam. I was acutally hoping the book would not end. Being in the military I can relate to much of what the book was about. I highly suggest the book to anyone.



3. Atkinson does his usual in depth reporting of events. In this book he explores the culture of the times, the morals of the cadets and the long term effects of a misdirected war on an entire generation. As a Korean War veteran I could appreciate Atkinson's factual reporting of the events that transpired as the unprepared citizen soldiers entered their first fire fights.



4. It would be a shame to classify this book as "military history," since the term is bound to turn away some readers. Certainly this narrative of the lives of some members of the West Point class of 1966 follows them into combat, and Atkinson is a masterful writer in this genre. However, what is most interesting about this book is the way it describes the intersection---one might even say collision--of the values and education imparted by West Point with the rapidly changing culture of the sixties and seventies. In addition, Atkinson's examination of the lingering deleterious effects on the Army of an unpopular and unsuccessful war is enough to make one wonder what the consequences of the current unpopular war will be. This book, which often reads like a novel, ought to be in the hands of students, most of whom have little connection to the war in Iraq and little understanding of military life, unlike their sixties counterparts, who at least faced the draft.



5. I held my breath through most of this book, unable to sleep at night without reading 'just one more page.' Whether a lover of history or not, you will enjoy this book! Atkinson weaves the tail of West Point's class of 1966 with wit, humor, and profound understanding of his subjects. I found this story absolutely inspiring, and enjoyed the multiple dimensions to Atkinson's narrative as he focuses on American culture during the 1960's and 70's- not just the War in Vietnam. HEROIC! and a MUST read!!

5 comments about Brother One Cell.

1. Heard Thomas on a pod-cast of the Diane Rehm show. Thought it was interesting and got a copy. This is one of the best books I have ever read. I was so captivated with his writting that I had a hard time putting it down to get other things done. The writting is easy on the eyes, flows well and just slips off the page. In this coming of age story we not only have the story but a true transformation. Highly recommend it.



2. This book is incredible! I agree with the other reviewer who pointed out that one particular negative review on this book seemed grossly uninformed. To sum up just how that review errs, this book is not at all "uneventful"; the entire point of the memoir is just how humbled Thomas *did* feel by his experience; and while he does comment on ethnic diversity in the prison, he by no means sees his fellow convicts as "losers." Please don't do yourself a disservice by assuming that this book is nothing more than some whiny, poorly adjusted, rich boy's lament.
   
   As for my own reactions to Brother One Cell, I feel that everyone can take something from it. While receiving a prison sentence is obviously no small deal, the appeal of this book is broader than many might assume. Some readers who never had to deal with a jail term may still find that it strikes a chord, have they ever found themselves faced with a prolonged set of difficult circumstances far away from home. The soul-searching that Thomas does, the way he articulates his pain over being kept apart from his loved ones, his insistence on "going it alone" despite his feelings of isolation, and his discussions of the fear of losing himself (on a fundamental and psychological level) are all of universal interest. He talks at length about the internal change that leads him to value the most mundane of acts -- things that he does not have in jail -- such as reading whatever he wants, looking at members of the opposite sex, walking around outside, and so much more.
   
   I feel that there are probably a number of people out there who could relate to the types of emotional and psychological changes explored and documented in this book. He even mentions (in varying amounts of detail) experiences such as phantom pains, flashbacks, and his unique relationship with Korea and feelings about the time he spent there. The author starts off by showing us the aimless vagabond he once was, allows us to accompany him very intimately through his periods of rage and depression following his arrest, and concludes with a sense that Korea is now very much a part of who he is.
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the following
   -prison memoirs
   -unique glimpses into seldom-seen aspects of Korean culture
   -anyone familiar with Korean culture who is interested in outsiders' impressions of it
   -stories of self-discovery
   -culture shock
   -autobiographical accounts of the profound personal changes borne out of unrelenting hardships faced in relative isolation (as well as the changes in an individual's perspective on said hardships as time wears on)
   
   The latter reason to read this book appeals not only to those who have been forever changed by circumstances that their loved ones will never truly know, but it could also be of immense help to anyone trying to understand their loved one's experience and the depth of the impact it has left.
   
   Brother One Cell is fascinating--this book is raw, yet compassionate and, above all else, honest. Just as other reviewers have noted, I too can see this book taking a place on required reading lists; it is only a matter of time before it becomes a classic.



3. This book is riveting. It chronicles a worst nightmare come true with a tone that is wise, witty and utterly accessible. I can't recommend it highly enough. I was entranced by the various transformations of optimism that this author traipses through on his seemingly horrific yet 'can't look away' journey.



4. First things first. If your name is listed in red ink, and almost everybody else's is in black, it does not mean that you've won a prize. Do not try to collect your package from the window. Cullen did and he wound up serving 3 and a half years in a series of Korean Houses of D.
   
   Ever since I read a Giant Robot article about Asian and Asian-American inmates stockpiling ramen, ketchup packets, soy sauce packets and other odds and ends to create ersatz versions of the dishes they craved, I've been fascinated with prisoner resourcefulness. In this respect Brother One Cell is a very satisfying travelogue. Cullen is a big, unseasoned foreigner, not yet fluent, completely inexperienced as a criminal, who must learn to survive as a prisoner - how to talk to people, how to make sure he gets his mail, how to deal with mosquitos, extreme cold and fluorescent lights that stay on 24 hours a day...
   
   Even more satisfying is the transformative mental and phillosophical journey upon which the author embarks, at first unconsciously and then with growing determination. The appreciation and grace at which he eventually arrives is a good reminder for those of us who've been spoiled by taken-for-granted freedom, cooshy living conditions and Get Out Of Jail Free cards we didn't necessarily deserve.



5. Loved this book. As a prison memoir, it does not shock or scare. Korean prisons, despite their lack of heat, cannot compete with Thai, Turkish or American prisons on the fear scale. This book delivers much more; it is the best that I have ever read on the subject of foreigners negotiating, stumbling, fubmbling and bumbling their way through South Korea. Thomas captures the maddening dualities, how he is constantly faced with both special treatment and petty humiliations. One minute, he is in awe of the maturity, cohesion, the genrosity, gentleness and, above all, the charm of Koreans. The next he is driven up the wall by their uniformity, closed-mindedness, bullying, brutality and pride. Every foreigner that has lived in Korea on Korea's terms has lived Thomas's story. Obviously, few have lived as much on Korea's terms as Thomas. And fewer still have written about the experience with more intelligence, even-handedness and wit.
   
   The most touching and disturbing part of the book deals with the author's friendship with a character identified only as Green. Green, married to a Korean prostitute, is serving time for murdering his own half-Korean children. Upon his parole, Green is deported and immediately relocates to Koreatown in Los Angeles, finding a home where outsiders are not supposed to have a place. Why would he choose to get as close as he possibly could to his former captors? After reading Thomas's extraordinary book, you will understand why.

5 comments about Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God.

1. My mother is one of several people I know who eschews all of the Christian Living type of books that dominate the Christian publishing industry. Apart from her Bible (the most beat-up, ink-covered, personalized Bible you'll ever see) and a few commentaries, she reads only biographies. She feels that by reading about the lives of great Christians of the past, she will learn far more than what most of the Christian Living books can teach her. She may just be right.
   
   Faithful Women & Their Extraordinary God is Noel Piper's second solo effort that is targetted at an adult audience (she has previously authored Treasuring God in Our Traditions and has written the children's book Most Of All, Jesus Loves You.). The book contains five short biographies of five faithful women: Sarah Edwards, Lilias Trotter, Gladys Aylward, Esther Ahn Kim and Helen Roseveare.
   
   I particularly enjoy short biographies of this type as they provide only a glimpse of a person. If one of the people particularly intrigues me, I can seek out a more exhaustive biography. This book serves as an introduction to five particularly fascinating servants of the Lord - women who have in some way had a significant impact on the author. While the women are bound by a common thread, their zeal in serving the Lord, they represent several countries and hundreds of years of Christian history. Sarah Edwards lived in the New World during the mid-1700's and was best-known for selflessly supporting and extending the ministry of her husband, Jonathan Edwards; Lilias Trotter grew up in Victorian England but served God as a missionary in North Africa; Gladys Alward left her native England in 1932 so she could serve the Lord in China; Esther Ahn Kim stood strong among the persecuted ranks of believers during the Japanese occupation of Korea; Helen Roseveare became a doctor to the native population of the Congo, remaining there through years of war and bloodshed. Each of these women suffered in their own way, but did so joyfully, knowing that they suffered for the Lord.
   
   A great deal of the value of this book lies in the author's closing comments for each of the sections. Piper adds a personal touch to each biography, describing what it is about the person that has so touched her. She ends each of the chapters with a dedication to a person whose life and faith exhibits the same qualities as the woman just described. For example, at the end of the first chapter she writes, "Just as Sarah Edwards had little idea of the ongoing generations she would influence through her interaction with Samuel Hopkins, there are two women who probably have little notion of their impact on me and therefore also on my husband, children, friends, and church. Long before my husband was called to a pulpit ministry, I admired our pastors' wives, one in California, one in Minnesota. God used them to help prepare me for my future role that none of us yet expected. And so this story of Sarah Edwards is dedicated to Deloris Hoeldtke and Ann Ortlund."
   
   I was transfixed as I read of these faithful women, and in some ways was also transformed. As I came to understand the faith of these Christians who gave so much, I came to see where I have been holding back. I came to understand that the religious freedom we enjoy as North Americans sometimes allows us to have a lazy faith. As I came to understand these women, I came to understand God just a little bit better. And if that is the ultimate purpose of any Christian biography, which I believe it ought to be, Noel Piper has done well with Faithful Women & Their Extraordinary God. I am glad to recommend this book to you.
   
   While this book has equal appeal for men or women, I would suggest it may make an excellent text for a five- or six-part study for women's groups. My wife is reading it right now with a view to using it for just that purpose.



2. Inspiring me & reminding me of God's presence in lives that the world would deem as "weak" to participate in what He is already doing because He can.
   This book will definitely encourage your walk of faith and redirect your focus for eternity.



3. How encouraging to read about "real" women who have gone before us - their "real" lives - hard at most times - yet, they were faithful where they were to walk with God and obey Him. I need this for my life today. As a mother, housewife - Sarah Edwards is incredible; Helen Roseveare, a "career" woman in a sense, yet totally aware of God in her life and what that relationship can bring. Walk through hard days with her and you will "see" the "realness" of a relationship with God.



4. I must admit that I've been hesitant to read this book. Not because I have anything against biography - I'm beginning to enjoy them more and more, especially at the urging of several people whose opinions I really trust. Not because I have anything against missionaries or Godly women. I am the first and am trusting God to produce in me the second. Not because I have anything against the Pipers. Exactly. My hesitation was something completely unrelated to the subject matter or specifically to the author herself: I was afraid that this was a marketing ploy. I've seen it before - an author writes a book that sells well, so the publisher gets the author's spouse to write a corresponding or even totally new book for the opposite sex. You know, "John Piper is so popular that we should get his wife to write a book because women will just eat. it. up." Well, let me tell you, I saw straight through it. No, sir, I would not be manipulated.
   
   My hesitation led me to miss out for too long on a great book which is valuable at least three reasons:
   
   Mrs. Piper chose wonderful women to profile. Only Sarah Edwards is really "intimidating," and I suspect that's just because her husband was Jonathan Edwards. The others are real enough that it's easy to imagine yourself in their shoes, responding (or rather, reacting) to a difficult situation the same way they did. It's that very approachability that helps you find your own hope in their hope, repentance in their repentance, joy in their joy. For instance, in the profile of Helen Roseveare, Mrs. Piper notes that at least twice she is rebuked for a wrong attitude toward circumstances or the people to whom she was called. I've seen that in myself, so Mrs. Piper's recounting of Helen's humility in accepting the rebuke and repenting was a great encouragement and example to me. Though it's most likely that no one will ever examine our lives to write biographies about us, FAITHFUL WOMEN AND THEIR EXTRAORDINARY GOD is a very effective tool to help us live our lives for the glory of God.
   
   This is also a great place to start because the profiles are just that: profiles. They're not in-depth (though they're detailed). They don't take forever to read, which makes this a nice book to read in a week. You could maybe read one chapter each night before bed. It goes quickly so you feel like you've accomplished something, but you've spent your time profitably and learned something valuable along the way. And who knows - you may be left wanting more! Mrs. Piper's footnotes are complete and a great resource for reading more about any or all of these faithful women of God.
   
   The last major reason I love FAITHFUL WOMEN AND THEIR EXTRAORDINARY GOD is because Mrs. Piper doesn't satisfy herself with just telling us about someone else's life:
   
   "As with any biography, we'd be wasting our time if we were satisfied just to nose around in their lives for interesting tidbits. So I have prayed that this story would turn our eyes and affections toward biblical truth, that we would be edified and encouraged."(pp. 36-37)
   
   Each profile concludes with Mrs. Piper's own thoughts about the lessons she learned from reading about these saints. I love that she directs our thoughts to those things which are most important - God and His Word.
   
   FAITHFUL WOMEN AND THEIR EXTRAORDINARY GOD is a wonderful book to start with for beginning biography readers, a quick way to get a handle on the major details of some of history's shining examples of God's kind of women, and is a lesson in itself on living life God's way, and the eternal rewards of seeking first His kingdom.



5. Noel Piper has done a beautiful job in compiling powerful, stunning, and humbling testimonies of a minister's wife, an artist, a parlor-maid, a music teacher and a medical doctor, spanning from colonial New England to World War II Korea, of whom, in my view, fall in the category of what the epistle to the Hebrews' Hall of Faith describes as "the world was not worthy," as they literally "wandered in deserts, mountains, caves and holes in the ground; destitute, persecuted and mistreated." I consider reading them a joyful and humbling privilege, whose unforgettably happy effects linger in my heart; to learn the accounts of holy courage of Esther Kim in the midst of a modern-day Nebuchadnezar-like regime, of the divine provision of hot water bottle for a dying baby and a dolly for her older sister under the ministry of Dr. Roseveare, of Gladys Aylwald leading 100 Chinese children, "each carrying his or her own blanket and bowl and chopsticks" crossing the Yellow River of China, of a beautiful friendship and perseverance in a true genuine Christian service; particularly to underprivileged women in Algeria, of Lilias Trotter and Blance Haworth; and last but not least, of Sarah Edwards, a living example of a Titus 2 woman. Reading them does three things to me. First, the life and ministry of these ladies point to the Lord Jesus Christ; the only cause worth living and dying for in this world. Secondly, it exposes my lukewarmness, worldliness, slothfulness, cowardice, hypocrisy and extreme lack of zeal for the gospel. And thirdly, it causes me to stop and think through the questions Noel poses at the end of Lilias Trotter's chapter, mainly, "What are true hindrances to following a call to some sort of ministry?" and "What are the required qualifications for following God's call?" I thought the following quote by Ahn Ei Sook, a.k.a., Esther Kim might express a common spirit among these women, and serves as some sort of rebuke to me personally, "I always felt strengthened when I talked with mother about God and his love. I began to think that life might be worth living in this time of persecution. It might even be a truer picture of the believer to agonize, to suffer to be hated, and tortured, and even to be killed in obeying God's words rather than to live an ordinary, uneventful life." Every Christian who longs for fuel of grace to kindle their flame of passion to sell all for Christ needs to get a copy of this text.

5 comments about Fear No Evil.

1. Natan Sharansky's book "Fear No Evil" is a readable account of his time in the Soviet gulag for his dissident activities. The book is detailed and inspirational. Sharansky's courage in facing the KGB is a lesson that we can all learn from.
   
   The book itself reads fast, thanks to Sharansky's ability to make the read interesting. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to gain insight in what life was like for a political prisioner in the USSR; to anyone who wishes to be inspired by ones courage, or to anyone who wishes to just sit down and read a thoroughly enjoyable book.



2. Having met Sharansky in Israel (Birthright alumni!), and having had a long time interest in the Soviet Jewry dissident movement - which allowed my own (Jewish) family to emigrate from the Soviet Union in '91 - I had little doubt as to the outcome of Sharansky's imprisonment. As someone who has read a number of books on similar subjects - in particular the Alexander Solzenytsin "Archipelag Gulag" series - I was a bit dissapointed with "Fear no Evil". (Nevermind that Solzenytsin is widely believed to be an anti-semite; I'm speaking of the literary aspect only.)
   
   In contrast to Solzenytsin's breathtakingly vivid literary style and powerful analysis of the core of the Soviet regime and it's criminal code, Sharansky's book read rather like an eagle's eye view of a convoluted social and political order. "Fear no Evil" reads instead like a game of mental swordsmanship, with a self-inflicted narrow focus quite removed from breadth and depth of a much needed analysis on the Soviet system as a whole.
   
   However, Sharansky does not proclaim himself to be a literary guru. This book is a poignant (if dry) portrayal of one man's fight for freedom - both for himself and 2 million of his people. The uncompromising stance taken by the author with the Soviet regime throughout his imprisonment - his life, family and future hanging in the balance - is awe-inspiring in its simplicity and effectiveness.
   
   It has become a cliche in our time that "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter". Yet the Sharanskys of the world have proven that one need not be a terrorist to be a freedom fighter. Where are such men today?



3. "[Saul] put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on [David's]head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around... "I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached [Goliath]".
   
   So begins the story of the famous battle between the future King David of Israel and the giant Phillistine during Biblical times. In Natan Shcharansky's "Fear No Evil" (the title taken from one of David's own psalms), the author is less equipped even than young David in battling the ubiquitous and evil KGB, which maintains an illegal presence in the prisons he's held in (again, illegally), accused of spying for western countries. But because of decisions he makes early in his arrest, he is the victor in the struggle waged over his soul by men who would like him to acknowledge he is wrong, who would like him to implicate others in his "crimes" in order for favors from them, or who would simply like him to stop being the delightful fly in the prison ointment he is.
   
   Shcharansky's only weapons during his trial and during his following prison term, consist of his personal integrity, which remains unsullied; his faith and trust in his family and friends; and a tiny book of psalms that he will spare nothing in reminding prison officials he is entitled to. He sometimes has to wage a hunger strike for these things, but always wins. It is true that his wife, who managed to reach Jerusalem before Shcharansky's arrest, is on a worldwide campaign for his release, resulting in no less than two sitting US presidents mentioning him by name in speeches heard by Soviet officials as a political prisoner, as well as global support, but Shcharansky does not learn this until later, and so believes he is virtually alone in the fight.
   
   This gritty autobiography is a lovely example of human survival, and how one can keep his humanity in a horrific place. Shcharansky's relationships with his fellow "zeks" (prisoners) is especially touching, and we're able to get a glimpse of how even the guards in the system have surrendered their souls in this "police state".
   
   A great read for anyone questioning how to survive while it seems suffering and injustice are towering overhead. Very inspiring.



4. Natan is a hero to the human race. He is wise beyond his years and his wife really proved what true love is. No wonder our Oresident sticks to his convictions. We should all be like Natan



5. In this classic, in the tradition of The Gulag Archipelago: 1918-1956, Prisoner of Zion, Natan Sharansky, one of the greatest Jewish heroes of our time, tells of his nine years in Soviet prisons and gulags, because of his desire to live in the ancient homeland of the Jewish people.
   Sharansky was first denied an exit visa to Israel in 1973. Seperated from his wife, Avital, a day after thewir marriage, in 1974, Sharansky fought for the rights of Jews in the Soviet Union as well as the rights of other persecuted minorities such as Pentecostals, Catholics, Ukrainians, Crimean Tatars and ethnic Germans, which disproves the repulsive charge by anti-Semites that Zionists only care about their own people.
   He worked as a translator for Soviet dissident and human rights champion Andrei Sakharov, and his spokesman.
   Sakharov never stopped fighting for Sharanky's freedom, for human rights and for the Jews of the Soviet Empire.
   Sharanky describes his life in the preface as a Jews growing up in Russia, and his mental liberation from Soviet thought slavery, by his discovery of his Judaism and Zionism. He then details his 1977 arrest, and his nine years of brutal incarceration.
   He never bowed to his captors and refused to have anything to do with the perfidious KGB.
   A variety of mental and physical tortures were used to try to break Sharansky, but he never flinched.
   Always given courage by the word of the G-D of Israel, and particularly guided by Psalm 23:
   "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
   I will fear no evil
   For though art with me..."
   Indeed he did not fear the evil of the Soviet tyranny.
   His wife Avital tirelessly fought for his release as his cause became known in the free world, and fought for by all freedom-loving people.
   The book ends with Sharansky's release in 1986 and his aliyah to Israel, where he was reunited with his wife.
   The book is a testament to the evils of a one party tyranny.
   It is a testament to the eternal endurability of the Jewish people, and their unbreakable bond wit the Land of Israel.
   Unltimately it is a testament of hope and of freedom of the human spirit.
   Today the same Communist ideology that persecuted Sharansky is waging a jihad of intellectual terrorism against Israel and her people.
   But the courage of people like Sharansky and the people of Israel has shown that Israel can and will prevail.

5 comments about The Amateurs: The Story of Four Young Men and Their Quest for an Olympic Gold Medal.

1. I read this book in spite of the facts that I have no interest in rowing and know nothing about it. I read it only because it was written by David Halberstam, and I've loved everything I've ever read by him.
   
   This book was no exception. Even though I still know very little about the sport, I now appreciate how grueling it is, and how much training these guys do.
   
   You can't go wrong with a David Halberstam book, and this one's no exception.



2. halberstam is very engaging in not merely following the story of the 1976 Olympic US rowing scullers, but in relentlessly digging into their lives for historical details of their rowing past, psychological stabs at what drives them, and their social interaction with their teammates. this book was quite well known in the 1980's, but seems to have been forgotten by many in the rowing community - what a shame!! i expect every serious rower today would still find this an extremely compelling and interesting story, and for those of us who read it 20 years ago, i can testify that it is very well worth a re-read. and the other top rowing book? virtually unknown and quite hard to find, brad alan lewis' `assault on lake casitas' is just as great as `the amateurs', and a fantastic companion to it!!



3. For someone who's not a rower, Halberstam gets most of this right - the technique, the atmosphere, the obsessiveness (which is common to all levels of rowing, just intensified among Olympians). In some ways the selection for the '84 Olympics was a crux point in the US rowing system, and Halberstam shows just why. If you want to get a view into a sport most people ignore, written by a top author, this is a good place to do it - same if you just want a peek in the mind of world-class athletes. If you want to really learn about the 84' Olympics selection camp, I'd recommend reading this in combination with Brad Lewis' "Assault at Lake Casitas", for a another viewpoint from one of the main actors (and the '84 doubles gold medalist).
   
   Incidentally, the movie Rowing Through was based on The Amateurs. It's quite divergent from the book, but not too bad if you can ignore a good bit of gratuitous sex and some hardly-Olympic-caliber rowing in the scenes on the water.



4. Really well written, but a depressing story. I finished the book without any happy illusions about the sport, or sports in general. Nevertheless, a valuable story about the human spirit.



5. I am a big fan of David Halberstam. Like his other books, this one was well written, but I just could not get into the subject matter. The main characters that he follows were uninteresting and pretty one dimnesional in their rowing obsession. Halberstam seems to worship their dedication to a sport that few care about, but I find their masochistic pleasure in continuous pain and lonely training quite odd and certainly not anything heroic. I think that if I had been a rower at some point in my athletic career instead of a track athlete and soccer player, I would have enjoyed this book more. We've all heard the term "too much inside baseball." For me this book was too much "inside rowing" and did not translate into a broader experience for fans of other sports.

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

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



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



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



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



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