5 comments about Elijah Great Lives, Volume 5.

1. When I ordered this book, I assumed it would have been written by a Jewish author and Published by a Jewish company. I am sadly mistaken. It comes from a Christian publishing company and the author is Christian. I havn't read the book yet and will be leary of details.
   I would like to see better representation of books about Biblical characters.



2. I received the book in good condition and in a fairly timely manner, but the book didn't come with the cover sleeve. I have the whole series, but this one is now the oddball without that cover. I don't know what happened there.



3. This book is a wonderful walk through the life and times of Elijah. Chales Swindoll has many insightful thoughts that stimulate deep discussion. If your looking for light reading then this is not it, but if it is spiritual challange and insight your looking for then your in for a good time.



4. I liked this book; although I would not compare the boring ex-football coach Tom Landry to Elijah the Prophet. What is more like Elijah is when you send a fan letter to a female newscaster at a local TV station, get threatened by their corporate lawyer for it and God replies by sending an angel and causing a small earthquake in their studio during the 6pm news that very day! Some people know about God and some people actually know God! But another odd experience was listening to Radio Athens on shortwave to a seductive sounding woman announcer, have a mental vision of a metal band wrapping itself around some dark haired woman's throat and then the announcer starts choking uncotrollably over the air over 3000 miles away! This was in the early 90's!
   But I did like the part that prophets like Elijah and Moses go through a time of testing with God. And in the case of Elijah, God sends ravens with pieces of food in their mouths to feed Elihah when he was on the run from the king. And I have seen God provide for my needs in ways I would not expect at times!



5. Elijah is one of my favorite characters in the Bible. One minute he's a great warrior beating out hundreds of other fake prophets, the next minute he's running from a woman, Jezebel,!! Chuck Swindoll makes his characters come to life, you live inside their skins with them and feel their pain and their triumph. This is a great book

5 comments about The Soccer War.

1. The Soccer Wars is a timeless diary( timeless in the sense that it lacks chronology, not timeless in the sense of transcendance) that bounces from Eastern Europe to West Africa, the Great Lakes region, Central America and through the west back to Poland. Kapuschinski is usually a more thourough analyst and offers insights along the journey.He suggests many times that this is the book "he never got 'round to writing". Unfortunately, the lack of flow, ideas and critical thought makes it a book he shouldn't have written.



2. As somebody who once lived in Honduras before the infamous soccer war of 1969, I long had Kapuscinski's book on my "must read" list. Though I bought it five years ago, I didn't get around to reading it till just now. I'm glad I did. THE SOCCER WAR is another sterling volume from this master of description.
   
   THE SOCCER WAR isn't a book about the absurd war between El Salvador and Honduras, triggered by World Cup qualification matches, but really caused by El Salvador's overpopulation and the subsequent overflow of Salvadorenos into much-emptier Honduras. The war may also be ascribed to the fact that neither country has been able to tame its landowning classes, who continue to this day to run rampant over the poor masses of people. In any case, this war, which happened decades ago, occupies only 30 pages of a 234 page book. The rest of the book contains vignettes from Ghana, Nigeria, Congo, Burundi, Algeria, Tanganyika, Syria, Cyprus, and Ethiopia. I think another title would have given readers a better idea of what the book is about. Anyway, I would not say this book is about particular societies or countries, rather it is about the human condition. Kapuscinski, if you have read any of his other (excellent) work, specializes in inserting himself into extreme situations----war, rebellion, conflict, and abnormal behavior. Where the strictures of daily life have fallen down, we find him reporting, usually at considerable risk to his person. He is nearly burned to death in Nigeria, nearly executed in Burundi, nearly lynched in the Congo, nearly blown up in Honduras. In every case, he manages to portray some participants as humane and decent, or as simple people caught up in events beyond their control. He never writes off groups of people as `wild' or `barbarous', but manages to `read' them even as he faces almost certain death. The absurdity of all this violence, the violence that never ends on this planet, comes through loud and clear. Ryszard, you wrote your best, but nobody in charge listened. Readers of the book, however, will come away with a better understanding of human nature and its universal similarity on every continent, among every race and religion. From the stupidity, waste, and blood, we can learn. We just don't.



3. It's almost impossible to process the news with the same perspective after reading this book...what was true in the 60s still rings true today. I picked up this book while simultaneously reading articles in Esquire and The New Yorker about people (Bill Gates, Bill Clinton...) trying to make a difference in Africa. While I was made hopeful by the observations in today's mainstream press, I grew increasingly frustrated when confronted with the dark reality that Kapuscinski exposes.



4. Kapuscinski is the master of international journalism. Often he prefaces his accounts by saying something to the affect of, "Everyone told me that trying to get into the Congo was suicide. I had to do it." The result is a perspective that no one else is able to give, a sometimes brutal but eye-opening account of the effects of war.
   The best part of The Soccer War to me is Kapuscinski's ability not only to report on war, but to capture the humanity of the people involved. He is in this way an anthropologist as much a journalist. True, this book covers extensive topic matter: Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Algeria, Congo, Burundi, Cyprus, etc, but Kapuscinki's voice is powerful enough to unify these seemingly disparate stories.
   If you are curious about world history, if you want a humanistic and first-hand view of events that have shaped our world today, this is your book. There were times when I was literally on the edge of my seat wondering if Kapuscinski would make it out alive. Of course, we know he did because he pubished a book about these experiences.
   
   Visit my blog: http://www.writingup.com/blog/namingame



5. It is a striking book. Mr. Kapuscinski is a great writer and the narrative is simply wonderful.
   
   It is a great account of the cold war, as fought in Africa and Latin America.

2 comments about Clinton in Exile: A President Out of the White House.

1. Let me start by asking what you have thought about the various Hillary biographies that have come out? If you like Carl Bernstein's book or even found it too critical, you will view this book as an attack piece. If you have liked the books by Dick Morris, Bay Buchanan, and other critics, you will find this book not critical enough. However, this book is not anything like the disdainful books on Clinton by R. Emmett Tyrell, Jr. I believe that if you liked the book "Her Way" by Gerth and Van Natta and the way it reported her life with a balance of praise and criticism, I think you will find this book enjoyable and informative.
   
   Carol Felsenthal simply reports what Bill Clinton has done from his last days in office through supporting the Hillary campaign for President to February 2008. The story begins with the chaotic last days of leaving the White House, how much Bill did not want to leave, and just touches on the corrupt pardons. However, the author says that the stories of the Clinton team trashing the White House and removing the "Ws" from the computer keyboards is mere myth. There is no question that if Bill could have run for a third term he would have. What is scarey is that if he had, he would have had a good shot of winning it.
   
   The book deals with Clinton's restlessness. Felsenthal is unstinting in her praise of Clinton's charisma, his rock star like reputation on the world stage, and the good works he has done in helping raise funds for Africa and many other initiatives including his own Clinton Global Initiative. However, Felsenthal is also clear about Clinton's self-serving aspects to so many (if not all) of his good works. She exposes his lust for money and his grubbing approach to thousands even while he has tens of millions. The Clinton hunger for honors such as a Nobel prize is also highlighted. Since Carter and Gore both have one, Clinton's need to be so honored has become almost an obsession.
   
   I enjoyed most her reporting of the people he hangs out with and who it is that provides him with private jets, his huge income, and what their lives are like. Clinton likes to hang out with movers and shakers and is closest to billionaires who have an appetite for luxury and a strong desire for lots of women. When talking about Clinton's attitude towards female companions other than Hillary, the author doesn't name names, but makes a few suggestions about some women he has been seen with. Of course, this aspect of his character means nothing to his supporters and his detractors have so many more specific reasons to dislike him.
   
   We also get to see behind the scenes in what team Clinton did to derail the TV movie, "The Path to 9/11" and how obsessed the Clintonistas are in creating a positive reputation for Bill by highlighting his efforts against Terror, which shouting down all criticisms. Of course, there is the whole question of what it was Sandy Berger took from the archives and destroyed. Some say there are copies, but do the copies have the hand written notes and margin comments? I wish we could find out.
   
   The information about his support of Hillary and her campaign is quite timely even though it appears right now as if the nomination will go to Obama. But you can never count the Clintons out. There is also a chapter on the implications of having a former President as "First Gent" and all he would likely be involved in despite laws and regulations barring him from many things he would certainly love to pursue. We also get to follow him making tens of millions as a hugely paid speaker and even see him do some pro bono work, but for the causes of people who have already paid millions to his Library and/or are big Hillary supporters. The whole Clinton Library thing is raised in this book and there are many odd aspects to this particular institution, but no hard scandal is identified. Still, you should read about it and think about what it says about Bill and Hillary.
   
   And, of course, there is the whole effort to escape the Monica thing and the impeachment. So many of Clinton's supporters still feel that if not for Monica Gore would have won, 9/11 would not have happened, and we wouldn't be in Iraq. What an odd view of reality. You can't say if someone hadn't committed a foul at some point in the game that the game would have gone the other way. Everything else would have changed. Bush and Gore might not have even been the nominees. And does Al Qaeda really care who is in the White House? But this is what they say in the moments of recrimination and anguish.
   
   I think you should read the book and learn about Bill because he isn't going away and neither is Hillary. They are going to push themselves into our lives for decades to come. It pays to know what they are really up to because the Public Relations work will never expose the reality behind the image they are trying to sell you. This book is a balanced look at the reality.
   
   Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI



2. If you were a Bill Clinton fan, you'll find this book to be overly critical and full of too much innuendo. If you are a Republican, you will be dissatisfied with this book as being too Democratically oriented. If you are a Democrat who cannot forgive Bill Clinton for getting involved with Ms. Lewinski, this book will be right up your alley.
   
   Everyone who saw me carrying this book was puzzled by the title, which means to suggest that Bill Clinton is not very welcome with many Americans but is loved abroad. But I'm not sure that's accurate. I daresay that if he could run for president again his standing in the polls would be much higher than that of President Bush or the apparent nominees from the major parties. That title gives you a tip-off that Ms. Felsenthal has an agenda . . . which is to remind everyone that the Democrats didn't do very well after Bill Clinton fell from grace.
   
   Although Ms. Felsenthal interviews a lot of people who were once close to Bill Clinton, she never identifies which ones are now major Obama supporters . . . which undoubtedly colored their views. I believe that's poor research that harms the value of what she wrote. In particular, I was struck by how many of the most negative comments came from prominent Obama supporters. Since the interviews took place during the campaigning, could it be that some responses had a political motive behind them? I don't know, but I'm skeptical.
   
   She also seems to be quick to take credit away from the leadership roles that Bill Clinton has played. She is much more impressed by Ira Magaziner's hard work on helping reduce AIDS in Africa than in Bill Clinton's ferocious fund raising for the same cause. The truth is that both are needed, and the two men have worked as a team for a long time. One doesn't take away from the other.
   
   From that, you get a sense that Ms. Felsenthal has an extremely high opinion of what an ex-president should be able to accomplish: Raise tens of billions annually, solve the world's most difficult problems single-handed in a few years, and never be seen in public with anyone who ever indulges in improper behavior. Well, that would be nice. I suspect that the George W. Bush period of being an ex-president will yield a more reasonable set of expectations. In that context, Bill Clinton's first years out of office will have to be re-examined.
   
   I did like the photographs.

5 comments about Your Divorce Advisor: A Lawyer and a Psychologist Guide You Through the Legal and Emotional Landscape of Divorce.

1. After reading many, many studies on the subject of divorce, support and custody, and also personally being a single father for 13 years with sole custody of 3 children and also being a non-custodial parent of one younger child I feel I can comment objectively on this book.
   
   First off, it is clearly very well written, covers almost all aspects of its subject and uniquely combines views from an emotional point of view as well as legal point of view. It also strives to be unbiased and provide clear representation of both parents. I do recommend this book but do so with one caveat (hence my rating of 3 stars rather than 5).
   
   The book is riddled with hidden biases in favor of Mom rather than Dad and the reader should be cognizant of that. Also, it is not clear that all aspects of studies are clearly represented. i.e., both sides. The tricky thing is that both sides are mentioned but even when there is a preponderance of studies favoring one side, it seems the authors may lean towards the other side. A fairer presentation of studies supporting both sides would be really beneficial (particularly on child custody, visitation, overnights, bonding, etc.). Many of the studies are represented in summary form and as such remove a lot of important context.
   
   A good example of a hidden bias:
   
   "The Paradox requires that parents take into careful consideration how well their children are able to tolerate separation from their mother, the child's temperament, and the strength of the father-child bond prior to divorce, and weigh all this against the likelihood of the father staying in the child's life...." Page 203 - determining custody arrangements.
   
   This seems like a very objective statement but upon closer examination it is clear that the authors are concerned with whether the child(ren) can tolerate separation from mom but never question whether or not the child(ren) can handle the separation from dad or what that impact might be. In addition, it questions the father-child bond but never suggestions that the mother-child bond should be evaluated as well in such a determination. The phrase ends with us weighing all of this against whether or not it is likely that dad will stay in the picture - again, what about mom. Studies are increasingly showing that even when mom has full custody of her children she can be less than a model parent for a variety of reasons.
   
   Here's another:
   
   "The amount of time between father and child is important because it facilitates a closer parent child relationship. But time does not automatically equal closeness. The quality of time spent and the level of involvement .... are ... more important." Also Page 203 - determining custody arrangements.
   
   Again - sounds objective enough but actually why is this represented only in terms of dad. Isn't this statement true for moms as well? Phrased as written there is an assumption that mother time does equal closeness and that it is automatically quality otherwise why point this out only for fathers during a discussion on custody which should be gender neutral. If the term was written with parent in place of father then it would be truly objective. As written it supports the notion that moms are custodial parents and dads are visitors - and not to worry about the amount of time dads spend - but worry about the quality of time they spend. So to be fair, don't worry about the time mom spends with the children, just the quality of time she spends - thereby freeing up large amounts of time for dad and children.
   
   These are only 2 examples but please read this book with caution, such biases are sprinkled all through out the book (perhaps because the authors are both moms) and amongst a backdrop of authority, general objectivity and mastery of the subject matter which makes them all the more dangerous.



2. Divorce is one of the most grueling experiences anyone can go through, and this book is a great guide for easing the challenges. The book is packed with information on the legal and emotional issues that are likely to arise -- and how to deal with them. The topics span the board, from making the initial decision, to preparing for trial, to how to talk with the kids about it all.
   
   THe authors have a section on negotiating with your spouse, and I think that that is essential. They mention the work of Harvard's Roger Fisher, who just published a new book that you don't want to miss if you're dealing with divorce. The book is 'Beyond Reason: Using Emotions as you Negotiate.' (The chapters on autonomy and appreciation struck a chord with me and offered great advice.)



3. Interesting book coming from both the perspective of the divorce lawyer and a psychologist. Some good, solid advice here. While going through a divorce you should gather as much information as possible and know how to protect yourself both emotionally and financially.
   
   Seven Secrets to a Successful Divorce



4. I know the author of this book and she is an expert. If you are contemplating a divorce or going through one, definitely get this book. It's written for you.



5. This is the single best, most complete divorce book on the market. It took me from start to finish and saved me from making some expensive mistakes. Because there's a psychologist who's writing, too, and not just a lawyer, the book tuned me in to some things I hadn't thought about, like how my kids feel if I say something bad about my wife in front of them, or why it's hard to get my financial records together (because it symbolizes that my marriage is actually really over). All in all, this was a super helpful book and a bargain.

5 comments about Doc Holliday: The Life and Legend.

1. Excellent research by the author , considering the lack of documented historical records.He certainly captured the spirit of lawlessness that prevailed at the time.



2. This book arrived on time, and was in as good of condtion as promised..if not better.



3. I was given this book as a gift. I enjoyed the movie Tombstone back when I was in college, and Doc Holliday certainly is a colorful Western outlaw. So I was really looking forward to reading this book to get the facts behind the legend. While I think the author did an admirable job researching the book, I felt his text was too dry much of the time. I couldn't understand how an author could take an exciting outlaw who interacted with so many famous characters and write out the story in a way that made me picture a monotone college professor speaking. Back in the 1990s I read John Myers Myers biography of Doc Holliday and I remember enjoying it much more. Maybe it wasn't as well researched or documented, but it was definitely more lively.



4. This is a truly masterful work. I bought it as I was interested in Holliday and the development of the West. What I found was an historical book with much about the society, economics and culture of the mid-19th Century South, as well as the rapid migration to the central and Southwest. Facinating and exceedingly entertaining and informative.



5. Doc Holliday books always suffer from the well-known fact that Doc left absolutely no written record of his own. He is, as has been noted, known only through the eyes of others. Some of his contemporaries, like Bat Masterson, are probably accurate in their appraisals. However we can never know much more about Doc himself unless something that he wrote shows up. And, it probably never will. The letters from him to his cousin are probably all gone. So we are left with a bunch of facts that we can rearrange and interpret all we want, without any guarantee that we are any closer to the truth. The author of this latest book does a good job of arranging and stacking what is known about Doc, and does a nice job of interpretation. I liked his ideas about Doc's gravesite, but wonder about the pictures...a couple of them don't seem to be of Doc (are they generally accepted to be, or not?). The author also does a nice job of questioning, appropriately, some truths that have been more or less accepted with little proof over the years (like Doc riding alone across the High Plains). A final comment: this book is dry, but is written in such a way that readers can make their own interpretations about Doc and his motivations, character, etc. Overall, a good, worthy addition to the Doc library; unless something new is discovered, this book will give you everything there is to know about Doc Holliday.

5 comments about Supermob: How Sidney Korshak and His Criminal Associates Became America's Hidden Power Brokers.

1. Mr. Russo has written a book that seems to say that a mob of Russian-American Jews really ran the mob activities during the last century. In this book, he mainly discusses the life of Sidney Korshak, a lawyer working Los Angeles that was called 'The Fixer.'
   
   This was at a time when most of us thought that the Italians, especially those from Sicily, controlled the mob activities in most of the United States. And I don't see any references in this book to various centers of mob related activities such as New Orleans.
   
   Mr. Russo presents an interesting survey of mob related activities, but essentially concentrates on the LA/Hollywood scene. And this could indeed have been the case. It's a ways to go however, from there to considering this to be the SuperMob over the rest of the country, the rest of the crime. Mr. Russo certainly seems to see a major conspiracy running the country. It makes interesting reading.
   
   It is important to remember as you read the book that Sid Korshak was never arrested, never even got a parking ticket (unless of course the were all fixed).



2. Reading the life of Sid Korshack also covers an interesting saga of mob history, involving the creation of Las vegas, the entertainment industry and politics all comingled together, which the mob's hand reached into and used to great advantage for the purpose infuencing their criminal interests. There is a great amount of detail documented in this book, which at times begs belief, at the extent of the connections weaving through this mans life, blurring the line between criminal enterprise and the supposed gatekeepers sworn to uphold the law, who have no trouble acting in concert. Put together in a strong compelling narrative, a great read which flows nicely and has a definite ring of truth to it.



3. I loved this book - maybe because I knew half the people in it! It is a wonderful (true) yarn of Jewish immigrants settling in Chicago and how the succeeding generation made their way up the financial/political/power ladder, alas on the wrong side of the law. It reads like a novel and I always looked forward to getting to read more, and was sorry when it was over.



4. Sidney Korshak was one of the most secretive of powerbrokers in the 20th century, and this wonderful book finally unveils the secrets.
   Dr Peter Teiman
   Switzerland



5. America loves mob melodramas, guys getting whacked because they crossed somebody or other. No one much cares whether the culprits get caught since it's all part of the underworld game. No one in authority much cares either, that is, until some hoodlum tries to beat his income tax after the gov't has demanded its cut. Then the bloodhounds of the IRS come calling and the careless capo gets a federal number.
   
   Economists call the early stages of capital accumulation "primitive capitalism". Few academics may call 20's style bootlegging primitive capitalism, but illegal whiskey sure raised a lot of money for the Capone-led Chicago gang. And like most rising business ventures, much of that money was used by astute managers such as Murray "The Camel" Humphreys to buy influence into the over-world of politics and law. What does it matter if the money's dirty, since it's still money, as any number of corrupted Illinois officials shows.
   
   But what happens when even a big city like Chicago becomes too small for the sums flowing into gangster coffers. Well. if you're a wizard like Humphreys, you start looking for new opportunities, especially where there is little or no competition. You also look for somebody who can pass for respectable, since you're past the primitive stage and now have the money to go legit. Enter attorney Sidney Korshak, discreet, smooth, and, above all, a protege of Jake Arvey, Chicago's master ward healer and political go-between. As Russo's lengthy account shows, the mob could not have made a better choice.
   
   Horace Greeley's famous directive was to, "Go West, young man, go West," and that's just where Korshak took the mob money and contacts, helping to turn dusty Las Vegas into the underworld's Glitter Gulch, and Los Angeles real estate into a permanent citadel of mob influence. Along the way, he picked up such powers in their own right as MCA's talent impresario Lew Wasserman and Democratic party power-broker Paul Ziffren, along with numerous union bigshots. Together, theirs was an underworld shadow cast across two big states with a network of contacts reaching all the way to the nation's capital.
   
   But muscling in at the top means knowing how to cut deals with others at the top. Here Korshak proves to be the guy to go to whether the public knows his name or not.. Want top talent for your TV show, see Sid; want no union trouble at the studios, see Sid; want a good deal on a tax scam, see Sid; want a big donation for a charity fund-raiser, yeah, see Sid. And all the time, there's the whispering in the background about the guy's connections with other guys, guys with guns. But then, isn't Sinatra's Rat Pack a really cool bunch of Hollywood swingers. Yeah, just ask the public or even President Kennedy.
   
   To me, it's not a pretty picture, all the way from the yawning silence of the LA Times to the hobnobbing with Pat Brown and Ronald Reagan, plus a Hollywood establishment that could apparently care less. Scattered investigations go nowhere, while whistle-blowers like Steve Allen get black-balled for their civic duty. But then, maybe this is just another success story of primitive accumulation working its way to the top and learning to get along, even as the top learns to get along with them. I believe it was Victor Hugo who said that behind every great fortune lies a great crime. Maybe then, the Chicago mob was just more obvious than those others like old Joe Kennedy, an Irish bootlegger reborn into the white-collar world despite the sinister origins. Disturbing or not, the book is well worth the read.
   
   As a general reader, I'm in no position to gainsay any of Russo"s facts, so I try to keep an open mind toward detractors. It's vital, however, that critics not simply denounce the work in unsubstantiated fashion. Chapter and verse should be cited in order to gain credibility. Of course, the text casts aspersions onto a number of prominent and reputable people, which places a heavy load on both the book and its detractors. Nonetheless, if Russo has to follow the rules, so should the critics.

5 comments about The Seventeen Traditions.

1. For the money, it was not much of a book. For the talent accepted for the author, it was not much of a book. Simple platitudes which are mostly captured in the first chapter, and the rest of the book just re-hashes that theme: My parents were great, I am great, why don't you do likewise! Of course it is too late to change parents, but it does give some good foundation thinking for people just starting out to raise a family, and who are looking for some parenting skills.



2. I've long admired Ralph Nader and have enjoyed some of his
   other books . . . so when a friend recommended that I read his
   latest, THE SEVENTEEN TRADITIONS, I made it a point to get a copy.
   
   My only problem came afterwards; I couldn't put it down . . . so
   some other projects had to be aside as I read about Nader's
   boyhood in a small town in Connecticut, and how that existence
   and the role of his parents affected the rest of his life.
   
   As he notes:
   * I am often asked what forces shaped me. Rather than trying
   to give a full answer to that question-which would take
   longer than a limited interview would allow-I often reply
   simply, "I had a lucky choice of parents." My brother, two
   sisters, and I had a remarkable father and mother, who
   cared for us in both direct and subtle ways. The examples
   of their lives set us on the solid paths we have explored
   ever since.
   
   As I was reading it, I kept thinking of how my parents were
   similar in so many ways . . . in particular, this passage
   could almost have been written about them as well:
   
   * Mother and Father each lived to be just short of a century
   old; we benefited from their seasoned perspectives and
   wisdom for many, many years. They were forever young,
   exemplifying my mother's strong belief in the importance
   of remaining "interested and interesting." And they succeeded
   in doing this throughout their lives, attracting ever-younger
   friends to visit, whether we children were home or not. They
   created the strong family base from which my siblings and
   I sallied forth into the wider world, full of new experiences
   and high expectations.
   
   In sharing the lessons he learned from his parents, Nader
   also gave this advice that should be heeded by anybody raising
   children today:
   
   * Perhaps it was my father who best captured their attitude. Once,
   when I told him that I'd done my best at something, he leaned
   over quietly and looked at me. "Son, never say you did your
   best, because then you'll never try to do better."
   
   As the holiday season approaches, methinks that THE SEVENTEEN
   TRADITIONS would make a perfect gift for anybody wanting to
   read about life back when his or her parents were younger . . . and
   how much of what took place then could still be put into effect now.



3. A short book that reflects on society, democracy, and the peace
   of a good life.



4. This book offers greatly needed insight for a nation filled with antidotes, from fast-paced labeling of psychological disorders to quick fix prescription drugs and self-help book remedies. Ralph Nader takes the reader back to a slower paced society--a world enveloped by the wisdom of his parents. Chapter by chapter, Nader shares pithy, memorable maxims such as, "Jokes are to words as salt is to food" (81), along with other valuable scenarios which serve as life-enriching lessons. For a sampling of the earnest adult figure many of us may have missed while growing up, Nader's book is analogous in resource value (on a smaller scale) to The Discourses of Epictetus.



5. This book is one of Nader's finest published works. It chronicles his life, and how he was raised. He takes the lessons learned as a kid growing up and puts them into seventeen specific traditions that are very easy to read.
   
   The rare and valuable part of this book is that it's one of the only times you can find Ralph Nader willing to talk about his life rather than about politics. There isn't much, if any, political discussion in this book other than a few instances of how his family used politics to bring home values.
   
   I highly recommend this book to all of my friends and family. He touches you with stories of how his parents immigrated from Lebanon and the lessons passed on to him and his siblings. The book will give you an appreciation for spending time with family, and does so in a way that is easy to read and enjoy.

5 comments about The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food.

1. As with the offering of good food, presentation is everything. Judith Jones has had a life rich with possibility and opportunity, and has made the most of it. In this lovely memoir she has accomplished the difficult task of presenting these facts without sounding pretentious or self-serving, despite what some reviewers on these pages have said. It is a generous book, culminating with many personal recipes from her own kitchen. I particularly loved the section dealing with passing this love of good food and careful preparation onto several new generations, and indirectly through her, we can be thankful that we can routinely purchase organic vegetables and helpful gadgets easily.



2. My book club reads only food-related titles. We read this one for February. I am such a big Julia Child fan, and I had very much wanted to read this since it came out.
   
   Overall, our club thought this was underwhelming. It is just not a very interesting or insightful memoir. It felt like she was still holding people very much at an arm's length and didn't reveal very much.
   
   We did a "pop quiz" among us about the various authors mentioned in her text, and as a group of nine 35- to 42-year-old women, we blanked on several of them. As another reviewer noted, she didn't explain who they were, why they were important, etc. She just "name dropped" them as if everyone knew who they were and that was very frustrating -- especially to a group of readers made up of women who collect cookbooks and books about food!
   
   I just think this could have been a truly compelling read, and it just missed the mark by a pretty long way. It lacked the spice, insight and narrative conflict that make so many books in the "food memoir" category so readable.



3. `The Tenth Muse' by book editor extraordinaire, Judith Jones is a memoir of her experiences with food and with writers about food, lead by virtually every luminary in that field in the latter half of the 20th century, including Julia Child, James Beard, Craig Claiborne, Marcella Hazan, Madhur Jaffrey, Lydia Bastianich, Marian Cunningham,Alice Waters, and Edna Lewis. I'm just a bit surprised that Penelope Casas, a major Knopf culinary author is not mentioned and I'm torn between believing that the muse of the title is `food' or `editing', especially since Ms. Jones' publishing house, Alfred A. Knopf, was the publishing home of another, even more prominent literary editor, H. L. Mencken. The original nine muses of Greek mythology primarily cover the subjects of music, poetry, drama, and rhetoric, so I suspect `editing' was covered. Thus, Ms. Jones can dedicate her book to the culinary deities.
   This is clearly a charming and finely written memoir, which I am almost ashamed to find any fault whatsoever. But, if you are willing to plunk down your $24.95 retail, you are entitled to know what you are getting, and what you are not getting.
   For starters, Ms. Jones enters a field filled with lots of fine exemplars of good, interesting culinary memoirs. Leading the pack is that hoary classic by George Orwell, `Down and Out in Paris and London'. Following closely behind and even more relevant, are the several memoirs written by M. F. K. Fisher about her travels in France. More recently, there are the three excellent volumes from `Gourmet' magazine editor in chief, Ruth Reichl, including `Garlic and Sapphires', `Tender at the Bone', and `Comfort Me With Apples'. Then, there is Jacques Pepin's `The Apprentice', Amanda Hesser's `Cooking for Mr. Latte' and the risqué `Insatiable', a collection of anecdotal memoirs by Ms. Gael Greene. Last, but certainly not least is Julia Child's own posthumous memoir, `My Life in France'. All of these books are thoroughly enjoyable for the foodie reader, and most are seem to be just a bit more substantial or more informative than Ms. Jones' book.
   I was expecting far more detail on the inside story about how she came to publish the seminal `Mastering the Art of French Cooking', but there was practically nothing here I did not read in Ms. Child's biography and other writings on this episode. I was especially interested in the dealings with Alfred and Blanche Knopf, two giant figures in American publishing, who were initially a bit reluctant to get Knopf into the cookbook publishing business.
   The framework on which the culinary stories are arranged is Ms. Jones early experiences in France and her marriage to journalist, Evan Jones and their lives in Europe and New England. There is nothing approaching the intimate interpersonal details we get from both Reichl and Greene. There is not even the sense of warmth felt between Julia and Paul Child in her memoir and biography.
   The last quarter of the book is devoted to recipes and stories surrounding those recipes, collected from the many culinary / literary luminaries who Ms. Jones edited or simply corresponded or befriended. I usually discount recipes in memoirs, as this is the last place one is likely to look when in search of a particular recipe, even if you remember that this work contained recipes. I will make a major exception in the case of this book, as I find the comments among some of the most writing in the book. I was especially attracted to the recipe I tried for sauce gribiche, a superb condiment to enliven leftover roasted meats, specifically my favorite lamb. And, the fact that the book contained eight other recipes for lamb warmed me to these recipes.
   Thus, if one has read many of the books I mentioned above, especially those telling the story of Julia Child, one may not find anything too exciting here. And, if you own several cookbooks you know and love, the recipes will be nice to read, but you may not find anything dramatic enough to lure you away from your favorites. It's a very nice read, but not as informative, titillating, or illuminating as some of its contemporary works.



4. Initially I found this memoir a disappointment. Ms. Jones has done as much as anyone alive to give us access to new culinary ideas, and it is fair to say that she championed the books that shaped our current gastronomic thinking, as well as editing them. Nonetheless, her account of all this can come across as superficial and chilly; the prose is well crafted, but it sounds as though she's talking about someone else, and not someone that she knows personally or cares about all that much. The book begins to sound more like a personal memoir when she introduces her country home, where there was emphasis on growing their own food as much as possible, and it comes alive when she talks about the loss of he husband of 50+ years, and how impossible it seemed to go on with something as simple as cooking dinner bcause they had always done it together. Her account of her grief and slow recovery is marvelous. She is never overly revealing but shows her humanity in a way that's both sympathetic and elegant. Her story of eating a beaver's tail, and how her account of it shocked and horrified readers, provides a fascinating counterpoint to her own gradual coming to life again after a loss that seemed catastrophic. As a fan of her late husband's food writing, I found myself thinking "Evan would have loved that story."



5. I received this book as a Christmas present. The author is a young American who falls in love with French cooking while living abroad. She finds a great guy in the last throes of his first marriage, and marries him for life (until he dies some decades later). They relocate from Paris to New England, and she goes on to a life in publishing--the first to discover Julia Child. Her memoir is laden with the great chefs of her time and the sumptuous meals they ate together. She and her husband also entertained often, both of them being adept in the kitchen. Recipes blend with her story, but remember that French cooking is her specialty. She writes this as a senior citizen, and her long and complex history with food shines through.

5 comments about The Magical Garden of Claude Monet (Anholt's Artists Books for Children).

1. I have long been a fan of Linnea in Monet's Garden - so I was very excited to find this new series of books by Laurence Anholt. Anholt's approach to introducing children to these artists - he has covered Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh, Degas, and DaVinci - is to use their art to create the backgrounds and settings for his characters. This book in particular is my favorite of the series because it is crowned with a fold out of Monet's vivid Waterlilies with a tiny boat floating across it carrying the story's members - Monet and a little girl who happens upon his garden. Before it is over, the little girl plucks one of the lilies from the famous painting as a memoir. My daughter loves this picture - and it is almost surreal to me to see Monet's art coming to life in such a manner. I can hardly wait until she visits the museum and sees the real painting. Watching her make this connection should be very exciting.
   
   Aside from this stunning mixture of Monet's work and Anholt's own lush artwork - carefully drawn to compliment the featured art - the book gives some great educational information about Monet by weaving it into the story - all this without ever starting to sound like a textbook. The story retains its' focus and its' charm without becoming boring. That is an amazing accomplishment in my opinion.
   
   I hope to purchase the entire set for a lovely and educational Christmas gift. These are sure to become beloved classics. Any children's book that learns to entertain both child and parent equally often does.



2. The Magical Garden of Claude Monet is a great way to expose young children to impressionist art. My son loved the story of Julie in Monet's garden. Julie is a young French girl who takes a train with her Mother to visit Monet's garden. As they arrive into the countryside, her dog runs away and is found in Monet's garden. Soon the painter and Julie become friends. The illustrations are bright and colorful. You almost feel as if you are inside one of Monet's paintings. Children will be captivated by the story as well as the beautiful pictures.



3. Fine art apprecation was a lost thing among adults let alone children, encouraging an understanding of art at a young age will encorage intrest in art in children and their caregivers alike. Help kids enjoy art and culture while reading a fun story. With this book, (and the others in the series) they introduce kids to the famous artworks of great painters throughout history while encoraging a childs imagination to be creative and tell a story with each picture.
   
   This story is even better because it is based on factual people, even the little girl. She embarks on a journey with her mother to visit a friend..the little girl ends up chasing her runaway dog on the trip and finds herself in a most magnificent garden..only to find out that is the "friend" they were going to visit. This book is wonderful, historical, educational, and fun. It encourages children to think about paintings, and to form images and stories for each one, to think about "what would it be like to be inside that painting".



4. Anholt's lovely book about Monet is my favorite of the series about famous artists. He demystifies impressionism and actually inspires children to paint their own "magical gardens"!!



5. What a beautifully illustrated book! This was a wonderful book based on a true story. I used it with pre-schoolers and they really enjoyed the story as well as the beautiful artwork. I highly recommend it!

No comments about Harry S. Truman: The American Presidents Series: The 33rd President, 1945-1953 (The American Presidents Series:).