5 comments about Free Ride: John McCain and the Media.

1. John McCain's carefully cultivated -- and totally fabricated -- image with the Traditional Media is exposed in this extraordinary book. Our current President is a creation of a cowed and obedient media. Learn about the GOP's nominee, and his obedient press, by reading this great book.



2. A Media Matters for America review found that since February 27, the date that televangelist John Hagee endorsed Sen. John McCain for president, The New York Times and The Washington Post combined have published more than 12 times as many articles mentioning Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. and Sen. Barack Obama as they have mentioning Hagee and McCain. Now you know why this extreme asymmetry in media attitude and coverage obtains - and why reporters know, and make sure McCain has access to his favorite snacks (Dunkin Donut with Sprinkles) and just how to fix his coffee (cream and sugar).
   
   Getting media traction has been a mystery up to now, but this book details the cogs in the machine that Hillary Clinton described as the "vast right-wing conspiracy" .



3. This book is not a puff piece for Democrats (Obama or Clinton), nor does it portray presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain as an entirely hollow man.
   
   But it convincingly makes the point that however likable many of McCain's personal qualities are, the media has focused on them to the exclusion of nearly everything else. Including his values as expressed through his actions in office, and his less-likable qualities.
   
   As a book, it's not written to stand the test of time (which is why only four stars), rather a quick, undemanding but not insulting read. One that may arouse responses of "really?" as it shows you things about John McCain that, whichever party you support, I'd be willing to bet you didn't know.
   
   For example, that his South Carolina spokesman was a critic of making Martin Luther King's birthday a holiday, and praised *David Duke* as a...heh..."maverick."
   
   I didn't know that.



4. John McCain is a marketing phenomenon who has been able to project an image that entirely belies his real self according to the authors Brock and Waldman. He sells it to the press who sell it to the rest of the nation.
   
   He is styled as a self-effacing war hero who never likes to bring up his captivity in public, except he continually manages to do so. Phrases like: "I haven't been asked so many questions since I was interrogated in Hanoi," or "I missed Woodstock, I was someplace else," or "Well, the longest place I lived was in Hanoi for five and a half years." (He actually grew up in the suburbs outside of D.C.). Even though the Senate and the House of Representatives are filled with people who served honorably and bravely, their names are never associated with their experience. For John McCain, the press will mention this experience of yesteryear almost as if it is a subtitle every time his name is written or spoken. On the other hand, if John Kerry mentions his service to his country, it won't be long before the media will accuse him of trying to exploit his record for political gain--not so for the Arizona senator.
   
   John McCain is a maverick and a moderate. If a maverick is defined as a person who goes against the grain and is willing to take risks, particularly political ones, he isn't it. John McCain has only bucked his party on issues that have already been popular with the public such as finance reform, immigration, and tobacco. His bill at finance reform was toothless to the point of being ineffectual except in helping republicans. Although against lobbying, McCain has a number of lobbyists who have, and are working on behalf of his campaign.
   
   Real mavericks such as Russ Feingold who was the only one to vote against the Patriot Act, a truly unpopular thing to do shortly after the attack of 9/11, is never referred to in the media as a maverick. Other republicans such as Lincoln Chaffee, Susan Collins, and Olympia Snowe have voted against their own party far more often than the "media-labeled maverick."
   
   McCain, the "moderate" has voted more often with his party than almost anyone else, and that means voting conservative. Over his legislative lifetime, he has averaged 80% voting the party line. The "Christian Coalition of America," as well as "Concerned Women of America," who want to bring "biblical principles into all levels of public policy," gave him high ratings. This is hardly the mark of a centrist. Surprisingly, the media make the excuse that McCain is making these concessions to achieve a worthy goal. According to the media, this is pandering to the party base by other politicians, but since their "intuition" is that it makes McCain "uncomfortable," it is a measure of his strength and character.
   
   He is a straight-shooter. Unfortunately, no one has waffled or flip-flopped more than a large stack, in the past eight years than McCain on tax cuts, ethanol, intelligent design, marriage, and anti-gay discrimination. The only thing he hasn't appeared to change his mind on is Roe v. Wade because no one knows for sure exactly where he stands having flip-flopped from against repeal, to indifference, to for its repeal.
   
   Legislators in both houses frequently work both sides of the aisle to come to agreement and pass laws. When McCain has done it, it was because he was putting principle above party, when it has been others, the media reports how they have been pandering to the right or left e.g. Hillary Clinton said that reducing abortions could happen by providing greater funding for birth control, an issue she has always held. However, it didn't take long for the media to claim that she was pandering to the right, and sacrificing her principles.
   
   The other free ride is that McCain is a man of character, which has been summed up by his experience as a prisoner of war. Nothing is mentioned of McCain's involvement in the Keating Five scandal where he tried to quash an investigation into the savings and loan malfeasance against his good friend and political campaign contributor, John Keating. There was considerable evidence that John McCain's office then leaked information to the press, which made the others involved appear to have played a larger role than McCain. He would later lie about the leaks under oath.
   
   Finally, Brock and Waldman talk about the pack mentality amongst the media. They travel on the same planes and buses. They eat in the same restaurants and sleep in the same hotels. They talk and share notes. A pack mentality begins to form. When new media members hear the adulation of McCain from those who have been with him, the "Halo Effect" begins to form.
   
   Yesterday, I watched Tim Russert mention McCain, the maverick on "Meet the Press." I think these authors might be on to something. See how many times between here and November you will hear or read about John McCain as a maverick, and John McCain, as a former P.O.W."
   
   Brock and Waldman wonder when those in the media will be introspective enough to ask themselves if they are judging candidate McCain by a different standard than others, and if such thinking is a disservice to the public. To quote the authors: "One might even say the reporter who was willing to ask those questions might even be a maverick."
   
   I couldn't have said it better.
   
   
   
   Also Recommended:
   
   Welch, Matt, "McCain: the Myth of a Maverick."
   
   Waldman, Glenn, "Great American Hypocrites: Toppling the Big Myths of Republican Politics."
   
   I recommend googling "Pygmalion Effect," or "Halo and Horns Effect" for those of you who might not be familiar with it.



5. McCain has spent a lifetime changing his stripes for expediency's sake. From the crash-disfigured wife he dumped--after having numerous affairs--to marry Cindy to his cozy relationship with Charles Keating who helped cost taxpayers $120 billion to his instantaneous morph into a "Reformer" when caught red-handed in the corrupt cash jar to his recent favors for Phoenix developer Donald R. Diamond, McCain has been light on his feet and filled with self-righteousness. McCain says we could have won the Vietnam War if we had used all the weapons at our disposal, a thinly veiled reference to Goldwater's recommendation that North Vietnam should be nuked. McCain's megalomaniacal need to inject himself into the recent Georgian crisis showed him to be a demagogue who would be dangerous in higher office. Yet the Washington press corps rammer on about "The McCain Brand" and continue to cover for him. Read the book and learn.

3 comments about Me, Myself, and Them: A Firsthand Account of One Young Person's Experience with Schizophrenia (Adolescent Mental Health Initiative).

1. As a psych nurse, I found this book to be not only accurate, but very engaging. There are a couple others with different Axis I diagnoses that I'm going to get as well. Thinking of purchasing some for the psych unit to help newly-diagnosed folks understand this isn't the end of the world, there is hope, and there are others out there who understand.



2. I've enjoyed the book. I agree that a lot of people with schizophrenia do not accept their illness and we need to understand that.



3. A very well written and informative book. It provided information and insight into the illness of schizophrenia. I learned much from reading it and gained new insight and perspective about the disease. We all need to know more about mental illness-only when we all do, can we collectively remove the stigma attached to it. Thank you for writing this personal and painful tale and educating me.

5 comments about Your Life as Story.

1. Tristine Rainer's book takes the writer of autobiographical scraps to another level. She defines a memoir, lets you know that's what you really want to write, and tells you how to choose the part of your life to assemble into the memoir. What did you learn from? What's the peak experience, high or low? Build from there! Her advice could seem self-evident, but in reading memoirs, I wish more had been written with her structural advice in mind. Even David Sedaris, who sends me rolling on the floor, writes books that vary from boring to spendid, without that arc of story that I respond so well to when I read memoirs. Read this one and take it to heart, memoirists of the world!



2. This book does not disappoint. There is something for everyone in this book whether you are an amateur writer or seasoned writer. You will discover a lot about yourself by the end of the book, and her writing style is superb. I give this book my highest recommendation.



3. Ranier is a pioneer in the approach to autobiography that encourages writers to exorcise psychic ghosts as they reflect on their experiences. She also explores the tricky relationship between fiction and non-fiction in creating a truthful life story, encouraging writers to use fiction techniques to tell deep or difficult truths (but not to try to fool readers: let them know that fact and fantasy will mingle in the memoir).



4. This is THE book for anyone struggling with the structure of a memoir. I've been working on mine for three years. If I had read Tristine Rainer's book before I started, I could have saved myself the first two.



5. This book is beautifully and thoughtfully written. It has given me a different twist on writing my story. I have used it for examples in teaching my classes.

5 comments about Color Me Butterfly: A True Story of Courage, Hope and Transformation.

1. Color Me Butterfly is a very inspiring book. It lets one know that generational curses are real. It also shows that through strenght and perserverence that generational curses can be overcame. L.Y. Marlow did an excellence job in showing the struggles that takes place in so many african-american family. Whether it is domestic violence,teenage pregnancy or whatever the curse may be it can be broken.



2. I am amazed at how this book was put together from a real true story. It was great to read. I am sorry her father never got to understand his personal life how he became so evil and I do not blame the kids for not wanting to see him or talk with him. Some of the horrible treatment he gave their mother and his children and only think he got was nothing.



3. This book was chosen by one of our book club members. The book was amazing...I could not put it down I kept telling myself okay one more chapter and then another and so on. The story made me cry, made me angry, made me think about my life and my circumstances. It showed me the true strength of a woman. I truly know why children are so much closer to their mothers's. Please read this book it's a quick read and you will thank me for my recommendation. Enjoy and remember to cast thy burdens on the Lord and he will sustain thee. L. Y. Marlow you are an amazing woman.



4. My book club selected this book for our September meeting. I wasn't thrilled about reading when the book when I saw that it had over 400 pages, but this feeling quickly changed. This is a wonderful easy read, but more importantly, it tells the generational story of abuse experienced within one family. The reader is able to see what occurs in three generation of women who have suffered abuse, and the fourth generation where it's finally broken.
   
   I highly recommend this book.



5. This book was amazing from start to finish. It was so interesting that I breezed right through the 400 plus pages. I highly recommend this book to any and every woman. Whether you suffer from domestic violence or not, all of us could learn something from this book. I look forward to reading more books in the future by Ms. Marlow.

3 comments about Next to Nothing: A Firsthand Account of One Teenager's Experience with an Eating Disorder (Adolescent Mental Health Initiative).

1. This book offers wonderful support and information to those suffering from an eating disorder as well as to the family and friends trying to help their loved one. The style is very engaging and easy to read, with lots of practical advice. The author draws upon her own experiences along the way. But, at the same time it includes the latest in scientific research and findings, in language that is very understandable. "Next to Nothing" has it all, and is a must read for those looking to understand the complicated world of eating disorders.



2. This is a book with valuable information about eating disorders. As it chonicles one woman's struggle with an eating disorder, it reviews the psychiatric and medical complications associated with eating disorders. This book also gives references about seeking help and guidance to recovery. I am a professional who works with eating disorders and I will highly recommend this book to my clients and their families.



3. If you've struggled, or know someone who struggles with an eating disorder, this a book that can help you realize that you're not alone and that there IS help. I should know, I've struggled with them since I was a teenager, but have overcome them.
   It can happen :-)

5 comments about The Billionaire Who Wasn't: How Chuck Feeney Made and Gave Away a Fortune Without Anyone Knowing.

1. Very interesting story. I know the subject as I worked for his company (DFS) for about four years. This is a really good story, about an exceptional individual. Unfortunately the author is uninspiring. It gets boring in spots.
   
   Chuck Feeney is a very unique individual. We need many more like him in the business world, instead of the Nardelli's and that ilk.
   
   This should be required reading for any wealthy person. The Feeney way of living and giving is spectacular in its simplicity and heart.



2. In 1988, Forbes magazine's annual list of America's most wealthy listed Charles F Feeney as the 23rd richest American alive, whose personal worth of $1.3 billion was greater than Rupert Murdoch or Donald Trump. In fact, four years earlier Feeney had secretly given away almost his entire fortune to a philanthropic trust. He had enough to live on for the rest of his life, but no longer even owned a house or a car. He was, as Irish journalist Conor O'Clery phrases it in this powerful biography, `the billionaire who wasn't'.
   
   This is two books in one: the remarkable story of duty free retailing and its leading company, DFS, whose extraordinary growth and profits paralleled the rise of jet travel; and that of Feeney himself, a slightly shambolic businessman, linguist and traveller, who took the needs of the world on his shoulders and became a model philanthropist.
   
   It is nicely written and pulls you in like a novel. As a business biography alone, O'Clery's book is valuable, showing that huge money can be made from very simple business models. DFS's success could be put down to `four men in a room' working out what they would bid for airport duty-free concessions, and winning them. Once established, profits came easily. Feeney insisted that luck played a big role in the company's fortunes, that they reaped the benefits of being the first trusted brand in a fast-growing new field. Yet the book is also peppered with Feeney's advice to other to always `think big' (in both business and philanthropy), and in his restless desire to build a great business even the other partners admitted that Feeney had been its driving force.
   
   I liked this book so much I included it as one of the classics of philanthropy in my own book "50 Prosperity Classics: Attract It, Create It, Manage It, Share It - Wisdom from the best books on wealth building and abundance".
   50 Prosperity Classics: Attract It, Create It, Manage It, Share It (50 Classics)



3. What a beautiful person chuck Feeney is.
   
   This is the most inspiring book I have read so far. This book was more motivating and inspirational to me than books such as the `Secret' by Rhonda Byrne. Here's a real `existing' role model we can all look up to. He did it, and so can we. He is a living proof that helping others in unselfish ways is possible. He is living proof that that there is good on Earth, and being good is not only possible but feasible.
   
   This is the story of Chuck Feeney, born into a poor family. Not having enough funds to pay for his college education, Feeney joins the Air Force, and is stationed in Japan. There he realizes the profit making potential of duty-free sales. He starts selling duty-free goods to soldiers, such as tobacco and alcohol, and to make the story short, ends up owning duty-free shops across the world. Within a few years he becomes a billionaire. He is ranked as the 23rd richest man in the United States by Forbes magazine.
   
   Feeney was not happy with his billions. He did not like the life of excess lived by the rich. `How many shoes do you need?' he would often ask. He did not like the competition between the rich in owning luxury goods. For example, a yacht is never big enough; someone else will have a bigger one. Someone else will have a bigger mansion.
   
   Feeney was also worried for his children. Kidnapping was prevalent at the time, and Feeney did not want to live his life surrounded by bodyguards and in fear for his family. So one day, he secretly flies to the Bahamas and donates all his profits to his newly established charity organization.
   
   Many find it hard to part from a few dollars. Feeney parted with billions. All the proceeds from Feeney's company went straight to his charity foundation. Unlike Bill Gates (whom I also admire for his philanthropy), Feeney gave away his whole fortune without announcing it. No one ever knew of Feeney's philanthropy, not even his partners. His name is not on any library, University, or building. Feeney gave secretly. He believed that your left hand should not know what your right hand is doing when it comes to charitable donations. Feeney is a man who gives not for selfish reasons such as recognition and fame, but to help make a change in people's lives.
   
   Feeney did not feel guilty about making money, but he felt guilty keeping it. He felt his money should not be for the sole purpose of giving him and his family pleasure, but for giving pleasure to the world.
   
   Feeney also helped solve the IRA (Irish Republican Army) problem together with Bill Clinton, and opposed the war in Iraq. He did not vote for Bush in 2004, and marched against the war of Iraq in the streets of London in 2004. He also felt that the US was unfair to Vietnam, and flew several times to Vietnam offering anonymous help.
   
   Chuck Feeney is a great man, and his story should be an inspiration to all of us. This book should be read by everyone, and should be required reading in schools and universities. If one man can make such a difference, how much can we all do together? For one thing, we would end world hunger and poverty!
   
   This book made me realize that ending world poverty is not such a farfetched dream: all it takes is a humble heart, like the one Chuck Feeney has!
   
   Money can be the root of all evil. Money does corrupt, and in excess corrupts absolutely. But money can also end all of the world's suffering. It is a two edged sword. One edge will bleed the world to death; the other edge will bring an end to suffering.
   
   I have chosen how I want to hold my sword. Have you?



4. I have been in small business for over 20 years, and when I saw this book advertised, I was hooked. I'm now halfway through the book, and I'm starting to wonder at some points. Why is no one noticing that Chuck Feeney used illegal and unethical methods to start and build his business--from violating security laws to find out when and where ships would dock, to talking his way onto those ships, using personal charm and connections? Why is no one concerned that for the first few years, his business was run as an illegal Ponzi scheme? Are we really to believe that he got through Hotel Management School at Cornell and didn't know basic accounting practices? While a very inspiring story, there are a lot of sugar coated and glossed over details that I would have like to see illuminated.
   
   Don't get me wrong, this is a very inspiring story. But it just seems too good to be true. How was the book publishing funded? The publisher, Public Affairs, and the distributor,Perseus Group, are openly funded by outside organizations. I find it significant that there is a review of the book on the Atlantic Philanthropies website, with only passing reference to the connection between them. Is there a covert connection?
   
   Finally, from a purely editorial perspective, I find the book rather dull. The writing style lacks color and verve, and the concatenation of multiple incidents does little to hold my enthusiasm.



5. An excellent business biography of a fascinating figure. Easily the best light reading on a business topic I have done in years.
   
   This is the biography and arc of success of Chuck Feeney, a man with hustle who invented Duty Free shopping as it is known today. The interviews are thorough, the detail is helpful, and the subject matter is fascinating.
   
   The prose and narrative style is fine, a clear journalist's telling and voice. Perhaps the only disappointment with the book is that the subject is so fascinating while the narrative style is fine, but simply not as excellent as the subject. I was so riveted a book double the size would still have held my fascination, this is that strange of a story.
   
   Highly recommended.

5 comments about Journeys Out of the Body.

1. This book is a great overview of what Robert Monroe's experiences with Astral Projection, as well as how to induce them yourself. In the book, Monroe didn't intend to have them, they just happened one morning while he was experimenting with memory retention and audiotapes. He does not try to push any agendas or lead the reader to believe something is absolutely true, he leaves that to the reader themselves.
   
   He did some experiments with AP at a university, he goes about analyzing his experiences with a non judgmental attitude. He tries to convey his experiences without over analyzing them.
   
   Robert Monroe's experiences with the beings he encountered are very informative, especially if you want to attempt an OBE. He says that 'like attracts like' in the afterlife, as it seems to do in this dimension as well. Thoughts are very powerful 'over there' and when you are out of your body you can't hide your true self.
   
   I would definitely recommend this book if you want to have an OBE yourself, and want to read about the many entities and experiences he encountered, as well as how he dealt with them, like the black hole that appeared in front of him, and the hand that grabbed his when he stuck it in there!



2. In the simplest possible way the author tries , and I think with success, to give his experience and the long way he had to pass through, in order to accept his new normal abilities, everyone's ability as he states.
   Its also surprising how through reasoning try to convince that his experiences are not dream or fantasy. Additionally gives some guidelines for those who want to give a try.....
   A fascinating trip and a concise guide.



3. This book describes an unusual (to me) series of experiments whose effect is to confirm the existence of a relationship between OOBEs and events in the physical world. While it would be possible to create such an account as fiction, the author pays attention to this problem of repeatable verification, making the book interesting to read.



4. Anyone familiar with vedic/hindu/buddhist esoteric teachings and OBE's will love this book. Along with this, sceptics or those who strive for scientific evidence will also love it! Monroe's account of his OBE's and experiments will make you scared, laugh, happy and curious to explore the subject further. Especially in this book, with his limited experience, he does make it sound dangerous and scary; I recommend looking at his other books if you've bought this one and enjoyed it.



5. Fly alongside Bob Monroe as he intrigues you with engaging stories about his first out of body experiences. Monroe does not ask you to believe in a word he says, but rather only asks that you consider the possibility that you are more than your physical body.
   
   Don't take it from him though, his book is intended to enlighten, excite, and encourage you to seek out your own answers.

5 comments about Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Journey Of A Desert Nomad.

1. This is the most emotional, extraordinary and shocking autobiography I've ever read, and the one I'll never forget and will always be in my mind.
   
   Some passages of the book are so shocking, you get sick in your stomach for a few seconds. But every time I had that feeling, I thought: what's this feeling compared to the pain they've gone through? So I kept reading and was astonished that FGM is still existing.
   
   I'm now a proud member of the Waris Dirie Foundation and every month, I give a little amount of money to help these little girls and the battle against FGM.



2. I looked for a book off my shelves that I hadn't read yet and came upon this one-- one I've been meaning to read ever since I first heard of Waris Dirie a few months ago when she disappeared for a few days and made the international news.
   
   As I had a few hours to wait for my son to finish his pottery class, I dove right into this book. And, it was very good. I was able to finish it before my son's class was over 2 1/2 hours later.
   
   Waris' life has definitely been interesting and, in some cases, very sad. Born in Somalia, she lived with her nomadic family for her first 13 years. As she notes, all ages are estimates, since they didn't really pay attention to birthdays. She begged her mother to be circumcised when she was five years old-- obviously, she had no idea what that meant, at all-- she only knew it meant she was considered more grown up. And, this was the kind you read about-- the kind that removes both the inner and outer labia and the clitoris. The woman that did the "surgery" sawed her with a rusty bloody broken blade that she spat on and wiped dry before cutting. Waris' circumcision left her infibulated-- with only the smallest opening that made menstruation and urination extremely painful.
   
   She does discuss this, one of the most abhorrent practices, but she also discusses much more. Much of her life was very happy-- although they were very poor. She loved both parents but ran away when she was 13 (through the desert with no shoes or water) or so to avoid a marriage to a much older man (for the price of five camels!).
   
   Through an odd chain of events, she was able to go to London to be a servant for some wealthy relatives. And, when this family planned to return to Somalia, Waris decided to stay in London. She was very soon discovered by a photographer and almost immediately became a top model.
   
   Waris' tells her story in simple, yet stark language-- she speaks her mind and is a likeable and strong woman. Her memoir is definitely interesting and she's very open about all her feelings and thoughts. The only thing I would have preferred she talk about more were her feelings about Islam. I realize that genital mutilation is not mandated by the Koran-- it is only a tradition in many of these families. However, her thoughts about her religion and some of its laws and archaic practices that affected her family (polygyny and its treatment of women, for instance), would have made the book a bit more intriguing. She didn't go into this at all.
   
   All in all, this was a provocative memoir of someone raised so entirely differently than those of us in the West. Her introduction to our foreign culture- so different than her own- made for a very thoughtful and affecting read.



3. This is the autobiography of Waris Dirie, an international supermodel. Waris grew up as part of a nomadic tribe in Somalia that still practices female circumcision, sleeps outdoors, subsists on camels milk, and marries off young girls at 12 or 13 to much older men. It was very interesting to read about her experiences as a child because her upbringing was the same as the upbringing of children 1000 years ago in Somalia. Waris' description of her circumcision and the problems she experienced afterward were poignant and terrifying.
   
   Waris clearly has a good sense of humor. It is interesting to read her perspectives first of Mogadishu and then of London. It is fascinating to hear about how she became a model. Unfortunately, the book degenerated in the second half. Waris becomes conceited and less likeable. She also seems a bit selfish in her behaviors towards her friends.
   
   This book was a good read because of the first half but the last hundred pages was a big disappointment.



4. Desert Flower is as an excellent introduction to the nomadic culture of the Somali desert. Somalia, as described by Dirie, is a beautiful and dangerous place. The people who inhabit the desert must use all their strength to create a life using only sand and the little water that can be found. It is this strength that enabled Dirie to survive female genital mutilation, her flight across the desert to avoid an arranged marriage, living as a servant in England, and finally achieving success as a model.
   
   I thoroughly enjoyed this book, finding it to be easy to read and well-written. Dirie manages to describe the more intimate events in her life with just enough detail to get her point across. She is factual, but not over the top. I am now looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Desert Dawn.



5. Surprisingly enough, the author did not have much of a story to tell. The author tells a pretty good story about her life in Somalia. Once she leaves Somalia, her life goes uphill, however the book pretty much goes straight downhill from there. Instead of a storyline that flows, she pretty much compiles some not so interesting stories into random chapters. I have never read a book that was so choppy. One chapter does not flow into the next, so it was really hard to remain interested in the book. The author was certainly blessed to make it to where she did, but her journey didn't necesarily translate that well on to paper.

3 comments about Michelangelo (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists).

1. A book intended for ages 4-10, the book attempts to introduce the artist and his paintings. A very dry attempt at that, but it is a great spring board to start. A very simple book with cartoons to atract young readers. Samples paints with breif explainations of each work. I have used this book only as an introduction. I do follow up with more books that give a deep explaination. This book is an inexpesive way for children to experience various paintings and engage their natural curiosity to investigate further. To introduce the artists and his works of art this is an average book for the young.



2. "One of the things that made Michelangelo such a great artist was his ability to give a special energy and strength to the people he painted and sculpted," p.29

   The young reader will learn about Michelangelo's beginnings in a city near Florence, the brief time he spent as a baby with a family of stonecutters, his years of study at the workshop of Ghirlandaio, his years under the patronage of Lorenzo de' Medici and his years working for Pope Julius II.

   Michelangelo did things on a grand scale. His "David" of Goliath fame is 16 ft., 10 in. in height and took 2.5 years to complete. His "Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel" is 5800 sq. ft. in area and took 4 years to complete. The young when doing an art piece are frequently never able to complete it within the allotted time, regardless of the length of the allotted time. It seems there is a reluctance on the young's part to feel it is complete, because it seems there is always some additional work required. They share Michelangelo's art ethic and will appreciate his dedication.

   My favorite sculpture in the book is Michelangelo's "Pieta," sculpted in 1498-1499. There is both an expressed fragility to Jesus' body and an overwhelming gentle strength in Mary's holding of him. It gives testimony to Michelangelo's complete oneness with the roughness and hardness of marble. The marble was putty in his hands.

   Venezia's illustrations are humorous. His narrative is delightfully entertaining. His approach brings the artist within reach of the young. His portrayal of Pope Julius II in the Sistine Chapel offering unsolicited comments on Michelangelo's work jokingly brings to the fore the conflict that existed between the two.

   The size of the book is perfect for smaller hands. It enables the young to have art within their grasp. Venezia gives the locations of the paintings and as result if the child lives near one of the museums or will be near one on vacation, she/he would be able to see the original.

   This is the 11th in Venezia's "Getting to know the World's Greatest Artist" series. He also has a similar series on composers. Venezia's back cover illustration ties back to the subject. "Mike found it easy to relate to Michelangelo's painting the Sistine Chapel ...".

   The price of the book is well worth paying. The book contains the following: Michelangelo's sculptures (5), chapel ceiling fresco (1), chapel wall fresco (1), marble relief (1), dome from building plan (1), and sculptures unfinished (2), Venezia's illustrations (7), Others' sculptures (2), frescoes (2) and gilt bronze panel (1).




3. I read this to my pre-k and she loved it. We read this AFTER we saw David in Florence. I wish we had read it before as it would have built up the excitement of seeing the statue, but no matter, it was fun for her to learn about how Michelangelo grew up to become one of the most famous artists in the world. It also made us both appreciate his works of art. There was just enough text to tell his story, but short enough to not lose a child's attention. We are reading the others in the series.

5 comments about Washington: The Indispensable Man.

1. As a student for some reason I have never been able to focus on the founding fathers. I have read an assortment of biographies of Revolutionary-era politicians and military leaders and always emerge with only the faintest understanding of who these men were and what the different issues were being debated in the 1780's and 1790's. This book is the first one I've read from this period that really held my attention. Too bad I didn't have it on hand when I took my first class in American history but perhaps it might come in handy somewhere down the educational road.



2. This book is a "distillation" of the author's award winning four-volume biography of Washington. "The extreme reduction of scale - to about one fifth - dictated that, if the shorter work were to have its own integrity and literary effect, the material would have to be revisualized and rewritten. Except for the account of Washington's death, the text is almost altogether new." (viii)
   
   The literary style is excellent. The narrative, however, stays so close to Washington that the historical context of his life is often only hinted at, and at times left out entirely. The chapters are, in almost every case, less than ten pages long. The book reads, with exceptions, like a series of extended, well polished essays written from selected notes compiled for a longer work - which I suppose is exactly what it is.



3. This is an excellent book. It is well written and very informative. Not having read all of the single volume biographies of Washington, I cannot testify to its being the very best, but surly it must be one of the best. The book is Flexner's single volume abridgement of his four-volume biography. Being only one quarter the size of the complete work it cannot be as detailed, but it nonetheless provides a very coherent and compelling portrait. Perhaps the best accolade that I can give is that I now I want to know more and I am considering reading the complete Flexner series. As might be expected from the subtitle "The Indispensable Man" the book paints the most favorable picture possible and shows why Washington was indeed the "Indispensable Man". He was indispensable not only as the leader of the army but also as America's first president. His firm hand set many of the precedents that shaped the office of president.
   
   While Washington is shown in the most favorable light the same cannot be said of Jefferson and Hamilton. Both (but mostly Jefferson) are shown to be more loyal to their party (the Federalists in the case of Hamilton and the Republicans in the case of Jefferson) than to Washington. Confidences were betrayed, especially by Jefferson. If there was a villain in this story it was Jefferson, who is painted as one who was willing to bring on war with Britain in order to support France and to further his vision of an agrarian America.
   
   One word of caution - this book is not a military history of the American Revolution, or of the detailed causes of the revolution, the writing of the constitution or the complete history of Washington's presidency. All of these things are covered, but not in the detail provided in books devoted specifically to these subjects.



4. This is one of the better books I have read on the life of an American President. Thorough, but written in a flowing, easy to read style. I would highly recommend this book.



5. I don't know much about George Washington but after reading this book I would like to read something a little more in depth. In particular I was fascinated by the brief glimpses the book gave into how he viewed the constitutional powers of the presidency. It could hardly be more different from the interpretations of modern presidents!
   At times I felt the book may have flattered President Washington, not that he wasn't a great man in many ways, but surely he also had some flaws. They are very little in evidence in this book, aside from his early military foulups.
   This book only skims over the surface of many important parts of Washington's life. But many people who are not going to be interested in something of Robert Massie-type size and complexity, might enjoy a smaller, more simply written book. I believe what our democracy needs is more people who are informed about any and every aspect of this country's founding, the people involved, and the reasons behind their actions, and a generally accurate book about Washington with broad appeal can only be a good thing, even if it's not meaty enough for your average history buff.