2 comments about Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, Written by Himself (Enriched Classics).

1. Frederick Douglass was a social thinker in his time. The book was
   first published in 1845 by the Anti-Slavery Office. A memorable
   quote is presented:
   " I was born in Tuckahoe near Hillsborough and about 12 miles
   from Easton in Talbot County, MD. I have no accurate knowledge of my
   age, never having seen any authentic record containing it.
   By far, the larger part of slaves know as little of their ages,
   as horses know of theirs and it is the wish of most masters within
   my knowledge to keep their slaves thus ignorant."
   
   Frederick Douglass tells of the cruel whippings of slaves.
   He describes Mr. Severe who was both cruel and profane. There are
   recitations of trips to the Great House Farm in order to pick up the
   monthly allowance by slaves. The book chronicles his plan and
   success in escaping slavery. He was wary of the "Underground
   Railroad" because it stimulated masters to increase their
   general surveillance and watchfulness over the slaves.
   The work contains an eye-opening recitation of the treatment of slaves
   even a half century after the Constitution was written.



2. I ordered this book for my daughter,for college. She is very pleased with it.

5 comments about Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Started Sailing.

1. This book contained lots of helpful hints for the new sailor in a humorous way. Easy and fun to read!



2. This book is such a complete hoot; also it's full of helpful insights into all the things I wanted to know but was too stupid to ask! It's such a fun to read book that I even read the sections about the stuff I (thought) I already knew - and I'll do it again too. Mr Vigor's writing style is just so friendly and understandable, that it's a pleasure to read and learn from.
   
   In short, you won't regret having purchased this book - it's affordable and fun.



3. This is a great, easy-to-read book of sailors' "lessons learned," written by a man with much more experience at sea than most of us will ever have. It is not a book intended to teach you how to sail, but one with the intent of telling you how to avoid problems, both on and off the water. It is organized alphabetically, by subject, and the end of the book includes many useful tables, formulas, etc., that you might not easily find anywhere else. It covers various preventive techniques, ways to correct problems if they do occur, and things that merchants and repairmen might never tell you unless you know to ask. I also like that this book includes a fair amount of humor, and that the subjects covered are not all purely technical. Vigor goes so far as to address the phenomenon of "hearing voices" at sea, various superstitions, and even how to rename a boat in a way that doesn't cause it to become unlucky. This is a great little book and is well worth the price



4. This is a fun book. The cover does it justice. If you've ever had the misfortune to get wrapped up in the expensive world of boating, this will bring both knowedge and laughter. John Vigor does an excellent job of conveying both his love of this pasttime, and the lessons he's learned over the years.



5. This book would've been indispensable had it contained simple sketches and photos to illustrate author's point. It would've been nice for a novice to actually see an illustration of different keel designs or pictures of commonly used knots or sail types. As for tips and advice, they are indeed common sense. Will look forward for an updated / revised addition.

5 comments about Sports Illustrated: Hate Mail from Cheerleaders and Other Adventures from the Life of Reilly.

1. When my husband's Sports Illustrated comes, I open it up to the last page and read what Rick Reilly has to say. I really like his column and the fact that he went onto the Oprah Show to try to defend his gender...I know, I know, it is a losing battle if you saw the episode, you know what I mean. The column is usually is the only thing I read in the magazine. So when my husband mentioned Rick had this new book out I had to get it for him...if for nothing else to see him actually reading a book instead of Sporting News or Sports Illustrated.



2. I have read Rick Reilly on and off in SI for years. I am not a regular subscriber, so my readings of his work have not been consistent. I was getting ready to take a trip and wanted something that would be fun to read. I saw the 5 star reviews (on Amazon) of Rick's book but I was somewhat skeptical about getting it. As a University of Tennessee alumni and fan I had been upset when he had written an article slamming Pat Summit (legendary UT women's basketball coach) about "running up the score" on one of the Lady Vols opponents. Despite all this I decided to take a chance. I needed a good read on my vacation, and I knew he was a good writer, and I needed have a laugh or two while flying, or more often than not,sitting in the airport during another delay.
   This book is far more than I expected. This book is very funny, but many of his articles are very touching, and he exposes the best and the worst in the people involved in sports. Sports are the venue, but it is his insight into the people that make the stories so compelling.
   As a big fan of the late Jim Murray's writing, I never believed there would ever be another sports writer that good, but I think Rick is getting to that level. A great read, a must read, for any sports fan, period! Every bit a 5 star rating and more.



3. I read a few chapters each night.
   
   One night I had tears on my pillow from laughter.
   
   The next night I had tears on my pillow from the inspirational story.
   
   It's likely that many of my friends will get this book for Christmas or their birthday. Just a great book!



4. As a recent Journalism grad this book was amazing. I would love to get into the sports writing field (although I have a feeling I'll never reach Reilly status). This was a great set of stories and life experiences. Very humorous and very touching.



5. I feel a sports columnist's job is to evoke emotion in the reader. Make him/her laugh, cry, get angry, just don't bore them. Riley does that better than anyone. He's an amazingly gifted writer and I loved nearly every bit of this book. I'd already read most of these columns being a subscriber to Sports Illustrated, but they were definitely worth a re-read.
   
   He's great at tugging the heartstrings: The story on the cross country runner with cerebral palsey, the Middlebury fan who is confined to a wheelchair because of CP, the father who nominates his son -- killed in a motorcycle accident -- for Faces in the Crowd. All tear jerkers.
   
   He makes me laugh throughout the book, and get angry with all those arrogant/self-entitled athletes such as the steroid users.
   
   He's not just a sportswriter, he's a great writer. I can't recommend this book enough.
   
   * I wish Riley would've stayed with Sports Illustrated. I've heard he's dabbling in TV or ESPN, somewhere. Bad move. I've seen his TV commercials, he's not good on TV. He's a superstar in print, he should stay there. Nevertheless, this is one heckuva book.

5 comments about The Greatest Presidential Stories Never Told: 100 Tales from History to Astonish, Bewilder, and Stupefy.

1. This is a neat little book; things we never learned in our history classes! Well presented.



2. If you are looking for light hearted historical reading then this is a must. Throughly engrossing little book that you won't be able to put it down once you start reading it. I plan to follow up by reading the author's other two books as well as some of the sources that he utilized in producing this book. Great stuff!



3. I bought 5 of these books for freinds and family. This book is very entertaining and easy to read. If you enjoy short stories and are interested in presidential facts, then this book is for you. A must read!
   
   Carl Mark



4. I bought this for my husband who loves books on historical trivia (Bathroom Readers, Almanacs, Malcolm Forbes' "They Went That-a-way"). We own all the books in this "Strories Never Told" series--three so far--and we are anxiously waiting for more!



5. I bought this book for my husband, and he loves it. He is not the kind to sit and read for very long. This book is just right. Each story is two pages long. Very interesting!!

5 comments about Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church (The Leadership Network Innovation).

1. No punches pulled. This not ecclesiology for those who like organs, robes, cut flowers, tapestry upholstery, "preacher voices", and Psalty.
   
   The church is in turmoil. What should it look like in the 21st century? what is a missional church? How, exactly, are we to be salt in a no-sodium age? The story of Driscoll's planting experience with Mars Hill Church in Seattle is one that EVERY Christian should read and heed. (And no, mainstream keyboard/skit/sermonette formulas are not the answer either.) We gotta open the BIBLE, preach tough sermons that proclaim the truth in a culturally relevant way, and get over ourselves. Read this book and let's get busy...



2. I really liked the book. I like the honesty from Mark, his willingness to be vulnerable, the insights to tough situations and early challenges of building a Christ-centered Mars Hill, the humor, and its "rough draft" form. On a side note...this air filter kicks some serious butt---->Duracraft DY-012 Oscillating 3-Speed Tower Fan :>



3. This book had the interesting effect of making me laugh, wince, and take notes, sometimes all on the same page! At the end of the day, I could not put the book down. I was captivated by a transparent pastor's heart who struggled day after day to put Jesus before his city in effort to see many converted.
   
   The book chronicles the life of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington where Mark Driscoll has been the Senior Pastor since its inception. Driscoll takes readers through the various stages of growth from a small broken down Bible study with "Indie Rockers" and "artsy" folks to a thriving megachurch of over 4,000 impacting one of the most unchurched regions in the US.
   
   In his narrative Driscoll explains, from first hand experience, some of the gestational development of the now prominent Emergent Church. Driscoll himself was involved, and in fact a leader in, a movement in the mid-90's to mobilize missionaries to their culture, impacting them with the gospel of Christ. As this movement expanded and gained traction Driscoll had to separate himself from it:
   
   "I had to distance myself, however, from one of the many streams in the emerging church because of the theological differences. Since the late 1990's this stream has become known as Emergent. The Emergent Church is part of the Emerging Church Movement but does not embrace the dominant ideology of the movement. Rather the emergent church is the latest version of liberalism. The only difference is that the old liberalism accommodated modernity and the new liberalism accommodates postmodernity." (p. 21)
   
   So here Driscoll is distinquishing between Emerging and Emergent...himself clinging to the prevailing positives of the Emerging movement (missional, theological, active) while distancing himself from the atheolgoical wing of the movement (Emergent).
   
   In many ways this book appears to be a living apologetic of the Emerging movement while distinguishing Driscoll as one of its most outspoken and able leaders. Perhaps this is why we see Driscoll speaking at a conference along with Brian McLaren, the outspoken leader of the Emergent wing.
   
   In fact Driscoll references McLaren in Confessions:
   
   "Although I sincerely love Brian and appreciate the kindness he has shown me, I generally disagree with many of his theological conclusions. Because he comes from a pacifistic Brethren background, such things as power and violence greatly trouble him. His pacifism seems to underlie many of our theological disagreements since he has a hard time accepting such things as the violence of penal substitutionary atonement, parts of the Old Testament where God killed people, and the concept of conscious eternal torment in hell. Curiously, it is also Brian's pacifism that makes him such a warmly engaging person who is able to speak and write about theologically controversial issues while being gracious. Ironically, my love for and disagreement with Brian are both borne out of his pacifism. But I find it curious that, from my perspective, he is using his power as a writer and speaker to do violence to Scripture in the name of pacifism." (p.99)
   
   His point here about pacifism and violence to God's word is worth the price of the book. That is the type of silent violence that characterizes the neo-liberalism named Emergent.
   
   I love the resolve of Driscoll throughout the book. There were resistance and trials at every bend and still God graciously moved the church and its leadership through each. In fact, Driscoll regularly attaches the growth to the respective trials. On one occasion Mars Hill tried to do concerts and preaching outside by the river and were mooned and flashed by boaters going by. This, according to Driscoll, increased interest in the community and ultimately attendance.
   
   There are so many pages that are outright hilarious. The following is a quote concerning a worship pastor:
   
   "I really liked Tim because he is one of the few manly men whom I have ever seen leading worship. I am not supposed to say this, but most of the worship dudes I have heard are not very dudely. They seem to be very in touch with their feelings and exceedingly chickified from playing too much acoustic guitar and singing prom songs to Jesus while channeling Michael Bolton and flipping their hair. Tim was a guy who brewed his own beer, smoked a pipe, rock climbed, mountain biked, river rafted, carried a knife in his belt, and talked about what he thought more than what he felt.
   
   We clicked because I drive a 1978 Chevy truck that gets single digits to the gallon and has a bacon air freshener and no functioning speedometer and because I fashion myself as the self-appointed leader of a heterosexual male backlash in our overly chickified city filled with guys drinking herbal tea and rocking out to Mariah Carey in their lemon yellow Volkswagen Cabriolets while wearing fuchsia sweater vests that perfectly match their open-toed shoes." (pp. 146-7)
   
   Mark Driscoll is definitely a guy that I would want to have at a barbecue but may be reluctant to have speak at my church...but ironically both for the same reasons.
   
   Overall I really enjoyed the book. From a pastor's perspective it was awesome; refreshing and encouraging. The positives for this book are found in Driscoll's willingness to share the ecclesiastical lab that he has worked in for the last 15 years. Driscoll understands church, leadership and has a passion to reach and change culture for the glory of Christ.
   
   At the same time I am reluctant to openly recommend it. Driscoll does use crass language throughout the book (which is alarming and curious in light of 1 Tim. 4.12 & Eph. 4.29), and so therefore I am not comfortable putting it on a top 10 list. At the same time, from what I have read in the blogosphere and its relative outrage of Driscoll's language, I think they have, in large part, overreacted and missed the many of the great points and lessons of the book.
   
   Driscoll also sympathizes with Rick Warren, even crediting him with significant pastorly influence on him. This is not surprising considering Driscoll's continued affiliation with Robert Schuller and company at the Crystal Cathedral. This is curios and I do not understand why he is holding hands with these guys who are not straightforward about the truth of the gospel (Warren) and who deny the truth of the gospel (Schuller).
   
   Driscoll also makes it clear that he is charismatic, even asserting regularly that he receives additional revelation from God, prays and speaks against demons (however, Driscoll does say that he does not speak in tongues).
   
   As an aside, I look forward to the upcoming Desiring God Conference where Driscoll will be on the panel with conservatives such as John Piper, DA Carson & David Wells. I would love to be a fly on the wall when DA Carson and him chat about life and ministry and Driscoll mixes in a reference to Jesus as a dude....oh the diversity of the body... "Christ is all and in all" (Col. 3.11).



4. Interesting review of a Seattle church that went from storefront to megachurch status in nine years. Author is as much entrepreneur as minister - much like high growth business owners, he constantly started and killed ministries, hired/fired staff accordingly, and shifted locations on a regular basis and took risks in doing so. He also identifies the types of people he wants and doesn't want as church members and shows how technology can be used to attract and communicate with parishioners.



5. Mark Driscoll has marked a clear trail for those who desire to be relevant while remaining radically orthodox. Having waded through the land minds of a new generations desire to reach the world for Christ, he has come through in one piece bearing some great wisdom on how to relate to the postmodern culture while remaining deeply committed to the age old tenants of the faith. His work will make you laugh, and it might make you mad, but it will surely challenge you to authentic Christianity. Thanks Driscoll for sharing reality in Christ. It is true apostolic genius. Tom Griner

5 comments about Stepping Heavenward (Inspirational Library Series).

1. Stepping Heavenward is a very encouraging book on
   living the Christian Life according to the Bible.
   A very great help to me.



2. Stepping Heavenward is one of my favorite books. I read and re-read it periodically. I have also bought unpteen copies to use as gifts for Christian friends, particuarly teen-aged girls. Why? Sometimes it is so difficult to see spiritual growth in our own lives, while those around us are saying, "Wow, that girl is really growing spiritually!" It is this concept that is so beautifully expressed in this book. The central character is really discouraged, feeling she's not progressing at all. But those around her see her love, caring, and spiritual empathy. It's a great book. I really love it!



3. This book really helped me see how to be a woman of God and how hard it was to be a woman a few hundred years ago. Definitely recommend for any woman of God.



4. I ordered two copies of Stepping Heavenward, one for a friend's 18th birthday and one for myself. I was please to receive the book in time for the party and in great condition. It was such a joy to pass on this book because it is one of those that changed my life. It speaks to all ages and I have heard men speak highly of it, too. It is the fictional journey of Katherine, written in journal entries, beginning on her 16th birthday until old age. But it is really about the Christian walk, being made into the image of Christ. When I first read it I could identify to the younger Katherine, and then I read it a couple years later and got something new from it, so I now have my own copy and look forward to sitting with my old "friend" once again!



5. This wonderful book is a must read for your Christian daughters. It will encourage them in the things that are most important.

5 comments about Extraordinary Circumstances: The Journey of a Corporate Whistleblower.

1. Not a bad book, I enjoyed reading it. Sometimes she could go off on tangents and her language was at times over-simple, but her point of view and experiences were interesting to read about. Was good to read from an insider's perspective, specifically a "whistleblower's" (although she doesn't like the term), rather than what the media or directors of the company put out.



2. Cynthia Cooper is right on the mark. Being a former WorldCom Manager myself, she does a good job setting the scene for those who didn't live through it. Even if you haven't worked in telecom, you will find this interesting as to how a mega-corporation could have risen so high and fallen so low. You may wonder at times if the personalities could have possibly been that eccentric--trust me they were and then some! Great READ.



3. This book tells the story of WorldCom's rise and fail from both a human and business perspective. Cynthia does a great job capturing her emotional journey to rise to the top of WorldCom's internal audit, while at the same time explaining the events that led to her teams discovery of one of the nations largest frauds. The second half of the book is a real page turner, not unlike another famous author from Mississippi. I especially appreciate her ability to capture the human side of the story. It is easy to dismiss Bernie Ebbers and Scott Sullivan as greedy corporate titans, but the story seems to go deeper. She also captures the conflict felt by the lower-level employees who were co-opted into the fraud. Finally, she provide insight into the emotions of a whistle-blower confronted with such a significant ethical challenge.



4. COMPELLING ACCOUNT OF UNCONTROLLED GROWTH AND GREED, AND HOW A DOWN HOME GIRL WITH EXCEPTIONAL UP-BRINGING FOUND HERSELF IN A SITUATION THAT WENT AGAINST ALL HER STANDARDS.
   A VERY EASY READ.



5. Cynthia Cooper was a true corporate whistleblower. She became famous, not by choice, but because of the WorldCom financial statement fraud valued at $11 billion. She was the Vice President of Internal Audit at WorldCom, a position that was not easily obtained. She almost single-handedly created the internal audit department at WorldCom, and her book Extraordinary Circumstances: The Journey of a Corporate Whistleblower details the struggle to get management to take internal audit seriously.
   
   Things started going wrong at WorldCom very early. The company went on an acquisition spree, and the merging of many small companies, managers, and accounting systems was a disaster waiting to happen. Cynthia says that WorldCom was much better at acquiring companies than integrating them, and that is clear.
   
   From an accounting perspective, it was next to impossible to create a properly controlled system. There were too many small systems being pieced together, and it was easy for numbers and authorizations to get lost in the shuffle. This struggle is well-documented by Cynthia, who no doubt painstakingly researched the various acquisitions in order to give such a complete history.
   
   At times the book seems to get a little off-topic as Cynthia goes through each player's background briefly. Honestly, that information isn't really relevant to the story and, while it was probably intended to make these characters relatable human beings, it really just serves to make the book longer than necessary. It prolongs the process of getting to the real heart of the story.
   
   I was drawn into the parts detailing the background of Bernie Ebbers and his early entrepreneurial ventures. I don't think Cynthia came right out and said that Ebbers wasn't equipped to run WorldCom, but that's exactly how it appears when you're done reading.
   
   Where this book is so good is in detailing the fraud and how it happened. I don't think most consumers know how and where WorldCom's fraud started: all in the "line costs." You don't need an accounting background to understand the details of the fraud once Cynthia explains how things went down. Earnings were too low and management was, quite simply, looking for a place to reduce expenses.
   
   When management realized they were paying too much for capacity that they weren't selling to customers, it became clear. Take some of those "line costs" and capitalize them, which essentially amounts to moving them off the profit and loss statement (decreasing expenses and increasing profits) and onto the balance sheet (increasing assets).
   
   WorldCom moved those line costs into something that the executives called "prepaid capacity." The company's financials instantly looked better, and CFO Scott Sullivan found that this was an easy way to rehabilitate the financial statements each quarter. Wall Street wanted lots of growth, and that's exactly what the executives delivered by the time the fraudulent accounting entries were completed.
   
   Yet the process of uncovering this fraud, as Cynthia and her team would soon find out, was grueling. Their investigation into the accounting shenanigans was long because the accounting entries behind this manipulation of the financial statements were complex. Hundreds of entries were made to a variety of accounts in order to confuse anyone who might later look at them. And the investigation was hard because management didn't want Cynthia and her people looking into the entries, for obvious reasons.
   
   After the fraud became clear to Cynthia and her team, there was a long fight over whether something should or could be done about it. Scott Sullivan was determined to find an accounting rule to justify the fraudulent accounting entries. It is no surprise that there is not an accounting rule that backs up what was done, because it wasn't done with the accounting rules in mind. It was done with only Wall Street in mind.
   
   And WorldCom's audit committee wasn't completely behind the internal auditors' investigation or results. The audit committee should be the independent group of individuals to whom an employee can voice concerns and be taken seriously. Yet Cynthia didn't seem to be given as much consideration as she should have been, and she relates this struggle nicely in the book.
   
   The story of the investigation comes to life through Cynthia's words. I found myself drawn into the story, and I could feel myself sitting there as the internal auditors were going through entry after entry, always watching their backs because the executives didn't want them investigating.
   
   Lots of clichés and heartwarming stories of family interactions are woven into the book. Again, these things aren't really all that relevant to the story and merely provided a distraction from the business at hand: the collapse of WorldCom.
   
   These minor criticisms don't take away from the book as a whole. It is a detailed account of what happened, and digs much deeper into the WorldCom fraud than I ever expected. The detail behind how the fraud occurred is told in a fascinating manner, and I found myself able to picture WorldCom executives sitting around and comparing the company's financial results to the expectations of Wall Street ... and making fraudulent accounting entries to meet those expectations.
   
   Congratulations, Cynthia, on a successful first book. And many thanks for being willing to stand up for the truth and fight to expose the WorldCom fraud.

5 comments about Plutarch's Lives, Volume 2 (Modern Library Classics).

1. Although it's a very good translation, I prefer to read the books of Plutarchos in the original Greek texts because the version of Dryden is now somewhat obsolete. And if you don't understand the ancient Greek language well, I recommend you to read several volumes of Plutarch in THE LOEB CLASSICAL LIBRARY.



2. I have now plowed through the second and final volume of this series, and though my energy began to flag, I still think this is one of the great classics of all time. Though not exactly chronological, the stories in this volume tend to occur later than in the first volume and are often longer, which is understandable given that Julius Caesar and Alex the Great are covered in this volume. THe stories are also more intricately interwoven - you get lives that overlap, such as those of Brutus and Caesar, with slightly different takes and details in each one. The upshot of all this is that the serious reader will need to keep this around as a reference, going over the text again when some question of detail comes up or to refresh one's point of view. Plutarch's take on things is very different from that of many authors: he is a pro-aristocrat conservative and admiring of martial prowess, yet pro-Republican. Once again, the reader really needs to know the historical context before undertaking this. It is not at all introductory.

   Warmly recommended. Though it takes real effort at times to continue, it is well worth the slog.




3. Plutarch's parallel lives, parallels the life of a great Greek with a great Roman. Theseus and Romulus, Demosthenes and Cicero, Alexander and Ceasar. There are forty- six such pairs which tell not only the story of the individuals but of their society . Plutarch brings to bear his tremendous learning from a wide variety of sources . Plutarch's first interest is in the character of the people he writes about, and the moral lessons he can draw from comparison of the lives. His work has had great influence and provided inspiration and material to Shakespeare, Montaigne, Browning and others. The reading of the work is not always easy, and there are strange and questionably credible tales and details but the work is humanly alive. The reading and studying of it was once considered a basic part of true humanistic education, and not the confine of a few scholars in the classic departments of universities. It once had broad reader appeal and anyone with a keen interest in biography, and the subject of how lives have been lived in worlds far from our own, would do well if not to read this work cover- to- cover than at very least have a good read in it.



4. A most concise volume of all the most important people of the Roman Empire.



5. Twain's pejorative definition of `classic' need not apply. I define classic as that (text) which speaks to the heart over an extended duration - perhaps for several generations, as in `classic rock', or several millennia, as in Plutarch's "Lives". I probably never would have read Plutarch, were it not for a glorious discovery of Montaigne in mid-life. Having acquired enough distaste for the copious demands required to master classical languages after five years of Latin in secondary school, I made an arbitrary and direly misguided vow to eschew all Classics courses at the university level. And thus again is revealed the fateful difference between post-modern (post-1945), and the modern (c. 1500 - August 5, 1945) pedagogy, of which I unwittingly, if serendipitously, caught the tail end. The modern cannon required thorough immersion in the classics, and, for many years, Plutarch was required reading in the best schools, and should be even now. The author of the Shakespearian plays came to Plutarch by way of Montaigne (and likely read the Amyot translation, and only later the North, if at all), and the English schools came to Plutarch by way of Shakespeare. We might say that the revival of Plutarch was one of the most far reaching achievements of the Northern Renaissance.
   At one point in his celebrated chronicle of the self, Montaigne (as a shaper and bona fide member of that cannon, guardian of some of what is best in our cultural inheritance) amusedly reveals that, when his critics believe they are attacking his work, they are actually attacking Plutarch and/or Seneca, so profound is their presence in his writing, and, in his "Defense of Plutarch and Seneca", he declares that . . . "my book [is] built up purely from their spoils".
   
   And what a book it is! But Plutarch's magnum (see the 14 volumes of the Loeb Classical Library for his other works), is the greater. Montaigne is one of the great students of the self. Plutarch is the first (and may yet still be the definitive) historian of virtue. Montaigne, in scrutiny of his own nature, seeks to recognize the limitations and potentials of the self, and thereby sketch our general spiritual contours. Plutarch, in an unparalleled series of real life, historically and culturally pivotal, examples, shows us what they are.
   
   The book records in the most remarkably intimate style (Plutarch has few peers as a master of narrative and an uncanny ability to ferret out of detail the significance of individual actions as a unified whole), the major events in the lives of the most impacting figures of the ancient world. Therefore, like the best novels, the book forms a world in itself, a lost world, the world of our ancestors, through a landscape drawn of actions and consequences. The structure of the book is such that an account of the seminal moments in the life of a noble Greek and then of a noble Roman are brought forth in pairs, followed by a comparison. In some sections of the work these comparisons are absent. They appear at some point in antiquity to have either been lost to or removed from the text, which would seem to explain why, for instance, there is no comparison of Alexander and Caesar. But the comparisons are brilliant, and eminently instructive.
   
   Of course, from the details alone, we may draw our own inferences. Alexander, as a mere teen, leading his troops in hand-to-hand combat, won his first battle fighting uphill at night. Caesar, a heavy drinker, was wont to ride horseback at full tilt with his hands clenched behind his back. He had a life-long passion for Cato's sister and it is said that from their relationship, which continued through their respective marriages, Brutus was born. Et tu? Of course, one cannot fail to mention, even in this briefest review of the abundantly rich description in the nearly 1,300 pages which comprise the book, the death of Cato the Younger - one of the most exquisitely drawn figures in the book. Hunted down with the remnants of his troops into the wastelands of Carthage by the army of Octavius Ceasar in an effort to snuff out the last vestiges of republican resistance and opposition to Empire, realizing that the last realistic hope for freedom is lost, Cato attempts ritual suicide (a Stoic custom common to Roman nobility) by disembowelment. As Plutarch describes the scene, ". . . he did not immediately die of the wound; but struggling, fell off the bed, and throwing down a little mathematical table that stood by, made such a noise that the servants, hearing it, cried out. And immediately his son and all his friends came into the chamber, where, seeing him lie weltering in his own blood, great part of his bowels out of his body, but himself still alive and able to look at them, they all stood in horror. The physician went to him, and would have put in his bowels, which were not pierced, and sewed up the wound; but Cato, recovering himself, and understanding the intention, thrust away the physician, plucked out his own bowels, and tearing open the wound, immediately expired." In Seneca's words: "For Cato could not outlive freedom, nor would freedom outlive Cato."
   
   However, the life most appropriate for the contemporary reader, I feel (and wish that every member of the shadowy corporate/military junta that seems to be ruling us these days would read and take to heart) is the life of Crassus. Crassus was the most successful businessman in the history of the Roman Empire. Plutarch relates that at one time he owned virtually one-third of the real estate in Rome. However, such mind-boggling success was not enough for him. His yen, and later, obsession, was to be revered as a great military leader, a world conqueror, expand the domain of the already burgeoning Empire, and the object of his fantasies was the area of the world at that time known as Mesopotamia and Persia, today as Iraq and Iran. We follow as he makes extensive preparations, investing his own fortune and a great deal of the nation's wealth into outfitting an army for the venture. And at first, the invasion of Mesopotamia seems to go well. But the centers of population are spread out over great stretches of desert, and the occupation never really succeeds, because a central authority cannot be solidly established. Crassus, however, remains undaunted, even though the troops are becoming mutinous as supplies begin to run thin. Led on by treacherous advisors, he enters Parthia (somewhere in the vicinity of modern day Syria). Plutarch describes the grueling denouement with his usual detachment, aplomb, and gifted eye for pertinent detail. Having lost the greatest fortune in the world, he proceeds to lose his troops, then his sons, and finally his life. These lessons are never too late for the learning, and my apologies to Twain, but a classic is a text which retains its urgency to be read, and read now.
   
   I read the Dryden/Clough translation. Dryden was never my favorite writer of his period, the late 17th century - hardly a match for Burton or Milton, in my opinion, but he was poet laureate, and this work I love - his English is fine, and resonates with classic dignity. Clough, the mid-nineteenth century British scholar who revised the translation, befriended Emerson when he traveled to England, and became a sort of mentor to the New England Transcendentalists in general. We can be grateful for such a wonderful rendering for one of the very greatest and edifying masterpieces.

5 comments about Chalked Up: Inside Elite Gymnastics' Merciless Coaching, Overzealous Parents, Eating Disorders, and Elusive Olympic Dreams.

1. This is a book written by an actual elite gymnast in the 80s. It's about exactly what it says on the front cover. This book tells you first hand about her life growing up as a gymnast, from the very begining when she was just a small child starting with some fun classes all the way to when she was an elite gymnast. It tells you the life that you don't get to see just watching the tv screen, the good parts, and then some of the bad parts that go with being an elite gymnast. I really enjoyed reading this book, it was well written and it really gets you into the mind set of what she must of been going through and feeling all through her competative life as a gymnast. I couldn't put it down. I definantly recomend this book for anyone that loves gymnastics !!



2. With glittering spare prose and clear-eyed insight, Jennifer Sey recounts the harrowing tale of her pursuit of gymnastics glory in the eighties. She is not afraid to delve into the dark places with this gritty, uncompromising look at winning at all costs. Remarkably, Sey doesn't indict the sport or blame anyone for her experience, other than herself and her own drive for success. It is a heartbreaking story but ultimately one of true strength and grace. A brave, honest, unflinching personal book. A must read for parents, fans, athletes, and anyone who likes a well-written, riveting story. Read it.



3. A riveting and heartbreaking must read for all mothers raising daughters in today's fast paced, hyper-cometitive, overscheduled world.



4. I was a gymnast of the 1980s at SCATS in Huntington Beach, CA (then west coast rivals of Parkettes), under the direction of Don Peters. As Class I gymnasts (today's Level 10s) our workouts were combined with the confirmed Elite level athletes, many who were national team members with Jennifer. I was eager to read her book because she was someone I hadn't met but had heard about through the slumber party stories and post-meet adventure chatter at the gym.
   
   It wasn't the tell-all I was expecting, it felt very much like my own story minus the part where I win the 1986 National Championships. I was embarrassed to read her account of Peters giving the "fat speech" before the World Championships-- I thought those speeches were reserved for the members of our private gym where we had daily weight checks. We protected our bulemic and anorexic girls, covered weight gains with really good stories. I even took the fall for one high ranking gymnast's binge and purge weekend when food went missing, rather than out her. I was shocked to read about the chair being thrown at a gymnast-- I thought only our coaches threw tantrums and objects. It felt "good" to hear that I wasn't the only one who had foul language directed at me in the gym. I have a strange sense of peace knowing that we weren't alone. I hear thanks to my injuries I was one of the most expensive gymnasts at SCATS in my time. And it's thanks to those injuries I burned out before I could earn even a bottom of the barrel college scholarship. Where's my: I did my best in gymnastics for 10 years and all I got was a rib removed, a broken foot, a reconstructed ankle, and a broken wrist!" t-shirt?
   
   To the people taking issue with Jennifer's account I say if your experience was different, it was just that: different. Sometimes we feel it necessary to call the dissenter a liar to protect ourselves or correct it with our own version of what we believed happened. 1980s gymnastics was crazy and it's thanks to the gymnasts of that era it is much improved.
   
   To my friend Jen, thank you.



5. First I want to comment on the review by J.Nichols, posted May 5. Just because J.Nichols doesn't sympathize with Jennifer Sey's account of training at Parkette's doesn't mean J.Nichols' has the facts, yet her attack on Jennifer Sey seems to suggest that. I have seen videos of the training at "Parkettes" and I'm inclined to agree with Jennifer Sey's account. I loved "Chalked Up." I think everybody who is open and has a heart can enjoy and learn something from this book. It is beautifully written, genuine, and extremely entertaining. I think Jennifer Sey is an enormously talented, creative, courageous person with a big heart. I admire her honesty and courage in facing the truth about her past. I think this book has so much to offer.

5 comments about The Magic Years: Understanding and Handling the Problems of Early Childhood.

1. This book is excellent. It was given to me by my former psychiatrist, and I have often been grateful for that. I raised an older foster child, but upon the arrival of a baby, discovered new parental challenges for which I wished to be well prepared. I found this book to be extremely enlightening as to the way that infants and young children view their world and the healthy way a parent can respond to them. It was easy to see where one can misinterpret a child's behavior and make mistakes that will adversely affect the parent-child relationship and the child's emotional development, and set the stage for lifelong conflicts plus emotional imbalance. I am VERY glad I read this book and have bought many copies for friends and even strangers.
   I'd like to comment that I always offer this with my gift: There are a few pages right at the beginning that are somewhat technical, delving into biochemistry and such, and that might scare some readers off. With this minor exception, the book is a very enjoyable read with humorous examples and descriptions.
   As a buddhist, part of my life's work is forgetting my ego, However, as Dr. Fraiberg explains, the infant is born absolutely self-centered, and her book is invaluable in setting the child up to be emotionally healthy enough to become autonomous and objective, which in turn will allow it to develop compassion and generosity to others.
   Very, very highly recommended.
   My background is not in the field of child development. I am simply a layperson.



2. I first read this book 28 years ago when my daughter was born. I didn't remember the whole name nor the author, but I had read it several times, and it made such a lasting impression on me that I did remember the words "The Magic Years". I was very glad to see it's still in print. Now I'm going to send it to a niece who just had a baby. There are many books about the physical sequence of development in babies and toddlers and how to enhance each stage of development but none addresses their mental and social development and needs as completely as this book does. Unfortunately for babies and young children, adults tend to view their mental and social development from an adult's perspective. This can result in a lot of misinterpretations and misunderstandings regarding a baby's or young child's behavior. What I remember most about this book is that unlike any other book it enabled me to see the world from a baby's and very young child's point of view. It vividly describes what adjusting to and living in our world is like for babies amd young children and enables parents to see the world from their perspective. The result is parents who understand their baby's and young child's behavior and who can then react to and influence it positively instead of negatively. The book is not for those who want an easy to read, quick, month by month synopsis of their baby's development. But for the parents who want a thorough understanding of their baby's or young child's mental & social development and needs and who want to do their best to meet these needs, it's a resource unlike any other: a resource I've remembered for 28 years and one I would highly recommend.



3. This is a very well respected manuscript, but if you are a parent looking for answers, this is probably not your book. Its written for other professionals. It's pretty dry and hard to read. I was looking for something geared a little more towards parents trying to solve the every day problems we face raising our children. But this is more of an "industry" book and reads somewhat like a textbook.



4. Of the twenty or so books on parenting I read after our first daughter was born, I recommend this one to friends most often. Based on research, well written and with almost no redundant material, this book helped me understand psychological development of our child very much. Two more books I would readily recommend are Haim G Ginott's Between Parent and Child and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek's Einstein Never Used Flash Cards.



5. Read this book not from cover to cover but by chapter as the child reaches the age described in the chapter. Parental instincts are important, but the information contained in this book goes beyond that, into the effects of the psychological and physical development of the child at each stage of life.