No comments about Rigged LP: The True Story of an Ivy League Kid Who Changed the World of Oil, from Wall Street to Dubai.

2 comments about The Life and Ministry of Billy and Shirley Cole: A True Story That Reads Like the Book of Acts.

1. i loved this book SOOO much!
   I'm so glad I bought it of amazon.
   
   The Coles have been truly inspirational... after reading it, I got up and questioned my life's endeavours... But God really helped me put things into perspective after being imparted to, through the wisdom of the Bro Cole.



2. Great book i seen Brother Billy cole years ago and i was blessed to see the miracles that place in his ministry,a simple message he preaches out of acts chpt.2 the spirit of God fell and many were filled with the Holy ghost!I couldn't put this book down and was so blessed by it.You will see what the church has gotten away from.After reading this book in my own thoughts and in my spirit i would consider Brother Billy Cole Modern day Apostle.You will be blessed by this book!

5 comments about Einstein: His Life and Universe (Thorndike Paperback Bestsellers).

1. As the title of this review indicates I am ashamed to admit I am a scientific illiterate. I barely got through high school Chemistry and Trigonometry. As such I was reluctant to try this book. But I loved Isaacson's work on Franklin, and as such decided to give this a try. I could not put this book down. The greatest attribute I can pay to this book is that while parts of it were unfathomable to me, I persevered through them with the knowledge that soon I would again be enjoying Isaacson's incredible narrative. This book is not simply a biography. Nor is it, as I wrongly anticipated, an incomprehensible analysis of advanced scientific thought. Rather it is a look at the burning issues of the 20th Century (Nationalism, Socialism and Communism, Appeasement and the rise of Nazism, Hiroshima, McCarthyism...) through the life of its greatest thinker.
   
   If, like me, you are among the unenlightened regarding Physics and high level Math, do not be intimidated by this book. You too will wade through relativity, electromagnetism, and the search for a unified field theory, knowing that soon you will be back to a more understandable summary of a wonderful life.



2. Informative book on the life and mind of Einstein. A bit over my head at times but still loved it.



3. This biography's attempt to turn the theories of the greatest mind of the twentieth century into a function of personality is pathetically pedestrian and inane. A pity.



4. First I read Isaacson's "Benjamin Franklin." Then I attended a lecture and book signing in New Orleans where the author delivered a wonderful lecture on Einstein after which he autographed my book. After that, how could I not read it?
   
   Walter Isaacson is a brilliant man and a superb biographer! He truly understands Einstein's science and presents it in a way that is understandable to us mortals (well, almost). Any failures to understand the science though were totally mine....not the author's, and I certainly gained a much improved understanding of relativity, general relativity, quantum mechanics, etc. from having read this book. (Actually, I was reminded why I changed my intended college major from physics to other arenas during my freshman year.) I also gained a new knowledge of and appreciation for the other scientific luminaries of the early twentieth century as well as for the politics of scientific academia.
   
   Beyond the science, Isaacson thoroughly explains Einstein the man. It is interesting to see how Einstein's early struggles to enter academia actually allowed him to think unconventionally and to develop the groundbreaking theories that made him famous. The book explores how his deep feelings for mankind could coexist in a personality that struggled with close personal relationships as well as how such an amazing scientific mind could sometimes be simplistic and naive in geo-political matters. Einstein's transition from pacifist to reluctant advocate of armament was also instructive. The perspectives of twentieth century history, Einstein's "rock star" status, his role in advocating the nuclear bomb, his religious views, his sense of being Jewish, his relationships with his family and peers and many other aspects of his life and personality are all covered well and entertainingly.
   
   Who would think a biography of a scientist could be so interesting? While the actual science is sometimes a bit ponderous, it is necessary for the story, and Isaacson presents it well. The rest reads like a novel and, at several points near the end, is actually laugh out loud funny. I cannot recommend this book enough!!!



5. Absolutely brilliant! Walter Issacson takes one to the heart of the great Einstein by making him accessible to the arm chair intellectual!
   I even was able to understand the mathmetical offerings thanks to his great explanations!
   
   I continue to be a devoted fan of Amazon!
   Thank you

5 comments about Not Fade Away: A Short Life Well Lived.

1. Mr. Shames wrote a poignant and very real account of the disease that took his life at a very early age. I read this a couple years ago, and just re-read after hearing the story of a "younger" person stricken with cancer. This book will inspire, but will also force the reader to consider; "What would I do? Would I have that much grace and zest and enthusiasm?" The dirt-nap gets us all, this book demonstrates how one man dealt with his impending demise---and teaches valuable life-lessons that we could all use. Highly recommended.



2. I happened upon an advance uncorrected proof of this book quite by accident. I read a few sentences and thought, "Why not give it a read?" Well, I have to say that the book - both the writing and the content - are absolutely wonderful. Laurence Shames gets all the emotion and humility and pride down flawlessly in the pages of this book. You can't help but wish you had known Peter Barton after reading this.



3. My father passed away in the fall of 2006, from cancer, at age 58. I found this book during the winter, it was out of place and I picked it up. Maybe I was looking for meaning, I don't know. But I have read it cover to cover twice, and pick it up often to browse. It is beautiful, poignent, raw with honesty. On the surface, my father was nothing like Peter Barton, but as I read the book I saw my father in every page. Much of what I witnessed in his final months were hard to articulate, yet Peter Barton and Laurence Shames gave me the words I could not find.
   
   A beautiful book about death and dying, about life and love and lessons. Read this book. It's more joyous than sad, more beauty than darkness.



4. As a leukemia survivor, married to a wonderful spouse and with three young children, Peter's memoir rings almost too true to me. I actually met Peter a few times in the 80s through one of his dearest friends whom I dated for a short time. Peter was never so enthusiastic as he was when talking about Laura, his soon-to-be bride. You could tell that family devotion, and a strong conscience was deeply rooted in him from an early age.
   
   The basic values given to him by his parents, particularly the sacrifices his mother made, were at the heart of this book. He sacrifices his own personal privacy and makes a gift to his children and others coping with cancer. He shows us what the process feels like. Knowledge, however sad, is somehow empowering.
   
   As a cancer patient, I have plenty of time to reflect and read. If you don't, then I say read it. You won't regret it. This book is at times intoxicating and high-flying, philosophical and deadly real. It is about life, much more than it is about death.
   
   Peter may have not thought that he was a survivor, but he was--every day he lived. Here's hoping that Peter's life, however brief, will never fade away in the hearts and minds of all he loved.



5. I just finished reading "Not Fade Away" for the second time. The first time I read it a couple of years ago I remember taking it very slowly because I felt each word was so important. Usually a very fast reader, I would stop and go over sentences because I didn't want to miss anything. Impactful ideas were there in every sentence.
   
   I just finished reading it again because I wanted to see how it stood up against "The Last Lecture." And it held up very well. The two books are by (and about) similarly energetic, optimistic men dying of cancer, but they tell very different tales in different styles. I'm glad to say that there's an honesty in this book that wears well with time. Re-reading it again made me very glad that I recommended it last year to a friend whose brother was dying of cancer. They say the best gifts come in small packages, and that's certainly true here. Powerful and enjoyable! Read it.

5 comments about Twelve Extraordinary Women: How God Shaped Women of the Bible And What He Wants to Do With You (Walker Large Print Books).

1. It helped me so see and understand how important these women really were in the lineage of Jesus. How God can change the seemingly impossible. Wonderful book!



2. I have led numerous Bible studies, and this book has been a real disappointment. The writing lacks balance, is often disorganized, and even has an "anti-women" tone to it. I find myself having to work all week to plan our study, to supplement what he's written. I would not recommend this book.



3. We have been studying this for the past few months slowly due to only meeting once a week. We have discovered fascinating new details about some of the women of the Bible that we did not know. While we have found a few discrepancies, they are minor and we talk it out as a group. Overall, we are finding this study to be enlightening and are looking forward to the rest of it.



4. This book is phenomenal and is filled with scripture. John MacArthur does a great job of making these women's lives parallel to our current culture and easy for anyone to relate. Each woman has her own personality but all have lessons to learn from. I have just started the book and am about half way through already and each page has spoken to me that most of the book is underlined and commented on. If you're looking for God to move in your life and teach you some great lessons pick up this book!!!



5. I could only get through the first two chapters before I had to put it down. I sought this book out for inspiration, but found it was sexist and insulting. I write this not because I one of those "new fangled feminist types", but because I posses a brain - a God given one. What I glean from the way the stories are presented is that the author's belief is that women exist only through men and have no real intrinsic purpose or value to God or the world, except through men.
   
   Eve is portryaed as a pathetic figure, the author writes patronizingly about Eve's sin: "As the weaker vessel, away from her husband, but close to the forbidden tree, she was in the most vulnerable position possible..." and "...Adam's sin was deliberate (when he took the apple) and willful in a way Eve's was not. Eve was deceived". So, the author doesn't even think she deserves equal billing in the "downfall".
   
   In chap. 2 about Sarah, when explaining how Sara and Abraham lied when they entered Egypt, saying that Sara was his sister so other men would not kill Abraham for her the author concludes: "...Abraham's motives were selfish and cowardly, and the scheme reflected a serious weakness in his faith. But Sarah's devotion to her husband is nonetheless commendable, and God honored her for it..". So, she is not a whole person in this author's view - they both lied, he calls it "cowardly" on Abraham's part, but believes God commends Sara, because she it was good she supported him - EVEN when he did something "selfish and cowardly".
   
   As a Christian I found the simplistic and ridiculous for the 21st century.
   I cannot recommend this book to anyone with a brain.

2 comments about Why Women Should Rule the World LP: A Memoir.

1. 
   We women are often afraid of our own power. Afraid to be thought of as pushy or bitchy if we assert ourselves willfully with the force of our passion. But wise women wield power wisely and the planet is in desperate need of our wisdom. The time couldn't be more crucial.
   
   Thank you, Dee Dee Meyers for your insights, as well as for being such an inspiring role model. You are right! I agree completely. Women SHOULD rule the world!
   
   Now is the time for all women to acknowledge and explore our stature and our strength. It is high time to exert our influence and the power of our moral convictions and authority. We have held back long enough. Starting here, starting now, we must claim our rightful duties as powerful leaders. We have the whole world in our hands.
   
   Hell may have no fury like a woman scorned, but women standing together side by side, autonomous, proud, and empowered can create heaven on earth.
   
   There will be no heaven unless we make it.
   -Florence Nightingale



2. 
   I loved this book; anyone against war and for communication among
   law makers and world leaders, as well as fiscal responsibility will want to see what real change could do.

5 comments about Life Beyond Measure LP: Letters to My Great-Granddaughter.

1. Although The Los Angeles Times reviewer gave Mr. Poitier a generous accolade as "a national treasure," those lofty words are nevertheless incomplete. This fine actor, and the roles he has played as a leading man, taught a generation of men and women the most important lessons possible about racial equality and social justice. He led our collective thoughts at a time when we were most impressionable.
   
   Through his authoritative lead characters for timeless movies -- such as "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" and "In the Heat of the Night" -- Poitier gave the Baby Boomer generation palpable and enduring context for their cultural revolution around equal rights. Martin Luther King delivered the moral imperatives for change: Sydney Poitier enacted the stories that made King's lessons tangible, comprehensible and personal.
   
   This generation is now rapidly passing the hallmark birthdays of 50 and 60 and can learn again from Sydney Poitier, the author. Today's generational zeitgeist includes the pressing need to assess our collective legacies; to leave future generations a more inclusive, humane and just world; and to bequeath our successors a better society than the divisive nation of our youth.
   
   Again, he speaks to a generation that has also admired him since our teen years, a generation that has listened to him as a wise mentor. He taught us right from wrong without a single lecture or admonishment. He just demonstrated what a nation built on equality needed to become.
   
   This book challenges each of us to consider our heritage, not just for the next generation, but for generations yet to be born. Mr. Poitier's bravery, tenacity and humanity are worth further consideration, study and reflection, as inspired by this new book.
   
   Read this masterwork if you're a Boomer. It will remind you of why we sacrificed much and worked hard to help transform Poitier's revolutionary acting roles into mainstream cultural norms today.



2. It really takes a man of great internal fortitude to look back on his life with such a critical eye toward informing the future, but screen legend Sidney Poitier has proven to be such a man. He first made an impression in his pioneering role as a top-flight film star in the 1950's and 60's and then through his profound role in the civil rights movement and more recently, on more global political commitments. He has conveyed his evolving passions in a series of increasingly reflective books - first his candid, straight-ahead autobiography, 1980's This Life and then his sometimes fiery, always revelatory memories of being caught in the crossfire of expectations among his racially divided audience in 2000's The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography. His latest book finds the actor, now 81 years old, in a more philosophical mood as he writes a series of letters to his great-granddaughter Ayele.
   
   Ayele was just born in 2005, so it's clear that Poitier wrote this book as a legacy to her and quite a legacy it is. Far less interested this time in opening old wounds, he brings a genuinely inspirational tone to his ruminations on the broad topics he covers here - love, faith, life, death. Yet, he manages to use his expansive personal history when it proves relevant to a topic. Poitier realizes that he is well beyond the age where he needs to document his life purely in chronological, milestone-achieving order. At the same time, he knows he played an essential role in breaking down barriers heretofore closed to blacks despite the limitations put upon him on the big screen. The actor had to be hopelessly idealized, articulate and sexless. Even when he was allowed to be romantically involved in films like For Love of Ivy, it was handled in the most antiseptic manner. And when he spoke out against injustices in films like In the Heat of the Night or Pressure Point, Poitier kept his passions in check with calculated responses that turned into classic set pieces like the argument with his belligerent father in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.
   
   Barack Obama owes a debt of gratitude to Poitier whose charisma and dignity paved the way for the first serious Presidential run by someone who is not white. However, the actor seems more resigned than enthralled by his pivotal place in history. That must explain why he deals more directly with questions about the existence of a higher power since he worries that the world his great-granddaughter inherits will be continually threatened by religious conflicts. Poitier wants to prepare her for the threats ahead, and in doing so, he shares his hard-earned wisdom in deceptively simple terms. There is a pervasive sense of mortality in the book, and one gets the sense that he is preparing himself for the world beyond. You would think the net effect would be sad, but he manages to give a strong sense of affirmation to the life lessons he shares. I still prefer the comparatively angrier "Measure of a Man" for pure revelation about his legend, but this lucidly written book provides a most fitting coda.



3. What loving letters these are! The chapters about his youth are the most interesting & delightful; those in which he philosophizes about religion are a little less clear, but very heartfelt & humanitarian. I wish we all could have such a large family network. Poitier's writing is truly elegant and articulate -- I think I'd read the phone book if he'd written it!



4. This book was purchased for my 83 year old Mother as a gift for Mother's Day. She usually sticks to cookbooks, or psychology self-help type books, but I knew she always admired Sidney Poitier as an actor, and as a human being, so I thought she might enjoy this book. Turns out I was right! Even though she can only read a few pages each night due to vision problems, she has already told me how much she is enjoying reading this book. It is extremely well written, with a true human interest style that is holding her interest. Bravo, Mr. Poitier! (I'm going to borrow it from her when she's finished!)



5. Life Beyond Measure is a series of letters to Poitier's great-granddaughter, to be read as she matures from infancy to young womanhood. As such, it is not a straight biographical narrative, rather a compendium of grandfatherly advice intermixed with real life examples from Poitier's marvelous and challenging life.
   
   It seems some of the events are skimmed over - he mentions finding the love of his life in his second wife, but fails to detail the divorce from his first wife and the suffering involved in that. He treats everyone very resepctfully, obviously retaining a good relationship with the first wife, but I think a few lessons detailing that type of event would have been beneficial to his intended audience.
   
   The writing style is fluent and easy to read - it moves best when Poitier is relating tales from his youth on Cat Island or Nassau, or his individual struggles against unemployment or racism. It bogs down some near the end when he begins to wax philospohically on the great mysteries of the universe, and I am not certain all the background information he throws in on society and science was that useful, but still he manages to convey his basic point that mankind needs to be a good steward of this planet and of each other.
   
   All in all, an enjoyable read with a lot of valuable advice couched in warm and accessible prose.

5 comments about Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia.

1. OMG .. what self-absorbed drivel. I am amazed at women who are impressed by this vapid piece of work. The author is a shallow harpy with whom I couldn't have less in common. I can't relate to any of her stupid observations or solipsistic epiphanies. I don't begrudge her not wanting children. It's probably best that women like this don't procreate. It was a massive waste of time to spend MY TIME with a woman whose world ends at the tip of her own nose. What a bore. Don't be fooled into thinking this is even a mildly well-written or amusing piece. It is a text book study in what's wrong with many so-called "sophisticated urbanites" today.



2. EG shares her journey about the purpose of pleasure, spirituality and love in her life. This book helped me reflect on my own values. I will re-read it after enjoying the first reading so I can spend more time with the questions she raises in a most entertaining manner.



3. Moments of like and dislike. She tends to ramble on and on. The book starts to get really good and just like that...it's over. Probably wouldn't read again.



4. I just finished this today. July 5 holiday weekend and spent 3 hours this morning reading because I could not put it down. This is the best book I have read in some time. Maybe this isn't for everyone, but I loved it from beginning to end. I have traveled as well, not to all the places she has been, but for me it was the insight into individual personalities, characters, that made it riveting. Yes she is self absorbed. But it is about her journey, so that makes sense. This is not a travelogue book, it is about an inner discovery as a result of mixing with people and experiences outside of her previous exposure to the world. If you are looking for a travelogue, go elsewhere. If you are looking to journey with someone through their highs and lows as they put their life back together and discover a world beyond themself, this is for you. I loved the characters. I loved the settings. I loved the entire book and hated when it ended. I don't know if this is great literature. But I think those who criticize this book are people who just don't get what she is talking about. Which is fine, but don't neccesarily judge it by them. If you have been through the feelings she has been through, you will relate to it, and it will have meaning to you. This is a great book for any woman who has ever allowed herself to become invisible because of a man they were with, and now wants to discover who she is on her own.



5. I am surprised at the negative comments on this book. I don't know what those reviewers were expecting, but I found the book to be a light chronicle of one woman's journey in search of herself and a sane relationship with life. Gilbert writes with an open-hearted honesty. At times her style and commentary seem a bit child-like, or even childish, but overall I have found her telling of the tale to be engaging and sweet-spirited. I'm just past the point where she decides to stay a while longer at the Ashram in India. Her personal search for enlightenment bogs down a bit at this point, but I appreciate her effort to lead others through the labyrinth she explored. Maybe those who react so negatively have yet to appreciate the value of that kind of exploration. I can see how it might have struck me that way some years back.

5 comments about Summer at Tiffany LP.

1. This books reads like a novel. You have to remind yourself that the story is true. The Big City adventures of these two friends are quite exciting. It left me wanting to run off somewhere and be as bold as them!



2. I read this book in just a few hours and loved it..
   
   I was born in 1945. My mother had gone to live in Baltimore to work in 1943 at the same age Marjorie was when she went to Manhatten. Although Baltimore is a much smaller city, I can only imagine the parallels that must have existed. It truly was an innocent time and one I somehow feel cheated in missing. Despite the war and all the problems it entailed for people both financially and emotionally, they somehow found a certain joy in living with a minimum of complaining. Certainly a lesson for the young people of today and many adults as well.
   
   I'm going to buy this book for my Mom as I know she'll enjoy it as much as I did.



3. I really thought this was a delightful and charming book! It's the true-story of two girls from Iowa, best-friends Marjorie and Marty, who take a summer to find jobs in New York. It's mid 1940's (already a plus for me as it's one of my favorite eras for stories) and the war is coming to a close, so in addition to the story itself being simply lovely, there's a fair amount of historical information as well. Marjorie and Marty are loveable characters and it's easy to see why the make such great friends. The antics and adventures that ensure, the relationships that build, and the events that take place are all entertaining and heartwarming. Highly recommended! A great summer read!



4. I enjoyed the time this book was set in. The budgeting the girls had to do and the amazing experinces that they had was the stuff of dreams. I wish I had had a summer that memorable



5. The summer of '45 was full of discoveries for the author: New York City, the elegance of Tiffany's, the euphoric end to WWII, happenings with friends, and meeting a beau. Well-written picture of the times. A really fun read - highly recommended.

5 comments about 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life.

1. This book is a genuine rip-off. It contains one rather small section to fulfill the title, and tells you almost nothing about heaven. The title is a great sale pitch in order to sell and get your money. If I could get a refund on this book and Piper's second, I'd return them both in a heartbeat. Whatever, you are only wasting your money if you purchase it!!!



2. This is a great illustration of how God's plans are so much bigger than ours. It shows how he uses us to further his kingdom in ways that we can't understand sometimes. It's a short read that you don't want to miss.



3. I found Don's book very rivoting. A similar thing happened to me and truly know what he went through. What bothered me was the editing sloppyness, where sentances were broken up badly, and few new sentances began with a capital letter. I'm detail oriented and wanted to find a way to make the corrections myself. Had I known how to make the corrections I would have done so.



4. Not what I expected. Did not find it to be inspiring or moving which was what I was hoping for.



5. This book is a wonderful story of what a man experienced when he was dead for 90 minutes, and eventually pulled back from heaven by paramedics. It is a short, great read. Consider giving it as a gift to someone who has just lost a spouse, a relative or a friend. It makes the death experience seem very real and something for all to look forward to.
   
   It is an awesome book.