1 comments about A New Home Who'll Follow? (EasyRead Edition): Glimpses of Western Life.

1. Either it was the broken heater in my apartment that always kept it around a cool 98 degrees or the long, detailed, and pointless descriptions in this book that made me fall asleep after two pages of reading. You decide.

No comments about Growing Up in Old Age.

5 comments about Cash: The Autobiography (G K Hall Large Print Book Series).

1. I really liked the book and I am glad I bought it but it wasn't as in depth as I was hoping it would be. Some of the names he drops would have been easier to follow if he had used last names and the book assumes you have kept up with his history and his career but what it does do is makes me want to purchase "Man in Black" just that much more.



2. This is a very readable book. The writing is simple, yet interesting. It reads just like Johnny Cash is having a conversation with the reader. Thumbs up.



3. This book was good. I can't say it any simpler. I enjoyed reading it and feel a little closer to the man whose music I admire.



4. What really makes this better than most autobiographies is that Johnny Cash is a good story teller, and avoids the temptation to tell his life story strictly in a linear fashion from his upbringing to the present. Instead, he presents his life story as a set of stories during a tour, as if we are on the tour bus with him going to place to place. And it hits the right note since he's spent so much of his life on the road. And the moments he talks about his various homes have a certain intimacy, since we realize home for a person like Johnny Cash has probably been pretty fleeting. Subtly powerful stuff, just like his music.
   
   Cash comes across as a pretty worldly figure, despite being heavily grounded by his country roots. We get pretty frank and open discussions about his failures and battles with addiction. As someone pretty non-religious, I found his discussions about Christianity and what it means to him and his family completely open and approachable, and it never comes across as preachy or patronizing. Yes, the endless talk about his various grandkids and non-stop effusive praise of the exhaustive list of people he's performed with started getting a little old, but I can forgive that. Very enjoyable read. 4 1/2 stars out of 5, so I'll round it up to 5.
   
   Note: As someone who would listen to Cash read aloud the phone book underwater to the sounds of fingernails across a chalk board, you might say I'm a little biased.



5. I loved how much heart Johnny Cash put into this book. Every detail, every aspect of his life are told with huge honesty and intensity, showing his affection to everyone who's been close to him during the years. if you love this legend, you'll be delighted by this book.

No comments about Travels in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth (LARGE PRINT EDITION).

5 comments about The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary (G K Hall Large Print Book Series).

1. This book was simply marvelous, if you are into the story of the origins of the Oxford English Dictionary, this is a book that captures the makings and includes the story of two gentlemen who's lives inevitably come together in bizzare but wonderful order of circumstances, if you Love words and their origins, you will be astounded by this book!



2. Simon Winchester has come up with a nifty little tale of the making of the OED. It's a fun little gem from history, and worth the read. My only complaints are: the book would have been more interesting if he had included some pictures, and the tale itself is pretty small. The publisher makes up for this by using large type, double spaced, with wide paragraph separation. But it's still a footnote in history, and you can't hide that fact.



3. There is a certain "Did you know..." factor about the "new" genre of creative nonfiction: we read it for both the informative componenet, and the fact that quite a bit of history is, well, interesting. Did you know, for example, that the main contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary was insane?
   
   Dr. W.C. Minor was an American soldier in the Civil War, who later moved to England, where he wound up shooting a man. He was placed in an asylum (not the greatest of places in those days), where he was given a few more perks than the other inmates, simply because he was non-violent (despite the reason for his incarceration) and intelligent. One day, he happened to come across an advertisement: Professor James Murray, along with an elite group of gentlemen, was creating the single-greatest compilation of the English language ever conceived. Minor, with nothing but time on his hands, decided to pitch in. Over ten-thousand words later, Minor was the single-greatest contributor to the single-greatest dictionary ever created.
   
   It is a compelling, surprising story, told in Winchester's usual novel-meets-nonfiction style. While I enjoy a good piece of creative nonfiction, I find myself time and time again returning to Winchester's work not necessarily because of the topic, but because I enjoy his style so much. (It just so happens he chooses interesting topics to write upon.) The "P.S." section of this book, as with the others, doesn't offer too much, though there is an intriguing little section: Winchester's favorite words from the OED. Still, you'll purchase "The Professor and the Madman" for the story itself--and it's a doozy. True, too. Funny, how facts can sometimes be more interesting--and harder to believe--than fiction.



4. Many academics and scholars border on creative madness, take Kierkegaard and Nietzsche for example. This book is marvellous reading since the dull subject of dictionary making is enlivened by eccentric personalities and mental disturbance. It reveals how a dictionary as prestigious as the Oxford English Dictionary was put together. Any author who can make such a dry subject as exciting as a murder mystery deserves a good deal of credit and acclaim.



5. Absent the anti-Christian bias of his geological disaster books, Winchester writes a very good tale about a fascinating sidebar of history during the compilation of the OED. The madman was an American military surgeon (son of missionaries to Sri Lanka!) who served in the Union army during the Civil War, whose slow spiral to insanity culminated in the shooting of an innocent man in London 15 years later. The professor was the editor of the OED who corresponded with the madman for 20 years at the asylum outside London where he made a full-time career of volunteering word lists and quotes to the OED editorial team.
   
   How their histories shadowed and paths crossed, and how the OED came to be, make for a great story. The book was lavishly praised and worthily so, reading like a psychological thriller that can't be put down. I literally read through this in less than 24 hours in just a few sittings.

5 comments about The Virtues of Aging (Random House Large Print (Cloth/Paper)).

1. "The Virtues of Aging," by former United States President Jimmy Carter, is a down-to-earth nonfiction book about growing old gracefully. Carter mixes interesting statistics with autobiographical information and practical advice.

   Carter discusses his work and experiences with a number of organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity. He also discusses the lives of people who made extraordinary accomplishments in their senior years. Carter doesn't shy away from sensitive topics, such as senior sexuality or preparing for one's own death.

   One admirable characteristic of Carter's writing is that while it is informed by his own Christian faith, he is also respectful of other belief traditions. Overall, he writes like an unpretentious friend who is sharing his life experience and perspective. Throughout the book, his wife Rosalynn is a constant presence; you get a real sense of the solidity of that relationship.




2. I'm in my mid-40's and found this book a facinating
   look at older age. Carter busts the old stereotypes
   about sitting in the rocking chair during retirement age and mentions numerous examples of friends and associates in the 70's and 80's who are living enormously productive lives. This book
   gives me hope for the future. Even though my last 45 years were probably a little easier than my next 45 will, I find solace in the many examples of warm relationships maintained, hobbies developed and new challenges in later life. A whole-hearted endorsement for this book.

   Carter is my favorite former US President.

   The book also gave me a great curiousity to look at more information on the Carter Center and Habitat for Humanity.

   Jeffrey McAndrew
   broadcaster and author of "Our Brown-Eyed Boy"1




3. Jimmy Carter used to be my favorite ex-president. Now, it seems he has aged beyond the point at which he can reason clearly. He goes on Larry King to criticize a former colleague (Zell Miller) for standing in support of the President, AND writes a book, for which he will probably make millions of dollars, to do more of the same. He is using his roles as elder statesman (well-deserved) and Nobel Laureate (well-deserved) to undermine our country; but seems to have forgotten that he was impotent while our hostages were held in Iran for 444 days. You know the saying: "them what can't do, teach". If one of the virtues of aging is exploitation of public opinion for your own advantage (or that of your party), Jimmy Carter is VERY virtuous.



4. THE VIRTUES OF AGING by Jimmy Carter
   February 25, 2006
   
   Amazon Rating: ****
   
   
   
   In THE VIRTUES OF AGING, President Jimmy Carter writes about what a senior citizen can do to feel fulfilled and productive in ones last stage of life. As usual, he is quite candid as he writes about his own life, his marriage to Rosalyn, and recounts stories about his family and friends. I always enjoy reading Carter's non-fiction, as he always has some interesting anecdotes, as well as some wisdom-filled stories that he passes on to his readers. Carter never preaches, and I for one appreciate it. In fact, in this particular book he admits (at the end) that he tried to refrain from quoting much from the bible, as he felt it would detract from the topic. But since the church is a big part of his life, he did talk about his own participation with his church and did quote a few times in appropriate places as he discussed issues on aging.
   
   I have to admit I'm rather biased because I have always admired the work Jimmy Carter has done since his presidency. Knowing about the good works he's done in the past few decades, I do not find it difficult at all to see that he's also left his mark in his writings. He's shared with the world what he has learned through his own past experiences as a son, a father, and grandfather, as well as Governor and President of the United States. I'm slowly collecting all of his books and so far have enjoyed what I have read. THE VIRTUES OF AGING was not as structured as some of his other books have been, but I don't think it was meant to be. It is a collection of thoughts and ramblings of aging gracefully, from his point of view.



5. Simple, plain, clear good advice enlived by personal example and story. This is a good book about aging wisely, retaining one's powers as best as one can through the senior years. Former President Carter involuntarily forced to retire at fifty- six faced a double - crisis , identity and financial. He almost lost the family land and farm, but was saved when his peanut holdings were bought by a large consortium. He and his wife Rosalyn became active in new ways, as university teachers, writers, volunteer builders of one home for a needy person each year.
   The Carter recipe for enjoying old age involves remaining active, continuing to interact with others, exercising, avoiding the well- known evils of cigarettes and excess drinking.
   Carter recognizes that not everyone has the prerogatives of a former President but he maintains that most of us have the resources to go on enjoying life in old age.
   It seems to me Carter is a lot wiser in this work than he is in many of his political writings.
   This is a good book and has valuable tips which should help towards graceful aging.

5 comments about Hidden Power: Presidential Marriages That Shaped Our Recent History (G K Hall Large Print American History Series).

1. "Hidden Power" enlightens almost not at all. Despite the hype that accompanied its publication it is virtually certain that this book will be out of print in five years. It is revealing that the author chose not to cover the Eisenhower years as too pedestrian to warrant an effort. Her judgments and biases are not hard to discern. I give it three stars, though, because it does condense information and sort it to provide a concise summary of Presidential marriages. The reader must provide analysis and draw his or her own conclusions.



2. This is a fast read, but also nicely written, and very enjoyable. It is not exactly a scholarly work. A more scholarly work would probably cover all the most influential presidential marriages, or all the presidencies of the 20th century. Instead,Kati Marton pays word service to the likes of Abigail Adams and Mary Todd Lincoln, and assumes (rightly so) that we would have little interest in reading about Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge,or Herbert Hoover. I was a little disappointed, however, that she skipped so summarily over the Eisenhowers. She justifies this by saying that "[Mamie]played no significant role in her husband's administration." (11) However, I can't imagine anyone playing less of a role than Marton attributes to Pat Nixon, and yet their marriage is covered at length.

   With a few exceptions, I didn't find any surprises here. For the most part it just gave me more details about what I already knew or suspected. The surprises were how badly Richard Nixon treated Pat, to the extent that H.R. Haldeman felt free to send her press secretary scathing memos; how truly "out of it" Ronald Reagan was by the end of his presidency (more than it even appeared); and the stubborn and sanctimonious attitude of Jimmy Carter. Of course, the last chapter, about the younger Bushes, is necessarily dated, having been written before Sept. 11.

   While this book seems to be based more on heresay, and the author's observations, than in-depth research, to Marton's credit, none of this is kiss and tell expose. Those looking for sordid little details will have to go elsewhere. Even the Kennedys' and Clintons' marriages are handled with decorum.

   I am an avid reader of history who appreciates tomes based on several years of research. However, as a break, now and then, I enjoy a "light" history, especially when it's based on recent events with which I am familiar. If you feel the same, or if you prefer your history simplified and easy to digest, you will certainly enjoy this book.




3. This was an enjoyable light, but informative book about presidencies from a different perspective than most. I differ from one of the panning reviews in that I thought it was refreshingly not leftist liberal journalism. The author seemed to take a non-political view of the characters with an expected sympathetic eye towards the first ladies. I also found some factual discrepancies that a fact checker should have found which - as always - puts a cloud on the author's credibility; i.e.: Ford was an All-American center for Mich, not a star quarterback at Yale. But her countless quotes from insiders were well chosen, very informative and interesting. She did her homework on those. If there were half stars to give, I'd give this a three and one-half. Certainly worth the time.



4. This was an enjoyable light, but informative book about presidencies from a different perspective than most. I differ from one of the panning reviews in that I thought it was refreshingly not leftist liberal journalism. The author seemed to take a non-political view of the characters with an expected sympathetic eye towards the first ladies. I also found some factual discrepancies that a fact checker should have found which - as always - puts a cloud on the author's credibility; i.e.: Ford was an All-American center for Mich, not a star quarterback at Yale. But her countless quotes from insiders were well chosen, very informative and interesting. She did her homework on those. If there were half stars to give, I'd give this a three and one-half. Certainly worth the time.



5. I was extremely impressed with "Hidden Power," which explores 20th century presidential marriages and the impact that first ladies have had on White House politics. The book begins with a chapter devoted to Woodrow and Edith Wilson and culminates in an epilogue about George W. and Laura Bush. Author Kati Marton gives readers a fascinating (albeit a bit light) account of the lives of these famous political couples and explains how each first lady coped with being married to the most powerful man in the world, handled the duties and expectations that come along with being a presidential spouse, and adjusted to the ever-changing roles that women have in this country.
   
   This isn't a super intense or scholarly book and much of the information in it has been presented before, but I've never encountered a book that's solely dedicated to the influence first ladies have had on the American presidency, and I enjoyed every page. "Hidden Power" is not a boring history book: It's an exciting compilation of the lives of this country's first families, and I couldn't put it down.

No comments about My Turn: The Memiors of Nancy Reagan.

5 comments about The Man Who Listens to Horses.

1. I think this is a very good book on horse husbandry. The story is rather sad in many ways but for people who want to be kind to their horses, it's a very informative book.



2. It's been years since I read the book, but when I first got it, I read it twice in its entirely. The Man Who Listens to Horses is actually two books in one: It's an autobiography, and it's a how-to manual for gentling horses and speaking their language. It's just a wonderful, wonderful book, and I can't recommend it enough.



3. Having seen Mr. Roberts on television demonstrating his "Join-Up" technique with unruly horses, I'm a little bit shocked at the number of accusatory & negative reviews I'm reading on this page. Especially from people who seem to have never actually read his book.
   
   For those of us who believe that horses are naturally social creatures, and that a little gentleness & patience towards any animal is a far better training technique than trying to force a creature against its will, this is a terrific book.



4. This was one of the best books I've ever read--easy to read, informative, and always heart warming. The story of Monty's life completely held my attention and the information about horses is uniquely interesting. Monty is an exceptional man who has led a fascinating life, has put his gifts and talents with horses to good use, and has valiantly resisted the temptation to become an angry man like his father. The principles he cites for creating and maintaining good relationships with horses equally apply to human beings. The only thing missing for me was that there was no real mention of the God who created the horses that he loves and has cared for so well throughout his life.



5. I loved this book. Monty Roberts is an amazing person and his best attribute is his ability to listen and observe and learn about horses. He was raised "breaking" horses but intuitively knew that wasn't the best way so, as a teenager, he spent time observing horses in the wild and learned their forms of communication. It lead him to develop his own, very gentle and natural, forms of "starting" and training horses. This book explains all that and more. As an aside, it mentions the fact that he's also been a foster parent to more than 40 kids. What a sensitive and loving gentle-man. A good book for those learning about horses.

5 comments about Seldom Disappointed.

1. Hillerman lived a rich but complex life which covered the most imprortant events of the 20th century. An Okie, raised in the depression, he fought in WWII as a boy and went on to a stellar career in reporting. He was raised with and loves the Indian people which enabled him to understand their culture and write so effectively about it.
   
   A Catholic who understands others beliefs but doesn't have to deny his own. He is an exceptional character, both humble and truthful.



2. Tony Hillerman writes Navajo and Zuni detective stories and does quite well at it. I've read several and enjoyed them for both the plots and the Indian culture that the reader is taught as he reads the books. I naturally thought that Hillerman was Navajo - he's not. He's a white man. But, he is a Sooner, graduated from the University of Oklahoma (Go Sooners!!!) and he's a veteran of combat during WWII, injured, and was a journalist for many years. His life is fascinating and he tells it well.



3. Tony Hillerman's autobiography held my attention from start to finish. Mr. Hillerman is a member of the "Greatest Generation," was a combat infantryman in France and Germany during WWII. I thought I'd read to the end of that segment and then move on, but Tony's narrative carried me on to the end. Truly, Mr. Hillerman has led an interesting and blessed life. We are all in his debt for his efforts as a writer and as a human being.



4. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, much as I have liked all of his novels. His gift with words comes through, and his life is interesting. Many things are revealed which I did not know; such as his winning the Silver Star during WW2. If you are looking for a southwestern murder mystery however, you are out of luck. But if you are looking for an interesting insight into the life of a writer, then this is a good one to choose.



5. I love Tony Hillerman's reading of he work. His Oklahoma voice adds credibility and sympathy to very interesting people.