No comments about Teaching All over the Places.

No comments about Letters to His Son, 1752 (Dodo Press).

No comments about Full Circle a Life with Hong Kong & Chi.

1 comments about My First 81 Years.

1. I read this book cover to cover and couldn't put it down. Mrs. Cavett's lived a very full life; One full of adventure and endless stories. It's almost impossible to believe that one person could experience so much, but Dorcas has and it's all in this book. From becoming the first female Marine, to trailblazing new areas for instructional television, Dorcas keeps you captivated with her gift of storytelling as only a true "Cavett" could. Step aside Dick . . . your step-mother has a story to tell. Covering two World Wars, Prohibition, the Great Depression and life in the 60's, "My First 81 Years" will keep you captivated. I highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates true human nature.

1 comments about Joey's Story: A Portrait of a School Leader.

1. What an insightful and intiguing book! Once you begin reading, be prepared to continue to the final page. Joe Batory's inspirational leadership and dedication to children is like a beacon shining through the foggy mist that obscures public education today. Every politician should be required to read chapter 19, "The Moral Vacuun," or at least have it read to them before they speak about education. In addition, he paints a beautiful portrait of his own personal love story with his wife in the "Arranged Marriage" chapter.
   A great follow-up to Batory's first book, "Yo! Joey!" I highly recommend this wonderful portrait of a school leader to everyone, parents, educators, school board members, and politicians.
   John H. Nawn, Former President
   Upper Darby (PA) Board of School Directors

5 comments about Sudden Death, Overtime.

1. I just finished reading the best book I have read in a long time: Sudden Death, Overtime! It is poignant and straightforward. Does this town really exist? I have always believed that the justice system needs an "overhaul" - this book just makes me more adamant in my belief. Hurray for Coach Courneya... stand tall. This book is a wonderful tribute to home, family, and those who try to teach our youth - an awesome responsibility. I am humbled by what Courneya had to endure.
   This is a must-read for everyone. Put it on your Christmas list.



2. Sudden Death Overtime is a spellbinding, compelling book that illustrates what should be unacceptable behavior by those involved in the legal system, including citizens on the jury.
   If "you" were Dennis Courneya, you would have expected far better by our judicial system. It is clear in the book that "intent" was never proved and that this man has been unjustly accused. The innocence and love with which he approached his teaching and coaching was rewarded with immature, youthful retaliation.
   While this incident is focused on teachers as coaches, it would be recommended reading for anyone who manages people. We could all be unfairly accused and find ourselves thrown into the black hole of Lady Justice, with no way out.



3. My wife and I both just finished Sudden Death, Overtime. Despite quite a few typographical errors, it is the most compelling and best book I have read in years. Why? My bias may show, but 1. I am a teacher; 2. I know Dennis Courneya; 3. I lived in the town of Hancock for 3 years and could picture almost all the people he wrote about; and 4. my wife's father was the superintendent of schools in Hancock at the time Dennis was hired. I found this book to be straight forward (although, at times the trial transcripts were a bit confusing--the girls, like, really, like should like get rid of, like, too many "likes" in their vocabulary) and not an over glorification of the author. After reading the book I really felt like I was smacked in the face because, unfortunately, this could happen to any of us. I was appalled at the lack of action and concern by the teacher's union (yes, I am a member!), as well as the judge, the jury, and everyone else that was involved in this travesty. I also lost a lot of respect that I had for superintendent Larson and the school counselor, Carol Johnson. I applaud Dennis and his fortitude in surviving the trial, the prison, and everything else he has been subjected to. I'm not sure I would have survived it. I would LOVE to see this as a TV movie!



4. 'Sudden Death, Overtime' was one of the most inspirational books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It was colorfully written and so attaching that I read for hours just to realize I had finished the book in one sitting.
   It not only depicts the life of Dennis Courneya, which is so intriguing and inspirational that it deserves its own story, but the book also incorporates a tragedy.
   Anyone that read this book who knew of the TRUE 'Sudden Death, Overtime' and believed justice was served, and still believes that justice was served, has as horrible a moral character as some of the characters you will read about, but they also depict what is wrong in our society today. I challenge those who believed it to be a justice and have not read the book, to read the book, and walk away from it with a clean conscious.
   I was not only honored to be among some of the first readers to read this book, but I was also thankful that I did. A must read!



5. [...]
   
   I will say, as a life-long educator and former high school coach, even if Mr. Courneya is not guilty of criminal activity (which I believe he probably is), he is guilty of extraordinarily poor judgement and unprofessional behavior.
   
   As a male coach, you don't give backrubs to students, you don't touch a girl's thigh, and you certainly don't ask a young girl to "give you some lovin'." Any teacher with half a brain knows that. In the appeal it states that "...he admitted to touching students frequently, either by feeling their muscles or rubbing their backs. He recalled making statements to L.G. such as 'your boyfriend's lucky' and admitted two nicknames he had for C.H."
   
   If he does not have any more common sense than that, he has no business working with young people.
   
   In addition, the book is not very well written.

No comments about Among Men.

No comments about A Principal's Story.

2 comments about Keys to the Asylum : A Dean, a Medical School, and Academic Politics.

1. Dr. Bloomfield, Founder and Dean of a new and innovative medical school at the University of Illinois, describes the challenges and frustrations of creativity within a bureaucratic state system. His description of the hurdles he had to leap, and especially the lack of support (primarily financial) offered to him, would make most people cave in. Balanced with these frustrations is the extraordinary success he was able to achieve. It is a credit to him and to his colleagues that so much was accomplished. And that is what makes the story bearable. I would encourage university administrators and those interested in innovative approaches to medical (and other professional) disciplines to read this book.



2. This interesting story, part autobiography and full of history, details the incipient days of founding a medical institution. Literally from the ground up, Dr. Bloomfield describes how an idea, great innovation, procuring the funding, and convincing the politicians resulted in the beginning construction. His Part II, "The Act of Creation" goes to the heart of finding the curriculum and the students to use it. Tension and relief bob up and down as the unchartered meets the new sailors. Then the bureaucracy gravitates and its inertia sometimes slows, other time really impedes the progress. Nevertheless, there is something to say for the distillation process, which in the end seems to come up with the right mixture of what should and what could be done.

   What comes through the pages is the love for education, the purity of intent that Dr. Bloomfield had. Battling with detractors, some with power and others with jealousy seemed to invigorate his pugnacious side. When he found the good guys, nestled among the many people with whom he had to deal, he had genuine concern for their thoughts and suggestions.

   Lessons take many forms and the path to this school showed many roads to take for projects we might consider. Reading about this effort and enjoying the success in the epilogue, I could find many useful suggestions and tactics. Such books bear the signature of the great medical administrators who steered the medical schools in the 60's to 80's in some very troubled times.

No comments about Southern Histories: Public, Personal, and Sacred (Georgia Southern University Jack N. & Addie D. Averitt Lecture Series).