5 comments about Flight of Passage.

1. Interesting and well written story of two kids flying across the country in a Piper Cub. Great adventure and an example of God's provision and protection even when people don't acknowledge His existence.



2. I am a new private pilot and devour anything aviation related, so I very much enjoyed the flying theme of this book. But even without the flying aspect, it is a great story of how complicated father/son relationships can be and the bonding between brothers. It is a very touching story. Mr. Buck is a solid author as well, which is not always a prerequisite for writing a memoir.



3. This is a fantastic book! I've read it twice and will most likely read it again. It has so many compelling elements that it can't be fully appreciated in one reading. I think that the sheer adventure in Kern and Rinker Buck's 1966 coast-to-coast flight is what really seized me. I am the same age as the Buck brothers and struck out on my own the very same week they made their flight. Their desire to have an adventure, prove something to their father and master a pursuit reserved for skilled adults hit home with me. The book is funny, touching and insightful about family relationships.
   
   It is a great read and I, for one, am very grateful to Rinker Buck for putting this story down on paper all these years later.



4. WARNING: the first few chapters are dry, I almost gave up on the book and I am glad i didn't because after the first few chapters the book is so interesting and grabs you.
   
   Very Funny and descriptive you will love this book even if you don't have an interest in aviation.
   
   it takes you through the boys journey and Rinker Buck describes everything in enjoyable detail. The book describes their flight across the country and back(although he really does blow through the journey back).
   
   The book reminds you of a different time in the world, 1966, when you could fly around without a radio and sleep on the tarmac at the airport.
   
   Anyone can enjoy this book and it is in story format, not biography.



5. Rinker Buck is an engaging storyteller and this story is truly delightful. Touching at times and hilarious at others, Buck takes you along on he and his brother's amazing adventure across America in a Piper Cub. I would recommend this book to just about anybody, especially aviation enthusiasts.
   
   One note: you don't need to read the after word as it is a little sad and depressing after such a good read, and it doesn't relate to the story that much.

5 comments about Me and Hank: A Boy and His Hero, Twenty-Five Years Later.

1. First, this is not a book totally about baseball. If that's what you're looking for, you will have to look elsewhere. If you want a real life account of what went on while The Hammer was chasing The Babe, this is the book for you. It is well written and has enough facts/stats to interest a baseball fan like myself but it has a lot more. It goes into detail about what was going on behind the scenes. It's not pretty but the truth rarely is. There was (maybe still is) so much hate for Hank due to his color that I couldn't believe it was real. It happened before my time and it was sad to know how he was treated. As sad as it was, I think it is important to understand what went on. You know what they say about history repeating. In this case, I hope it never does.



2. I have to say this is the saddest baseball book that I've ever read. This book really is about the reality of sharp division between two Americas --- the main stream one that belongs to whites and another that belongs to blacks.
   
   Being an avid Hank Aaron fan, the author Sandy Tolan does have a strong --- could even say a bit biased --- opinion about how Aaron has not been given proper credit he deserves. As an earlier review points out, he sounds angry at times, but really the whole point in the end is that racism doesn't even take active hatred like those manifested in tons of hate mail Aaron received in his quest for the homerun record. That the main stream America has had so little interest in Aaron's great feat shows the reality of human's natural tendency to unconsciously discount "others." In this sense, I don't think Tolan intended to blame the main-stream America for not giving Aaron enough respect; the white people in the States never truly understand what someone like Aaron had to go through and what he meant to those who are considered as "others" simply because they cannot experience it in today's America. And sure they don't wish to experience if given a choice. I saw much more resignation than accusation in Tolan's narrative.
   
   It is only relieving because Tolan, who is white, does treat Aaron's achievements and deeds with such a profound respect and passion. Yet even Tolan could not break ice with Aaron, whose emotional scar has not been healed. It is too sad Aaron had to go through so many negatives for what everyone should feel happy for. But the book tells what he did really, really meant a lot for those who cared about him, and Tolan made sure that those won't be forgotten.



3. Don't get me wrong -- this was a great read and a provocative book about my favorite ballplayer of all-time. But I thought Tolan was at his best describing the people who experienced Hank Aaron's home run chase firsthand (including himself) and at his worst when his personal memories shifted from fact to opinion.

   The tale of his encounter with a homeless Atlanta man who attended the game where Aaron hit No. 715 is beautifully told and moving. His personal friendship with a Babe Ruth admirer ignores racism in his hometown and praises Aaron for his accomplishment illustrates how we need inner strength and conviction not to simply march in tune with those around us. Tolan's interviews with Aaron, his daughter Gaile and former teammates reveal the depth with which Aaron had to endure racism as a ballplayer, and his historical portrait of the racial tension in his hometown of Milwaukee is thorough and fascinating.

   But the more Tolan discovers about how unappreciated Aaron truly is, the more preachy -- and less effective -- he becomes. He hits a low point when he grills three advertising executives on their lack of knowledge of Aaron's hardships as they prepare to pay homage to Aaron in a MasterCard commercial. Are they to be blamed for that? All of these people clearly respect Aaron, and they all interviewed Aaron in preparation for the commercial. If he'd really wanted them to know what he endured, he probably would have told them. He also takes some unnecessary shots at the Hall of Fame because they have chosen to pay tribute to Babe Ruth with an entire room, while Aaron gets only a wall. Sure, Aaron deserves a room to himself, so do Jackie Robinson, Bob Gibson, Curt Flood, and many of baseball's other African-American pioneers. They don't. Deal with it.

   One need not be a walking encyclopedia of Aaron's life, as Tolan is, to appreciate his accomplishments achieved under extreme duress. Let those who appreciate Aaron for who he is -- a great ballplayer and a great man -- simply be. The irony is, I'm with Tolan on his central argument, that Aaron is one of the greatest and most underappreciated Americans in history. I'll even go far as to say you can't prove Ruth is better than Aaron, because Ruth played an all-white game and didn't necessary play against the best. But Ruth made the game popular. If not for Babe Ruth and what he did to make baseball America's pastime, Aaron's chase wouldn't have inspired the rancor that it did. People wouldn't have cared.

   Sandy, let's enjoy being Hank Aaron fans by not wasting our time beating up those who don't appreciate him to the extreme degree we do.




4. Sandy Tolan did a good job interviewing many people, including Hank Aaron, to do this book. Hank Aaron is a wonderful person who deserves much more recognition for what he has done both on the field and off. The book is very well done. It makes you think.



5. What a wonderful book! This is a fitting tribute to a man who has been shamefully underrated in American life, as well as a probing look at race relations in the past forty-plus years, seen through the prism of baseball and Hank Aaron's breaking of Babe Ruth's record. Like the author, I grew up in Milwaukee, although I am a bit older and so I saw Hank Aaron hit many of his home runs. His dignity and grace are a precious memory of my youth. Also like the author, I wrote Hank Aaron a letter when I learned that racists were hounding him for challenging Ruth, and received an eloquent letter in reply from Mr. Aaron. This book, with its highly personal approach to the subject, is a multifaceted view of a revealing part of American life. I couldn't recommend it more highly.

5 comments about Chutzpah.

1. Mr. Chutzpah is a Harvard Law professor. Called on his attributing the Joan Peters' awful neologism "turnspeak" to Orwell Mr. Chutzpah publicly attributed it to Huxley. The less said about the (lack of) erudition of Harvard Law professors the better it seems.
   
   Dean Elena Kagan of Harvard, a tireless defender of Mr. Chutzpah, who seems to have never walked when she could crawl instead, may wish to revise Harvard advertising to put in disclaimers with respect to the law school: that Harvard's general reputation notwithstanding, she makes no assurances as to the quality of present faculty like Mr. Chutzpah.
   
   Mr. Chutzpah, when he is not defending pornographers and the like of O.J. Simpson, works with his lawyers at Cravath, Swain and Moore to suppress books critical of him and his shoddy "scholarship". Such as Norman G. Finkelstein's devastating takedown Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History.



2. Norman Finkelstein conclusively demonstrates that Dershowitz is a plagiarizer and that his claims about Israel's "superb" human rights record are complete bunk. All reputable human rights organizations support Finkelstein's arguments and not Dershowitz's. Dershowitz's book merits a minus 10, but the lowest grade one can give it is one star. The fact that one can find copies of this book for sale for 1 cent indicate its scholarly and moral usefulness. Dershowitz is now involved in a concerted campaign to have Finkelstein shut down, pressuring Harvard Bookstore and the Barnes and Noble bookstore at DePaul University in Chicago to cancel speaking engagements by Finkelstein. Harvard cancelled its invitation for fear of "economic retaliation," Barnes and Noble said the book was "too controversial," and invited Dershowitz to speak about his "book" instead.



3. Plenty of Jews exhibit chutzpah (nerve). But there is a flip side to this, the fear of "shanda fur de goyim" (embarrassment in front of the gentiles).
   
   Dershowitz analyzes the discrimination he's seen against Jews. In some places, it is non-existent. In others, it is significant. In yet others, it is striking. He begins with his experiences in trying to find employment as a summer hire in various law firms. Of course, discrimination against people on the basis of race, religion, gender, and (if known) sexual preference is now much less than it used to be. But we see some of the history of it among law firms and at Harvard.
   
   One issue that I found intriguing was that of the Carmelite convent at Auschwitz. Now, I do not see any reason for Jews or anyone else to consider Auschwitz, of all places, holy ground. But I am well aware that many people do consider it as such, and I respect their views on the matter. And it was up to the Catholic authorities whether or not to make a deal with the Jews to not have a Carmelite convent at Auschwitz. But once the Catholics made that deal and a bunch of nuns broke it, a rabbi and six other Jews were totally within their rights to ask the nuns to explain what they were doing there, and even "trespass" on convent grounds to pray. And it was certainly out of line for Polish Cardinal Glemp to make a totally wild and preposterous accusation, namely that these Jews were trying to murder the nuns and destroy the convent. I think Dershowitz was right to take the case against Glemp for defamation here.
   
   There is an good chapter about Zionism. That includes a discussion of Jewish antizionism. Dershowitz explains the pressure on Jews to be antizionist and to oppose Israel as Jews. He thinks they are wrong to do so. I agree. I think everyone ought to support Israel's (or any other nation's) right to exist as a human being, or oppose it as a human being! Or be neutral as a human being.
   
   I recommend this book.



4. I was initially engrossed while reading about the history of the Dershowitz family and their lives in Brooklyn. As the book progressed, it was more like a very long "rant" about anti-Semitism, and the miserable plight of American Jews. As an American Jew living in the rural western US, I cannot relate to the discrimination described and felt by the author. As with any religion outside the mainstream of the popular culture, Jews will always be considered as "different". We set ourselves apart from others by our values, moral beliefs, and our observances.



5. Overall, I am a huge fan of Dershowitz's books. I thoroughly enjoyed the Best Defense, From Genesis to Justice, and even his novel, A Just Revenge. I felt, though, that Dershowitz went a little overboard with his views of Jews in America. In many ways, I am almost embarassed to be viewed in the same light as him (As a Jew) because of his extreme views. He made it seem as if the world was out to get Jews, even in America. He does make many good points about Jewish identity in America, but to me he comes across as whining more than discussing.

   He does use some great arguments and has a pretty clear account of Jewish history in America. His description of his family and neighborhood is nice to read to understand where he grew up and what his background is. I especially liked his description of his own family as I was reminded in many ways of my own.

   I gave the book 2 stars but that is compared with his other books. It is not a bad book or a bad read. In many ways, I found it very informative but I would choose one of his other books rather than this one.

No comments about Steven Spielberg : A Biography.

5 comments about Blood Done Sign My Name: A True Story.

1. I had the pleasure of meeting and spending a week with Dr. Timothy Tyson as part of a Civil Rights Tour in Alabama with my public school district. Although I was "required" to read this BEFORE the tour, I did't pick it up until after I had returned home. Reading Tyson's words in print doesn't compare to listening to him in person, but the book is extremely powerful and eye opening to say the least. My parents were of the segregationist baby boom in Alabama and little mention of the civil rights movement was ever made to me during my childhood in the deep south. It is my opinion that most Americans are of the impression that it began with Brown v. Board and ended with the assassination of MLK. The book is only the beginning of an unearthing of long-buried truths about the struggle for racial equality and the unsung heroes who continue the fight.



2. I read this book for a college course and found it shocking and heartbreaking. I grew up very close to where the event of the story take place. After I had finished the book I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Tyson. This is when I began to become suspicious. I also met the offspring of people involved in the story. They, along with many other residents of Oxford confirmed what I already suspected. Much of this story is COMPLETELY MADE UP! Some of the events did actually happen, but are blown WAAAAAY out of proportion, and the means by which Mr. Tyson acquired some of his information are very shady. So my verdict: as a piece of fiction I think it's a beautifully tragic piece of fictions. As a "true story" this novel loses all credibility and so does Mr. Tyson for any of his other work and he should be prosecuted for his slanderous words.



3. I recommend this book not only to those of us who lived through the time but also to younger adults who care about racial issues in America. The author's personal account allows readers to experience recent history through his eyes. The book is informative and a very good read!



4. Blood Done Sign My Name is a non-fiction work that combines the personal memoirs and research of Timothy Tyson, Professor of Afro-American Studies at the University of Wisconsin. The most striking aspect of the novel is the description of Dickie Marrow's murder from the points of view of different citizens of Oxford. This unique feature makes the book appealing to many age groups. Teenage readers can relate to Tyson's personal anecdotes about growing up in rural Oxford, North Carolina. Even if younger audiences do not understand the symbolism behind the text, they can still enjoy the well-developed characters and eventful plot. Adult readers can gain insight into many themes concerning race and white supremacy. Tyson elegantly expresses the naiveté of children on the issue of morality and treatment of other races. This is best conveyed in the passage where young Tyson taunted a black child solely because his friend had started an insulting chime. The author describes that it was fear--not hatred--that bred the twisted idea of white supremacy. Parents can also connect with the decisions and actions of Vernon and Martha Tyson. The Tysons believed that their children should be exposed to many different opinions yet respect all races. The difference in perspectives in the work allows readers of all ages to enjoy and understand the truth behind the Civil Rights Movement.
   The book contains a few minor flaws that diminish the lucidity of the text. The plot is rather erratic; from time to time, the events are not connected perfectly. This technique may be Tyson's personal style of writing, but it proves to be rather confusing at major points in the plot. For example, Tyson usually explains a personal memory of the murder and follows it with completely unrelated information about another character. These discontinuities in the plot make the book difficult to comprehend at first. Gradually, however, the reader gets acclimatized to this original form of writing. The gaps between personal stories build suspense and enable the reader to process a feasible prediction for the sequence of events. The novel also includes many extraneous details about minor characters that play an insignificant part in the plot. Tyson extensively describes his mother's childhood, even though his mother does not affect the sequence of events in any fashion. This extra information, however, does not detract from the book's overall theme. Though the story contains a few negligible weaknesses, Tyson maintains his overall claim and presents it in an interesting and distinctive manner.
   Blood Done Sign My Name is an enthralling story that expresses the moral wrongs of racism. To call it a mere story does not do Tyson proper justice; it is more fitting to call the book a documentary. By citing several engrossing stories throughout the novel, Tyson maintains the reader's attention and successfully proves his thesis. Other than its occasional lack of continuity, Timothy Tyson has written a classic non-fiction work for readers of all ages.



5. I finally got around to reading this memoir this summer and was in awe of the author's narrative gifts. This story reads like a novel and is full of plain human wisdom, an emotional openness combining humility and pride, wry humor, sharp political analysis, and a can't-put-it-down story line that comes to terms with America's number one cultural problem: racism. This is a book of local history that gets at the human condition, and a work of history that reads like great literature. I'm telling everyone I can to read it, and that includes whoever reads this. Don't pay attention to any of the so-called "corrections" made by some other reviewers here. This is a must-read historical work that shows an astute and perceptive ability to understand its widely varying participants' points of view and experiences, while not shrinking from the moral and historical obligation to draw judgments. There is only one word to use: *brilliant.* (I'm not one to use that lightly when talking about either autobiography or
   history.)
   
   Disclaimer: The writer of this review is a professional historian with a Ph.D., but one who has never met Timothy Tyson.

5 comments about Living With the Dead: Twenty Years on the Bus With Garcia and the Grateful Dead.

1. After having read this five or six years ago, and going through yet another phase of revisiting my fascination with all things Grateful Dead, I decided to read this again. I almost wrote down all the historical inaccuracies I could find, and there were about a dozen or so, if not more. It could be said that Rock Scully could be given some slack for this, but I'm left with the feeling that this was a rush job to cash in on Garcia's untimely death. That may seem harsh, but considering Scully had been out of the scene for almost 10 years at that point, and he gives no indication what he'd been doing to make a living, it seems probable that he was in need of an infusion of cash.
   This is the most 'kiss and tell' book I've read on the Grateful Dead, and so much of these accounts I have to actually question the creibility of what's written. I have very little sympathy for Scully because he was along for what must have been a very enjoyable ride, but in the end he allowed himself to be reduced to Jerry's flunky, helping enable his decline.
   All in all this is some entertaining reading, yet sad. You get the sense that Scully cared much less about the music then the drugs, and true Dead fans always cared more about the music first. You'd also get the feeling that Scully alludes to Jerry having been in such decline by the mid-80's that he was just going through the motions in order to pay for his drug habit. True fans know that while the 80's by and large weren't their best decade, they still managed to play many great shows. It wasn't until the 90's that things really fell apart, and I'm surprised Scully doesn't suggest it was because they didn't keep him around.



2. Here, Rock Scully wrote the most straightforward, hilarious, and un-egotistical biography I've ever read: The story of the Grateful Dead.
   
   Rock Scully was the manager for The Grateful Dead and he was particularly close to Jerry Garcia. This 60s San Francisco Free Love Society band made a LOT of money, most of which was converted to drugs of abuse and immediately consumed.
   
   I was especially impressed with Rock's ability to size up situations (like when a band of Arabs tried to chase him down and he escaped by using his wits) and his penchant for launching grassroots justice when dealing with people of abrasive cultures (specifically, the stogy old German officials who got covertly "dosed" with LSD for their interference in the band's more harmless activities).
   
   I was around and involved in music back in those days and I'm here to tell you that The Grateful Dead was NOT all that big in terms of popular rock bands; however, everyone had at least heard of them so they had clearly achieved a notable national status amongst The Woodstuck. In subsequent years, The Dead ultimately hung on into the 70s and beyond, and they were more popular later on than they ever were in their Genesis. Their big thing was THE WALL OF SOUND and I think, here, Garcia in particular was a real innovator.
   
   In any case, it was clearly Garcia who held it all together, always pushing band members to write songs so they could eek out another album for much-needed dope money. That's another facet of The Dead -- they never played a song twice the same way, improvising on stage each time they performed. Given my personal life experience in bands, this mostly represents an aversion to rehearsals which was probably what kept this group submerged well below other period bands in popularity.
   
   Still, it was a great hoot to read of their antics, their trials, and their tribulations. The period leading up to the death of Jerry Garcia was especially sad to read about as was the death of "Pigpen", (the keyboards player and occasional percussionist).
   
   Anyway, I didn't know all these interesting details until I read Rock Scully's fine book.
   
   I thought this was just a super read -- well done!



3. My friend send this book to me as part of an ongoing thing we have with the san francisco 60's and general interest in music. i really liked the book. it was an easy read, say it was well narrated and also full of interesting little side stories about all the involved parties. i really liked that there was no attempt of pink shades, meaning that people came accross as people with short-comings, vanities, addictions and stupidity, all the while it was still funny and really, it pulled me right in and made me feel as if i had been there myself. plus, any book that makes the hippies look like the crazy people they were is fine with me. many books make this generation look like they invented the wheel and everything was all love/ peace and happiness and everybody got along and the times were so much better then. in reality the summer of love was launched by a bunch of greedy haight street shop owners and most of the kids in the haight were runaways, drug addicts and pityful homeless basket cases that were under the impression that they were going to shangri-la. which it wasn't! anyway, the book tells all the stories in a very funny and witty way, it has a good eye for details AND you get to know the grateful dead in a good way, even if you don't like their music (which i don't)(except of some songs and some live stuff)(whatever).
   all in all, great read, be careful, you might want to read it in one sitting :)



4. This story is by turns wonderful (especially early on), depressing (especially toward the end), and hilarious (pretty much throughout), but always fascinating. Years of distance from the events allows Scully be as critical of himself as anyone else, and this gives the book an authentic quality. I only know the Dead's best-known songs, and I knew almost nothing about the band or Garcia before reading this book, yet it was a page-turner for me. Other musicians and cultural figures of the era make interesting appearances too.



5. If you are wanting to read the "back story" behind the music and are just now starting your homework, let me suggest you start here. Why? Why here, when this is obviously a flawed, overly subjective work seen through a prism of chemical distortions, bringing us what are probably broken and incorrectly reassembled memories? Because this is a book you will finish. You will read this from cover to cover and most likely love it, and because this book is (more than any other out there) about the FUN of the Grateful Dead. That part gets left out - a lot.
   
   Other reviewers are not wrong - the last half of this book is largely about Scully and Garcia's drug addiction. But it isn't, as is made clear, like everyone else was a health food nut. (Well, Bobby was, but that's beside the point.) And there is also a ton of history going on during this time, too. (For one thing, we learn some of the reasons that Bob Dylan was so devoted to Jerry and said such gracious things about him later.) But what made it all work, the glue that held it together, was the fact that this music was just so much more fun than anything else going on. This book is about that fun, and this book is fun to read. There aren't many books that have made me laugh harder.
   
   Where you go after this is your own business: if you want to read a superb biography and perhaps the most important book of the whole genre, read the Garcia biography. "Dark Star" is heartbreaking but very insightful, and much of it makes "Living With The Dead" seem tame by comparison, as it is all first person interviews of persons involved. The McNally book is probably the completest, but is often as dry as toast and completely disengaged from the joy this band dispensed. So start here for fun, and to get a taste for what the life was like, and put a little color in the cheeks of all those black and white photographs.
   
   And as to why this book doesn't get much into the music, it's because no book could get in to the music and talk about anthing else. Scully was not a Dead head - he would probably rather have seen a Stones concert any night. He worked for the band, he didn't follow them for love of the music. If you want to get inside the actual music, that's a whole separate library you need to read. We aren't talking about the songs, we're talking about the band, and this is as good a place as any to meet them, and better than most.

5 comments about ALL'S FAIR LOVE WAR AND RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT: "Love, War and Running for President".

1. The love affair of the Ragin'Cajun and the hippie-turned-conservative, the election of '92 with him running Clinton's campaign and she stumping for Bush sr., a cast of thousands; and it reads like a novel.
   
   Wonderful insider view of politics, told in alternate blocks by the two, with writer Peter Knobler keeping the flavor of each's speaking style. Amazingly the pair was able to keep their work out of their personal life, marrying a year later with a jazz band procession through New Orleans's French quarter, naming their first daughter Matalin Mary, called Matty to acknowledge Mary's stature). Intimate looks at the candidates, with James's high regard for Hilary, Mary seeing Bush sr. as warm and personable.
   
   A must-read in this election year!



2. I can boast of having a copy of this book kindly sent to me by James Carville when it was first published. It's no exaggeration to say it's amongst my most treasured possessions.
   
   There's no denying that James brought the role of the politial consultant into the public eye. Sure, there had been people like Roger Ailes before him, but they'd tended to be shadowy figures, working behind the scenes and known only to political insiders. Carville started the cult of consultant-as-celebrity and his relationship with Matalin - an equally intelligent, equally interesting, but naturally less ebullient figure - whilst both were working for opposing Presidential campaigns catapaulted them both into the public mind.
   
   Perhaps because it was written at the time, the book doesn't have much to say on the subject of consultant-as-celebrity. Of course it was written pre-Stephanopolous / Morris / Rove et al, but it'd be interesting if Carville and Matalin re-issued the book with an epilogue. I for one would like to read their reflections on the trend.
   
   Without Carville and Matalin it's doubtful there'd have been as much focus on the role and influence of Morris and Rove, for instance. Certainly the film "He said, She said" would probably not have been made. Perhaps even "Wag the Dog" mightn't have got off the ground. But have things gone too far when a series like "K Street" makes consultants and politicians players in an imaginary drama?
   
   But for an insight into the Clinton years that's less about the personal and more the political, this is an excellent, lively read. In many ways it comes closer than James's other books to giving an insight into the campaign techniques that made both Carville and Matalin the most successful consultants of their day, as it charts their day-by-day activities.
   
   A cross between campaign diary, a love story and a political how-to manual probably wouldn't work with anyone but the authors at its center. But with Carville and Matalin, it serves to provide a unique way of looking into the inner workings of two Presidential campaigns.
   
   There's probably no other book quite like it - certainly all that comes to mind is Joe McGinniss's "The selling of the President" - for mixing personal observations with professional insight in the midst of a high level political campaign.
   
   It's a book well worth adding to your library, whether you're a political junkie or a romance reader.



3. Ever since I saw the documentary "The War Room," I have been a huge fan of James Carville's. It also helps that I am a big liberal Democrat. However, for the longest time I did not know that he was married to Mary Matalin, a longtime top Republican strategist. I also was unaware of the fact that they were more or less opposite numbers in the 1992 campaign, when Carville worked for Bill Clinton, and Matalin for President George H.W. Bush.
   
   This book shows the inner workings and machinations of both the Clinton and Bush campaigns in 1992, from the viewpoints of Carville and Matalin respectively.
   
   The book is written in turn; first Carville tells a little of what was happening in the Clinton camp, then Matalin offers the contemporary perspective of the Bush camp. This style works really well. At some points it develops into quasi-conversation, as if they were speaking to each other. There is ample room for the airing of their own personal views of what was going on as well.
   
   There were two overriding themes in the book: the way Carville ran Clinton's operation, best known as The War Room, clearly changed the way political campaigns are conducted in this nation, and, partially because of the innovations of The War Room the Bush effort was off its game big-time. At times it was amazing to see the sheer ineptitude of the Bush campaign, such as when Mary Matalin describes how the White House and the Bush campaign were unwilling or unable to effectively coordinate their activities until the Republican convention.
   
   There is also a lot of discussion of how the media, especially television and newspapers, influence the way a campaign is run these days. Predictably, there is a healthy amount of negativity expressed toward the press, especially Matalin's railing at the so-called liberal media, even though Carville makes some good arguments that Clinton was not receiving the best coverage, either.
   
   A must-have for anyone interested in the nuts and bolts of political campaigns, especially for people who want to get involved in the higher operations of politics.



4. I know that this is the first book I have ever read with two senior people on the opposite sides of a presidential campaign combining on one book. As far as I know this might be the only one out there like it. Just the fact that both sides of the total campaign were discussed point by point would be enough to give this book a high rating, but these two authors (and probably the added professional writer) helped to make this book a very entertaining read. The authors struck the right balance between the exciting blow by blow of the campaign and the day to day decisions that most people would find dull. It was just so interesting reading both sides of each issue as it came up in the race. Reading how each side perceived a situation and then reacted gave the reader a rich understanding of how the campaign played out.
   
   The one area that I found a bit annoying was the rabid partisanship of Mary Matalin. I actually thought that James Carville would be the rip it up partisan trash talker that was going to spell out the red meat attack on every issue. Now I tend to lean a little left so I at first thought it was just my liberal sensitivities getting a bit out of joint, but the more I read and tried to be fair I really got a negative view of Matalin. It is one thing to attack Clinton, heck stand in line, but the over blown attacks on average Democrats was a bit much. It just made me doubt much of what she said when balance was required and it eliminated any sympathy I should have had for her being she was on the losing side.
   
   Another area I found interesting was how much she truly respected and adored President Bush. Now this might be a symptom of any campaign worker, but make no mistake about it, Mary held her love for the candidate front and center. With this being said it is understandable that she would take the loss hard and find some avenues to place a little blame, but her dislike of the press was only surpassed by Bill Clinton himself. Every bad decision or misstep on her side was somehow laid at the feet of the press for simply reporting the event. If Clinton was leading in the polls then Matalin made the claim the press was favoring Clinton. It got to be so pervasive that it took on the appearance of the town drunk arguing that he does not have a drinking problem. It might have been an underling factor as to why the Bush team did not pull it out at the end. Overall I really liked the book and if you are a political junkie then so will you.



5. Even though the Clinton vs. Bush campaign was 12 years ago, this book is well worth a re-visit. The book is relatively long but I found every page of high interest.
   
   Mary Matalin's sections on the Bush re-election were wonderful reading and I am an avowed liberal. She perfectly captured the patrician nobility of Bush Senior and the campaign that destroyed itself. From the disasterous reign of John Sununu as Chief of Staff, the tragic death of Lee Atwater, the paralysis of Margaret Tutwiler, the insanity of Ross Perot, the mean-spiritedness of Patrick Buchanan, the shrill defeatism of Rich Bonds, and the often confused and muddled voice of an out of touch President, George Bush, the characters are vividly drawn and almost sympathetic.
   
   Carville on the other hand is masterful in his analysis of the consciousness of the American Everyman. The strength of Carville's strategy is common sense played offensively. He respects the middle class American sense of irony and skepticism trying to move toward optimism and problem solving.
   
   Even though the book is 478 pages long, it is really a fast read. Both Matalin and Carville are witty, strategic professionals with years of experience. I didn't get the book to read a sappy love story and I was glad the book focused on the considerable professional experiences of this couple rather than on their fledgling romance.
   
   Carville's desciptions of Bill Clinton do the man justice as a flawed but brilliant leader. Matalin's desciptions of George Bush do the man justice as a man who believes his class, gender, and race was destined for leadership but he just can't navigate the reality of the average American experience.
   
   Where both Matalin and Carville converge is in their perspectives on Patrick Buchanan, a mean hateful old man, and Ross Perot, a crazy old man.
   
   Besides a blow by blow detailed story of the Clinton vs. Bush campaigns from beginning to end, the book is full of political wisdom and strategy.

5 comments about Chasing Down the Dawn: Life Stories.

1. Chasing Down the Dawn: Stories from the Road by singer/songwriter Jewel is an intimate look of her life. Jewel is a terrific writer, this is sort of a memoir, she reflects on her poor but happy childhood, learning to sing, write, and play guitar as a teenager. Her struggles and why she moved into her van as a young adult. Her rise to stardom and how it changed her life. Jewel is a fascinating creature, can't wait for her new album in June. Chasing Down the Dawn is a good read, buy it today!



2. When I think of how Jewel has slipped in the public's perception from a fresh, innovative voice on the neo-alternative music scene to something of a joke only a decade later, it makes the '90's seem very far away. Back when this book was written she was still taken seriously and the confidence widespread acclaim gave her shows. I'm not sure she would or even could produce this work today.
   
   I admire Jewel for writing this book. It isn't an exercise in self-flattery, nor is it a place-by-place memoir of her life. What Jewel created is almost more a confession than an autobiography. She tells of what it was like to grow up in rural poverty in Alaska, the only girl in a family of boys, and describes the hardships she faced in that life. A gifted performer and musically talented from a young age onward, Jewel and her family would perform concerts at bars and on stages through her home state. She tells of this part of her life, and moves forward into an adolescence spent homeless and living in a car. She talks about relationships and friendships, loss and the influences behind many of of her most personal songs, including the real life story behind her sad ballad Adrian. This is not only a book for fans of Jewel, it also works for anyone interested in reading a frank, unpretentious life story.



3. My best friend Jacque, used to say, "Sleep beneath the stars and you will wake with more answers than you have questions to." ~Jewel
   
   From the first page, you enter Jewel's magical world of snow and ice in Alaska. Jewel is on a private jet, writing about her life.
   
   Jewel's "Chasing Down the Dawn" is an intimate, timeless and enchanting mosaic. Jewel creates a world where the main elements of life and the magical experiences are woven into her daily existence. Her experiences are processed through her self-analysis and then woven into words.
   
   While not organized in a chronological order, memories dance playfully with stark reality, unique vignettes give insight into the inexorable connection between Jewel's music and the way she views life. She becomes the guitar, her music is her gift, she is grounded in purpose, yet living in the stars with dreams she eventually manifests into reality.
   
   The story of her life is temporarily tragic and eternally beautiful. We read about the tragic loss of her mother as a child (the divorce), how she struggled to live in a world of men (no privacy), her childhood in Alaska and the sharp contrast between frontier life and traveling on a private jet. It is as if Jewel has lived two lives, one in the distant past and one in the dreamy future. Her vivid recollections are especially beautiful to read and there is a sacred side to her writing. She is not just experiencing her dream, she is creating each moment through conscious decisions.
   
   Jewel is a multitalented artist. She excels as a musician, poet and skilled writer and then her artistic nature also comes out in her photography. I loved the three pictures of the grain barn with the horse and rider shadows. She also shows us her honest comedic side in stories of how she "borrowed" a few items from a friend. She then concludes that stealing was a "manifestation of my lack of faith in myself."
   
   Chasing Down the Dawn gives insight into Jewel's songs and what inspired her to write "Who Will Save Your Soul?" Her songs then reveal their history in her childhood memories, ideas about love, love of horses and nature, memories of people she has loved and lost and her world travels and life experience. Throughout this book Jewel and her father are on a journey to accept each other as souls and when her father sings her a sweet sixteen lullaby the circle is complete.
   
   To me, Jewel is a magical angelic singer who was sent to our earth to remind us of the magnificent creations we are, to remind us to love and to contemplate our deeper existence. The existence of our souls, how we can change the world for the better through our lives and how we can survive this earthly and temporary solitude within a physical body subject to emotional pain and ethical conflicts.
   
   Reading Jewel's short stories, vivid recollections and songs make the world seem a little less lonely. Her writing draws us into her magical world of experience and leaves us wanting to read more.
   
   If you love Jewel's poetic writing style, then I think you will love her poems.
   
   ~The Rebecca Review
   Listening to Pieces of You and Spirit



4. This books is a compilation of experiences and stories from Jewel's childhood up through adulthood, as well as experiences from the road. I find her childhood and upbringing in Alaska fascinating so I had a hard time putting the book down. She shares with the reader bits about her relationship with her family and friends, the glamour and gloom of being on tour, and how she became the artist she is today. As you'll read from the book you'll see her talent was in her genes. There are wonderful photographs from her childhood up through adulthood and her writing seems to come right from her heart. I really enjoyed the book and insight into her life and recommend the book to fans who enjoy Jewel's music.



5. This is a sort of autobiographical journal by Jewel. She talks about growing up in Alaska, her early beginnigs as a singer, songwriter and musician, and her life on the road on tour. Many personal anecdotes in here which Jewel fans will find interesting. You'll get a good sense of how Jewel thinks and feels about her rise to fame, and just about things in general, including past events and memories which she recounts from her life. And yes, she's very intuitive and thinks a lot. The book is illustrated throughtout with Jewel's simple and delightful little drawings. There are also lots of beautiful photos in this book.

   David Rehak
   author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"

5 comments about What I Talk about When I Talk about Running.

1. What I talk about when I talk about running - Haruki Murakami
   
   Theme:
   Making best use of ones talents in running as a metaphor for life and especially for running is the main theme of this book. Murakami started running at 33 after realizing that smoking an average of 60 cigarettes a day wasn't doing him any good. Twenty four marathons later and well over fifty years old, he is penning his thoughts on running and the part it plays in his life as an individual and as a writer.
   
   Essentials:
   * You have some talents in any sphere - running/writing. You can just do "as best as you can", by developing endurance and focus, without which one cannot "push his possibilities".
   * Long distance running is an excellent example wherein need for endurance, both during preparation and during the race, is visibly apparent. It is ditto with writing and in general, for most activities in life.
   * You should do whatever you want to do irrespective of the talent you have, but be aware that you are only pushing your possibilities.
   * You need to be honest about yourself, honest about what you would want to achieve and paddle on to achieve it.
   * It is not possible to please everyone, but the key element is to please a few. If you run a Jazz Bar or write a book, you do not expect every visitor or reader to like what you dish out, only a few would. The measure of your success in your professional life is how many of such "customers" you have and how much joy they derive from your enterprise. Though you'd never realize the extent of it.
   
   Some thoughts
   How about walking? Doesn't it achieve all the ingredients of "pushing the limits" and at the same time permit one to enjoy the places at a much leisurely pace, it is much more natural, remember, as natural as walking! It is therapeutic and maybe meditative as well. Agreed, it is not "glamorous" or competitive as running, but it has major plus of being something natural, safe and perfectly healthy activity while permitting one to reach places at a leisurely pace.
   
   P.S
   * Somerset Maugham: "A philosophy lies in each shave": Given enough time and contemplation on single act, the act become deep, acquires a meaning and life of its own. It makes up for a metaphor, maybe a microcosm of life itself.
   * We come back to the rebellion of the existential philosophers: it really doesn't matter what one does, except the cadence one does it with. That is the revolt and that is the perhaps the philosophy that Maugham refers to.
   * "18 till I die" (Bryan Adams): Means that you die at 18!



2. I enjoyed Murakami's previous fiction work. I never realized he was a runner. So to my surprise, when I saw this book I was excited. It's a great read and inspiring - for both runners and not-so physically active readers...



3. Like many people I love Murakami. I don't have 1 favorite. It can be Windup chronicles, Kafka on the shore, Dance dance dance or even Hard-boiled wonderland and the end of the world. Yet, if you do like Murakami like me and don't want to be disappointed. I strongly suggest you avoid this book. It's autobiographic and has nothing of that magic of his fictional books. The only reason to read this book is when you run like he runs. If you want to read about other people preparing for a marathon this book has some insights you want to know about. If you don't run long distances and just like literature in general and/or specifically Murakami avoid this book. Don't spoil your feelings/associations/recollections by reading this book. Preserve Murakami as you know him!



4. I did not know Murakami's work at all before I purchased this book. I saw it in the running section at a bookstore and decided to give it a read. As I was purchasing the book the sales staff got very excited- turns out they were all huge fans. One person had even done her M.A. Dissertation on Murakami!
   
   I was expecting some running inspiration. What was amazing is that I found an honest exploration into why someone does what they do, written in a way that was simple, moving, and eloquent. It had been so long that I cried when a book was over because it was so good, until I read this.
   
   If you are a fan of Murakami, then the details of his life will be interesting, and are outlined very nicely by other reviewers here. If you are like me and not familiar with his celebrity, then what you will find is a moving memoir that is humble, insightful, and through its simplicities, leaves you changed. Even if you cannot relate to his perspective, you come to understand him and feel a sense of empathy.
   
   If you are a runner, you will love this book, as Murakami speaks of his running rituals and motivations as metaphor for larger life lessons. If you are a writer, you will love this book, as Murakami illustrates some of the insights he has into himself as a writer and his writing process. If you just want a nice, easy read that is entertaining and touches the heart, you will love this book, because it does just that.



5. Murakami-san books tend to be surreal and the endings could leave you in suspense. Hence, this non-fiction gives you an insight to him as a person and what goes through his mind as he runs the original marathon in reverse, his attempts in ultra-marathons and triathlon. Very interesting reading and his coming to terms that he can no longer improve on his timing and injuries resonates with runners around the world.

5 comments about Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World.

1. Cod is an engaging history of the fish that changed the world. As an eye opening adventure, cod takes the reader from low impact commercial fishing of ancient Europe to the destructive power of modern fisheries. Mark Kurlansky shows his creativity and skill as he brings to focus the plight of cod. The author further illustrates the ability of super consumers to deplete a previously perceived inexhaustible cod population. In this biography is shown the effect cod fishing has had on individual lives, nations and the world. The book keeps the reader thirsting for more. The main weakness of this book would be the abrupt ending to the enchanting tale. Cod is for historians and scientists alike. Fishermen and those that enjoy sea food will appreciate this book. Cod is a book that should be read and reread by everyone as a reminder of mankind's dependence upon and responsibility to conserve earth's diminishing supply of natural resources.



2. Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World is a fascinating picture of the influence that cod have had on civilization and that civilization has had on cod. From the beginnings with Basque fishermen producing salt cod, through the Cod Wars between England and Iceland, and including the moratorium on cod fishing off of Canada this excellent novel gives a historically accurate look at the world market, politics, and conservation efforts. The fact that overfishing has destroyed what once seemed a limitless resource is an abrupt awakening to irresponsible human behaviors and their true effects on nature and on the future. Kurlansky expertly gives a historically, environmentally, biologically, economically, and politically correct, yet easy to read, account of the history of cod fishing. This is an excellent book for anyone interested in any of the aforementioned fields, particularly those with an interest in conservation. I highly recommend this book for the enjoyable and educational experience it provides.



3. Mark Kurlansky has created a truly enjoyable, historical narrative of a fish that has influenced many aspects of world history. Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World, is a book that any food connoisseur, history buff, fisherman, or someone simply interested in fish, will appreciate.
   
   The book's main strength is the integration of facets of history to support the idea of cod's impact on the world. Within are discussed the influences of cod on wars, discovery, settlement, technology, gastronomy, and the effects of the dwindling cod stock.
   
   The tragic story epitomized by cod is masterfully told by Kurlansky. Until recently, the mindset of society made it impossible to fathom that such a prolific organism could ever be depleted. The book exposes a poignant message about the increasing problem of overexploitation of resources, which I believe was the author's inspiration.
   
   The only weakness of Cod is that there is so much history included in this relatively small book that it is somewhat overwhelming. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and have recommended it to others. After digesting Cod, one realizes that the codfish not only influenced diets and economies, but helped steer the course of world history.



4. Kurlansky takes the reader on a voyage from the beginning of the cod fishing industry through its almost complete collapse due to overfishing. He explores the effect of the industry on colonization of the New World, the Revolutionary War, slavery and more. This book was written first to show the important place cod has in the history of the world and second to warn of what can happen to natural resources if they are limitlessly exploited. This book was well written and easy to read, it was almost like reading a novel. Kurlansky added interest by including six hundred years of cod recipes, putting one at the beginning of every chapter and a section at the end of the book. A main strength of the book was that it covered a significant amount of history in very few pages. The only weakness of the book was that there were no endnotes or footnotes which left me unable to easily find the origin or support of information presented. My overall evaluation of this book is that is was very informative while still being enjoyable to read. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in natural history, ecology, fish, or conservation.



5. An interesting perspective on not just the poor cod but of all of the great creatures in the sea on which humankind has feasted over the centuries.