5 comments about Here If You Need Me: A True Story.

1. Ms. Braestrup's memoir about the sudden death of her husband, Drew, and her subsequent journey toward recovery thru spiritual altruism is uplifting. This is not a book about someone who becomes a religious zealot and follows a certain hardcore doctrine of my-way-or-the-highway to holy salvation. Many unanswerable questions dealing with death, life and the randomness of fate permeate Ms. Braestrup's book. An extremely honest introspection on life and her unique position in the Maine Warden Service. Her observations about calamities which occur in the state's forests are highly informative and sometimes unsettling. The halfwitted wilderness escapades carried out by some of the victims calls into question our bragging rights about being a highly evolved life form. This memoir is well written, non-sarcastic, illuminating, and an all-too-human journey of hope. A beautiful narrative that has quickly become one of my favorites.



2. By way of revealing and often-humorous anecdotes, Kate tells how her job as a Maine Game Warden Chaplain helps her adjust to widowhood.
   This was a very good and thought-provoking narrative. It seemed choppy at first, but all the pieces came together later on and really made sense.



3. I couldn't stop thinking about Kate Baestrup's powerful book for several days. How incredible for her to have such an intimate role in the experiences of families who may be -- or may not be -- struck by tragedy. I was on the edge of my seat several times hoping beyond hope that the child who was lost in the wilderness, or one of the other real life characters lost in the Maine wilderness and chronicled by Kate, would be found.
   But There If You Need Me is much more than an adventure book. It sheds light on spiritual truths about life and death with a caring yet totally real sensibility. Kate may be a minister, but she isn't afraid to talk about the saltier side of life, to record the off-color humor of her partners in the Maine Warden service, or admit to her all-too-human frailties. This is a book you'll remember for a long time, and want to come back to for further reading and reflection.



4. I stumbled on this book at the bookstore as I was looking for a good non-fiction book that was easy to read. Kate's story is about a wife and mother of four whose life is turned upside down when her policeman/husband dies suddenly in an auto accident. She finds an outlet for her own grief by following her husband's dream of becoming a chaplain. Her journey leads her to theology school and instead of being a police chaplain, she becomes a chaplain to the game wardens in Maine as they search for missing persons. Kate uses a few Bible stories in such a refreshing way. My favorite is the story of the ten lepers and what a real miracle is. You will be amazed at the answer! I thought the audio version was a different story when I ordered it but was not disappointed in getting the same story as the author, Kate Braestrup, reads it ... her voice was so soothing and expressive! I recommend both the book and the audio book.



5. Because the author's husband was killed in a car accident, Kate Braestrup decides to pursue her husband's dream of becoming a minister (not a great reason or calling). Kate Braestrup's stories about her work as a game warden chaplain in Maine are interesting. HOWEVER, Kate Braestrup's theology is extremely frustrating. As a Unitarian Universalist minister, she readily tells people who had lost loved ones that their loved ones are in heaven (she claims because this is what Unitarian Univeralists believe she can provide this assurance). Later in the book, she admits to not believing in heaven at all. She believes when people die, there is nothing more. She attended Bangor Seminary yet suggested erroneously that Christians believe Jesus was the reincarnated Elijah. With such weak theology, I found her role as a chaplain very disconcerting. I threw the book away after reading it because I did not feel it was worth passing along to others.

5 comments about Scar Tissue.

1. I have never been more intrigued by a story in my life. Anthony Kiedis continually strived to have fun in his life and never took life too seriously. He made a life derived from the use of drugs and had magnificant experiences. This book is awesome and wonderfully expresses Anthony's deepest, darkest thoughts and feelings. Must READ!



2. I was pretty shocked that between the alleged writer, ghost writer and a major publisher that somebody didn't catch a blatant mistake that really casts some doubt as to the effort and veracity of this manuscript. About midway thru the book Anthony starts to discuss his contract negotiations with Warner Brothers and company president "Mo Austin". I believe, unless he was kidnpped by aliens, that the head of Warner's at this time was actually a man named Mo Ostin, a relatively well known figure in the record business. This would be like writing a book about the real estate industry and referring to a "Danield Trummp" This makes me wonder if Anthony either didn't even read the manuscript or didn't know how to spell the name of a reasonably important business associate, namely the person responsible for paying him millions of dollars annually. And the ghost writer should be ashamed of himself. Obviously, the publishing company probably didn't care since this has a People Magazine quality to it that spent more time racking up naked photos of ex-girlfriends and endless gossip about intercourse and "babes".
   I expected a lot more from this book. On some level, I was entertained but ultimately this is a very disposable effort that is much like a fast food meal. Anthony's youth, his struggles with finding artistic success, his incredible self destructiveness and creative abilities are ultimately overwhelmed by the low rent, frat house behaviors that he knows are inappropriate but still seems all too willing to share. We never find out about what happened to his Dad in terms of how he left California, people like George Clinton who fade in and out without any follow up.
   
   As much as Anthony's drug use is discussed in detail, he frequently pussies out with justifications stemming from inadvertent dentist novacaine and wrongly prescribed pharmaceuticals. I would have been more sympathetic if he manned up and just admitted that on all of these relapses it wasn't a relationship or a wrong prescription, he just wanted to fall off the wagon.
   
   A word about the women. Living in LA, I get the sense that Anthony's outlook on women is totally defined by looks only. It was astonishing to me that a streetwise individual would have a woman he had broken up with come back to him and then after this leech starts trying to threaten him for palimony he falls madly back "in love". Only in LA. Another LA reference which I'm sure AK is already cringing over is his discussion of Kabballa which has already come and gone like alfalfa sprouts and oxygen bars as a passing and absurd fixation of LA's jaded. More revelatory moments (besides the aforementioned baffling inability to attend his "friend's" funeral) was when he went to give a Christmas present to Ione and the mother wouldn't even let him into the house. The mother must have been very pleased with the type of behavior her daughter, a veritable child was having to endure. It takes a lot of bad behavior to generate that kind of hostility.
   Also, the story where he is so loaded that he forgets that he made a deal to sell his house and a realtor does that and he isn't even informed. Hello, doesn't a seller have to sign reams of paper during that process. that one was a bit hard to swallow especially because a buddy's family was literally living there. this all happened in a week. Can you spell escrow period? That's gotta be at least 30 days.
   
   Anyway, I did find this book fascinating at least from the level of abuse and the hilarious kowtowing to celebrities that allowed anthony to literally walk the Earth as a veritable emotional, physical, ethical and professional zombie. Finally, this was written in 2004 with a supposed happy ending of sobriety but I don't think any reader would be at all surprised to find anthony hiding out in some future seedy motel, blazing away. I don't wish that on him or anyone else but it eems that if he can't even really explain this continual obsession to us readers he probably doesn't understand it himself. For a true biography of personal tragedy and the tortured artist those looking for a little more substance might like Richard Ellman's "Oscar Wilde", but, careful you will have to concentrate and you won't be able to read it with MTV on in the background.



3. After listening to Stadium Arcadium and being blown away by the lyrics (e.g. Wet Sand) and stunning music (again, Wet Sand), I was very drawn to reading Scar Tissue. While not a die hard RHCP fan before the book (or before Stadium Arcadium), I am now. I dug up the old stuff and gave it a re-listen. It's amazing to listen to the songs after having read about them; the process AK describes on writing lyrics and the contributions and musical influence from the rest of the band past and present.
   
   A main theme and thread throughout the book is AK describing his serious struggle with substance abuse. He writes in a very clear and vivid voice, it is moving and revealing. I have profound respect for his recovery and the process he went through. To me, the book itself is written with a sense of service and purpose beyond mere autobiography. A great read.



4. Scar Tissue is an excellent tale. More than anything the story is about a man who has done some hard yards and is witnessing without shame or pride his life story. The book is humbling in many ways. Scar Tissue is as fun to read as it tragic. His account of his day to day dealings as a rockstar leave you feeling like Anothony Kedis could very well be just one of your friends. He is down to earth. He is real, and he is very articulate. There is quite a bit of esoteric language, but you can handle it. Read it. 5 Stars



5. Anthony Kiedis. Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was interesting to read Anthony's autobiography and understand the meaning beyond some of the lyrics he has written so far. I do need to separate book from "facts" however.
   
   The book: 465 pages in tiny print describing a life of excesses in every sense became at times a tedious read, mainly because Anthony's life is self-described and delivered by what I define a rather flat narrative. A repetition of events -and most often, a vicious circle, literally- that failed to engage me in full in a few parts. That does not mean that I did not "appreciate" the content. If anything, his is an often brutal testimony of what a serious drug addiction can do to a human being (I felt that this book was more about his drug addiction than about his life or the RHCP).
   
   The "facts": oh, I would have a thing or two to say about his upbringing, I am itching to do it. But. Anthony comes out to be so non-judgemental, so not-critical, so loving towards his family, which he clearly loves to bits to this day, that I am discouraged to say anything more about it. And I respect him for not pointing any accusing finger, about back then or later on. He is not blaming anyone, or at least, that's the way I have perceived the core of this book. In his words, it was mostly all about "the shortcut", which brought him to jump fences instead of walking on a proper path, figuratively and literally. The drugs, his love stories, his songs, the band, the friends he has lost to drugs, the rehabs, and drugs again... An indefinable sense of hopelessness, sometimes peppered with sober, more productive moments, where the love towards life shines in full. I think that it is at this point that he chose to write the book, after a few years of sobriety. And I hope the process of retracing his past has added to the self-healing and helped to stay clean and sober, appreciating life to the full.
   
   Would Anthony have become what he is without experiencing what he went through? I do not know. We are what we do, or so they say. But as much as this book conveys the dispiritedness, desolation and utter despair connected to drug addiction, it is uplifting to see that it is POSSIBLE to get out of it. Tough, difficult, hard, but possible. An inspiration for those ones who are still struggling.
   
   I read somewhere that Anthony recently had a baby (last year). Not an epilogue to his story, but another, wonderful, beginning.

2 comments about We Bought a Zoo: The Amazing True Story of a Young Family, a Broken Down Zoo, and the 200 Wild Animals That Change Their Lives Forever.

1. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1JP7QHURGKT20 BENJAMIN MEE, former journalist, father, son and now Zoo Director recounts the poignant, funny, charming, scary transistion from being a guy with a regular family to a gentleman with an very, very extended family.
   
   Shot live at Book Expo America for MovingStories.TV, hosted by Lynn Rosen (Open Book), courtesy of Weinstein Books. MovingStories.TV is made available to the members of Canadian Booksellers Association in collaboration with the CBA.
   
   For More go to lynnrosen.com and movingstories.tv.
   
   (c) BookShorts Moving Stories 2008



2. For the contributor from Publishers Weekly to suggest that there were too many 'unexplained' Britishisms in this book is, I would have thought, a comment on the limited knowledge of the reviewer rather than on the author/publisher. Besides, such colloquialisms are a cinch to look up on line nowadays if you happen to come across the rare one you haven't seen/heard in the various media.

5 comments about A Few Seconds of Panic: A 5-Foot-8, 170-Pound, 43-Year-Old Sportswriter Plays in the NFL.

1. The book begins at a Denver Bronco mini-camp in May, 2006. Stefan Fatsis has been practicing with the team as a kicker and is trying to find his place on the team. Al Wilson, the middle linebacker, calls on Fatsis to dance in front of the team because, as he is later told, "you know you are a rookie" (38). This is his second foray into the world of participatory journalism - "Word Freak" is a hilarious and in-depth look at the world of competitive Scrabble (it was used as the basis for the documentary "Word Wars").
   
   Fatsis wanted to experience camp and the accompanying thoughts & emotions like a regular NFL player. Rejected previously by a number of NFL teams, he finally finds a willing partner in the Broncos, who prove to be an accessible and open organization. He has extensive conversations with Pat Bowlen (the owner), Ted Sundquist (the GM) and Mike Shanahan (the long-time, all-powerful head coach).
   
   Fatsis spends a lot of time with the kickers and punters, who describe their camp experience as "eat, play video games, go on the computer" (40). Jason Elam, co-holder of an NFL record 63-yd FG completion, is described as "the kid in high school who gets along equally well with the jocks, the brains, the geeks and the slackers, and influences their behavior." (113) Elam is a right-wing Christian who hunts in Africa, writes Armageddon-based novels and gives friendly advice (and roots for) Fatsis. Micah Knorr is a journeyman punter who is brought in after Todd Sauerbrun is suspended for 4 games because positive test for ephedra. Todd lives in "Toddworld," doesn't like football anymore, and he gives a cynical perspective about life in the NFL.
   
   Fatsis attends a rookie orientation with 14 other players. When asked the age that the average NFL career ends, Jay Cutler guesses 27. "Twenty-six," (72) is the correct answer. Life in the NFL is brutal, and except for Sundays, not at all glamorous. Fatsis compares Ben Hamilton's fingers to "cracks in a shattered windshield. Not a single digit remotely straight." (116). Players don't report little injuries, and more often than not, they don't seek treatment. Players live in fear of getting cut or replaced, and most of the 70+ players that report to camp each summer do not make much money.
   
   Ian Gold describes football as just "a money making machine" (203) and that "they're looking for your replacement the day you step foot in this door." (203) Chapter 12 describes the experiences of Kyle Johnson (back-up fullback), Gold (starting outside linebacker) and Adam Meadows (an offensive lineman who came out of retirement for another shot) at length. While grateful for the opportunity and the money, all of them have had some trying experiences.
   
   Shanahan thrusts Fatsis into the spotlight in the middle of practice one day: "He's going to kick. If he makes it, meetings will end at nine instead of nine thirty." (146) He misses the kick and collapses in disgrace on the field. A couple of players race to him and ask the coach for another kick. Fatsis misses again, costing the team a total of "45 hours of freedom" (149). His teammates alternately rip him (with some hilarious vulgarity on page 151) or ignore him. Because of the pressure and failure, Fatsis begins to get an idea of what life is like as an NFL player at training camp.
   
   Jake Plummer (starting QB), Preston Parsons (4th string QB), Nate Jackson (DB), PJ Alexander (back-up OL), Tony Scheffler (rookie TE) are all entertaining characters who open up to Fatsis throughout the book. All of them come off as extremely genuine and likeable.
   
   Fatsis leaves the team at the end of training camp, but he continues to follow the Broncos (and the players from camp that end up on other teams). In the Epilogue, he describes the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Cutler replaces Plummer; Darrent Williams is murdered on New Year's; Elam leaves for Atlanta, Sauerbrun is cut, resigned and then cut again; Plummer retires; Sundquist is fired. "This bit of where-are-they-now about my Broncos is, I realize, kind of depressing...," he writes (but it is fascinating). "Of the more than one hundred men who spent time with the Broncos while I was in Denver, just half are in training camp in 2007, less than a third on the roster in September" (330). Life in the NFL is fleeting indeed.



2. I must admit that I was somewhat skeptical picking up this book. I mean, hasn't the ultimate "insider" book on this topic (writer gets to taste what the NFL is like) already been written, albeit some 40+ years ago? That would be George Plimpton's "Paper Lion", of course, a book that is mentioned quite a few times in this book as well. Nevertheless, I couldn't resist the urge, and boy, am I glad that I picked this up.
   
   In "A Few Seconds of Panic: A 5-Foot-8, 170-Pound, 43 Year-Old Sportswriter Plays in the NFL" (340 pages), Wall Street Journal sportswriter (on the business issues of sports) Stefan Fatsis takes us on his journey of what it was like to attend mini-camp and then training camp and the pres-season of the 2006 Denver Broncos as a place kicker. After a tentative start, I quickly found myself turning the pages furiously, not being able to wait what would come next. The author describes what it's like to be an outsider, literally, not to mention an OLD outsider, trying to fit in with the regular Broncos players. His observations regarding the brutal realities of the NFL are quite astute, as are his comments of the Denver players (it reads like a soap opera, frankly), as well as the Denver coaching staff, including head coach Mike Shanahan. Fatsis brings the highs and lows of his adventure fabulously.
   
   Very helpful is the last chapter, in which the author brings us what happened to many of the characters in the book in the two years since he did his stint with the Broncos. This book is a classic, in my opinion, and I am quite surprised that the book didn't do better commercially. A must read for any fan of the NFL, no matter what team you are rooting for.



3. The first story this book tells is about the author's attempt to become a passable kicker. There is some success and some failure in this, and it is interesting (even if you don't care about kicking).
   
   The second story is about what it is like to be a player in the NFL. This story is dark and excellent. I think everyone knows how hard being an NFL player is physically. I think most people are aware of how hard it is mentally. This book shows how difficult it is psychologically.
   
   Fatsis doesn't become a real NFL player, but he gets a lot closer than most people will. He gets close enough that the real players are willing to tell him what it's like (and close enough to understand what they say). And that, for me, is close enough...



4. A Few Seconds of Panic is a fast-paced mix of all-American male fantasy, fear, guilty pleasure and gentle stab of "might have been" - while offering more laughs per page than any sports book in years.
   
   While the plot involves Fatsis improving his kicking to the point of non-embarrassment as part of the Denver Broncos, the deeper stories revolve around issues of belonging and achieving, of men proving themselves to themselves, and of the sacrifices we are willing to make to have done something extraordinary.
   
   While Fatsis endures initiation and a brutal training regimen, humiliating public failures and private doubts, the book isn't really about him. Rather, we see through his sharp and empathetic eyes the arc of young lives enriched and betrayed by a business that masquerades as a game.
   
   I'm reading the book AS Fatsis - imagining myself in his (size 6 1/2) shoes, taking a ribbing from my teammates, being ordered to sing my college fight song in the locker room, facing intense performance anxiety, and worst of all - getting into a jacuzzi filled with 47 degree water for 15 minutes.
   
   That's only fitting, since the central theme of the book is how we men measure ourselves, against other men, against great tasks, against pain, and against fate itself.
   
   What are my Few Seconds of Panic?
   
   My takeaway, several weeks after finishing the book, is a series of questions:
   
   What glorious, outrageous claim to greatness have I not dared to dream?
   
   What self-imposed rules have kept me on the sidelines?
   
   What fears of ridicule by the "in-crowd," in whatever setting, have limned my ambition?
   
   So thank you, Stefan, for bolding going into the breach and paving the way for this reader, at least, to look for my own Few Seconds of Panic.



5. Stefan Fatsis takes us inside the game of football and also takes us into his struggle to be accepted by these Sunday warriors, who battle pain, fear of failure and fear of what success may do to them.
   
   Fatsis reminds us that most football players aren't stars who are set financially for life. Instead, they play a game that is run like a business.

5 comments about The Tender Bar.

1. The author skillfully tells his story while carefully drawing the reader into his private life. The book is written with honesty and humor and without being overly emotional or dramatic. Although the author tells of his hardships and struggles,he does so in such a way that you see his life as colorful and rich rather than tragic. The story shows that love and nurturing can occur in non-conventional ways and from people you would not normally consider caretakers. This is a story of love and caring and the strength of the human spirit. I highly recommend this book.



2. I'm not much for memoirs, but I picked up The Tender Bar on the recommendation of the clerk at a local San Francisco bookstore, and I'm glad I did.
   
   The Tender Bar, by J.R. Moehringer, chronicles the early life of, well... J.R. Moehringer, who grew up in Long Island, New York, alongside his mother, grandparents, several cousins, aunts and his Uncle Charlie, a bartender at the local pub, Publicans. His father, a popular radio disc jockey, was absent much of Moehringer's life, and his absence is the central storyline of The Tender Bar.
   
   With no father figure in his life, Moehringer becomes attached to the bar, Publicans, as well as the many real-life characters that frequent the pub. Each chapter in the book is about one of those characters, and the memoir moves (though slow, at times) chronologically as Moehringer encounters and befriends more and more people.
   
   Though Moehringer details the years he and his mother spend living in Arizona, as well as his collegiate career at Yale, most of the book takes place in and out of the Long Island bar. Due to the fact that most of the events occur in the bar, most of the chapters involve the characters drinking themselves silly, leading to amusing events and/or interesting conversations on work, life, women, the New York Mets and a host of other topics.
   
   For the most part, it's an easy, fun, well-written read that will make you laugh throughout the book. There are some slow parts, and a lot of places in the book where the author is trying to be deep and serious, which can seem forced and unnecessary. But I liked The Tender Bar, and would recommend it as a good "vacation book," especially if you're on some tropical beach (as I was -- in Barbados -- while reading Moehringer's tale).



3. J.R. Moehringer's "The Tender Bar" chronicles the infatuation a young boy develops for a neighborhood bar, the men that frequent it, and the education it provided. And in doing so, he elicits laughter, compassion, and admiration. To wit, a few underline-worthy excerpts: "The two critical tests of a man's mettle, Sheryl believed, were women and liquor. How you reacted to each, how you managed each, went a long way to determining your manliness quotient" (p.130). And J.R.'s reflection on confidence, "I wondered if self-confidence could be acquired, or if, like fathers and flawless skin, it was just something you were born with" (p.163). Or the distinction between a leer and a look: "Women don't like being leered at, but they love being looked at with delight" (p.258). And, lastly, J.R.'s realization that "the secret of being a good man...was [to] follow the example of one very good woman" (p.346). In short, this is J.R.'s story and it is, if nothing else, a memorable and impressionable one.



4. Journalist J.R. Moehringer has written a rollicking coming-of-age memoir set on Long Island and centering around a small town version of the TV bar Cheers. The story opens with the author at about age six being raised by his mother and grandmother at his grandparents' house, his golden-voiced and leaden-souled father having disappeared into thin air. Before long he finds that his best childhood friends and father figures are a bunch of bartenders and drunks at the most popular bar in town, Dickens. Once he reaches drinking age, it's hard for J.R. not to become an alcoholic. One of the bartenders is his uncle and the bar's policy is that relatives drink free (but must pay for any drinks they give to others).
   
   Obviously, the young protagonist becomes a successful writer. How he reaches that stage provides two great stories--that of the struggling student and journalist, and that of the rollicking young alcoholic. That you are reading the book removes some of the suspense about the outcome, but Moehringer and a cast of Dickensian characters at both Dickens and his grandparents' house makes the journey very entertaining. If you like Frank McCourt's various memoirs, particularly Angela's Ashes, or if your childhood included alcoholic caretakers (parents or otherwise), you'll love "The Tender Bar".



5. I loved this book! It is always entertaining, at times heartbreakingly poignant, and very difficult to put down.
   
   This book beautifully marries form and content. The book is J.R. Moehringer's autobiographical memoir, spanning from his elementary school years into young adulthood. Much of the book revolves around the hours Moehringer spent in a neighborhood bar on Long Island, trading stories and having friendly but impassioned arguments with the other barroom regulars. As you read the book, you almost feel like you're in the bar listening to the conversation. Each chapter is really a barroom story in itself; you can almost hear Moehringer, lubricated by a few drinks, sharing yet another anecdote from his life history.
   
   Some of the stories Moehringer recounts seem too good to be true. Perhaps, like any good barroom raconteur, Moehringer embellishes a little for dramatic or comic effect. At first I wondered if the stories really were factual. By the end, I decided that I enjoyed the book even more for not being sure.
   
   I don't drink much, have rarely been in bars, and have spent little time on Long Island. Nonetheless, I had no trouble inhabiting Moehringer's world.
   
   I highly recommend this excellent memoir!

5 comments about The Deniers: The World Renowned Scientists Who Stood Up Against Global Warming Hysteria, Political Persecution, and Fraud**And those who are too to do so.

1. Laurence Solomon tells the sober side of the story of the global warming challenge confronting humanity. Solomon has brought together ten "eminent" scientists who put the case for truthful debate on the issue, debunking statistics that have created much distorted information...BGP



2. This book is excellent in shining the light of day onto the scam of claims that fossil fuel combustion is causing warming of the Earth. This scam was primarily perpetrated in this country by the Hollywood movie "An Inconvenient Truth", earning one of it's Producers, A. Gore, millions of dollars by his dealings in "carbon credits" through his brokerage firm. It reveals how if the US signs the Kyoto Treaty (setting worldwide allotments on carbon emissions) it could raise our taxes by 1000%. The many world reknown scientists (the "Deniers") interviewed for the book by its author, Lawrence Solomon, discuss their verified scientific data showing, among other things, that: carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion only accounts for less than 1% of Global Warming Greenhouse Gases . . . the oceans absorb and release most of the carbon dioxide of the atmosphere to maintain a ratio of 50 to 1 of carbon dioxide in the oceans to that in the atmosphere . . . the method used to determine the "movie" historical atmospheric carbon dioxide content was seriously flawed . . . historical records properly analyzed show rises in atmospheric carbon dioxide following rises in temperature . . . our present apparent warming cycle is quite natural and caused by an increased Sun energy output . . . and, warmer temperatures are much more beneficial to mankind than cooler temperatures, by decreasing mortality and increasing food production. These are only some of the conclusions presented in the book, which on the surface perhaps appears too complex and scientific for the non-technical reader, but through a clean narrative manner and a few simple, clear, tables and graphical presentations, it is quite a compelling book for most readers. For the technically oriented who are interested in exploring the facts and proofs of the books conclusions, Mr. Solomon presents an amazing 377 clarifying Endnotes, containing hundreds of sources for substansiating and explanatory data . . . as well as an Index of the Global Warming "Players".



3. L. Solomon's pleadings for a rational approach to global warming should really be a must for every citizen and, especially, for all teachers and their pupils. A well written, scientifically backed summary of the recent knowledge about climate change (if there is any...).



4. This book is written by a Canadian Environmental Activist who wanted to know why leading scientists kept denying man-made global warming so he interview a number of them for his column. In every case, they have good solid reasons why the IPCC ignores the lack of science that they address in the fields in which they are the very top experts in the world. For example, the "Hockey Stick" graph showing dramatic warming recently is based upon statistical formulas that do not stand up to analysis by a real statistics expert. They produce the same result 99% of the time with random data. Good, easy read and well documented.



5. There are such a lot of strong opinions about global warming. It is refreshing to get an alternate viewpoint - the author is an involved environmental advocate who is at the same time concerned about the science and objectivity. He does a good job of presenting credible dissenting views from the now popular storyline - where man being the main cause of global warming - is presented as a certainty, in spite of substantial evidence questioning this certainty. The scientists whose views are presented are leaders in their respective fields and acknowledged experts in various aspects of the global warming debate. Their basic appeal is for honesty and forthrightness in looking at the facts and the whole question of global warming, so that we can properly address the issues. No one benefits from either stridency or twisting scientific analysis to support a personal or political agenda - the very nature of the scientific effort is to seek to understand the processes, and to help assess what impacts may be. When analysis is twisted to present a skewed picture of what is taking place, it helps no one. Instead we should be attempting to assemble an accurate picture of what environmental forces are at work, and to determine both what the risks actually are, and what options we may have to address them. Much of current activism seems to be driven by the fear (of the not so distant future effects) of man-caused global warming. The feeling is that if we will only take immediate and strong action, we can prevent the worst from happening (sea levels rising, increasing disruptions of weather patterns, and continued poisoning of our natural resources). But what if the global warming that we are currently experiencing is just a natural phenomenon, and the linkage of CO2 accumulation with global warming is not true? If we knew that to be the case, how would that affect our current actions? The fact that our energy supplies are limited, and that we face an incredible growth of demand is a real challenge that we must address with vision and courage. The need to responsibly manage our global resources, including reducing pollution and creating a sustainable approach to all that we do is needed and commendable. It is really just in the area of the global warming debate where it is important for us to figure out whether we really have a problem, so that we can muster public opinion and resources behind a clear plan of action (if one is needed).
   The book is very readable and credible, and is well worth being read, no matter what side of the global warming debate you may be on. Highly recommended.
   
   The Deniers: The World Renowned Scientists Who Stood Up Against Global Warming Hysteria, Political Persecution, and Fraud**And those who are too to do so

2 comments about Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life.

1. With a number of hit movies under his belt, it's almost easy to forget that Steve Martin first earned fame doing stand-up comedy. In the late 1970's he was selling out large arenas, appearing regularly on Saturday Night Live and the Tonight Show, and spinning platinum comedy albums excerpted from his act. He made it look easy and was wildly successful until he walked away in the early 80's. In this book, he takes a look back at the path that led him toward all that fame. While he begins with childhood, he limits himself to events that were formative to his career. The narration is honest and concise. Whether he talks about failures in himself or others, he adopts a matter-of-fact tone that deftly avoids dips into self-pity or bitterness.
   
   As the book continues, we learn all of his major stepping stones from Disneyland to the Bird Cage theater at Knotts Berry Farm, and so on. Martin traveled a winding road to stand-up success and is brutally honest about how much he had to learn for so long early in his career. Yet, with each step, you can see the progress as he figures out how to create his own unique comedy voice and make it work.
   
   There are many things that could be said in favor of "Born Standing Up." From my perspective the most important are these two. First, I felt like I knew Steve Martin better when I finished reading than when I started. That may seem an obvious result of any biography but it can only be said if the author is genuinely candid. The second thing is that I both like and respect him more as a result. Not because he paints a perfect picture of himself, but because he is honest about his shortcomings and how he dealt with them. It was a true pleasure to spend this time in his company and I hope he writes a sequel someday covering the experiences of his movie career.



2. I never knew much about Steve Martin's life before besides the standup albums, the SNL, movies, etc... This book tells a lot about his life behind those scenes of comedy and if your a Steve Martin fan, it makes for a humorous yet touching read.

1 comments about Tales from the Dad Side: Misadventures in Fatherhood.

1. Okay, maybe "Father Knows Best" but let's face it, Dad doesn't always get it right. In this hilarious new book from TV broadcaster Steve Doocy, we're up close and personal when Dad swings and misses ---- just like most of us do during our dad years. Oops, Dad just whiffed one.
   
   Sounds like real life!
   
   No worries --- this is not a "blame the dad" book --- just a funny, often wise, well-written look at life in the Dad Zone. You'll laugh a lot and sometimes you'll be laughing at yourself: go ahead and admit it, you've lived this stuff, you just didn't put it on the record.
   
   Doocy's best book so far: buy it and enjoy!
   
   Dr. David Frisbie
   The Center for Marriage & Family Studies
   Author of: Raising Great Kids on Your Own: A Guide and Companion for Every Single Parent

5 comments about Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself.

1. Very smoothly,seamlessly written. Although there are many excerpts from his speeches,the author has also given us a profound,insightful book.
   Alda'a near death experience,and consequent revelations are a pleasure to read.
   In highlighting his rocky road to achieving good mental & emotional health,the author must have had the average man/woman in mind.He writes
   with passion and heart.



2. I just need to put this one on my list for a re read, as it really pumped me up and I am about ready for another dose. Very inspiring, reminds readers of what is really important in life.



3. Yes, sure, like everyone else over the age of 30 I, too, subliminally believe that Alan Alda really *is* Hawkeye Pierce. And I love watching him get down on the asphalt to sniff the exhaust from an electric car on Scientific American Frontiers. But, really? He's not much more than a competent writer, and at least in this book, he doesn't really have anything to say.
   
   Just in case you haven't picked it up from the other reviews, the bulk of this book is a lot of commencement speeches that Alda has given over the years, in which he tried to give crowds of 20-somethings the benefit of his insights into happiness and personal responsibility. These speeches may have been appropriate to the time and audience for which they were originally intended, but reproducing them in a book is pretty pretentious, particularly given that his advice isn't anything that we haven't already heard. Are platitudes about working hard, making time for our families, practicing some kind of social activism, and accepting happiness as it comes to us more valuable because they're uttered by Alan Alda?
   
   Here's a quick rule of thumb for those contemplating a memoir: if you don't have something truly unique to say, stick to telling interesting stories about your life. This would have been a much better book if Alda had just told the anecdotes he uses as padding between the speeches, although even those are often self-serving (we were actors! protesting! in the 70s! you should be more like we were!). Sadly, I find that I like Alan Alda a lot less after having read this book.



4. 
   Alda's down to earth brief sketch of his life and career was very enjoyable reading. After reading it I thought that Alda turned out to be a fascinating person in spite of being raised by a not with it mother and distant father. He gave some good ideas on how to live with his recalling of the graduation speaches he was asked to give along the way.



5. I reserve a one star review for books I just can't force myself to finish. And this book is one of those. This is a collection of commencement speaches Mr. Alda has given over his career as well as some stories that give background to them. If you love to sit through commencement speaches, this is the book for you. I have better things to do with my time. Sorry Alan.

5 comments about Just Do It: How One Couple Turned Off the TV and Turned On Their Sex Lives for 101 Days (No Excuses!).

1. I bought this book because I read it was more a light-hearted memoir, not a "how-to" for spicing up marriage. Douglas Brown and his wife, Annie, are a couple I could relate to-- dealing with life, work, children, while trying to manage "adult" time. They seemed to be a laid back, traditional couple, who really love their kids. I think I enjoyed learning about their family as much as I did the purpose for the memoir. Of course, it was fun reading about their trials in "sexploration." There were several "LOL" moments, particularly when struggling through sex during sickness and snot. Brown's knack for humorous writing made this a joy to read.



2. Cute book, but it had some flaws. Unlike "Julie and Julia" this read like it was straight from some blog. Near the end (ahem), the author inserted (sorry) emails from his wife that weren't all that relevant to the story and felt like a lazy way to fill space.
   
   The big problem I had was that the authors seemed to make use of hot and cold running childcare. Free care from his parents, who would fly in for weekends, then eventually a paid nanny. The kids never seemed to mind being left, never cried, showed very little resentment. We could take out a 2nd mortgage and do the same thing, but my kids would have thrown hissy fits every time. Of course, the Browns could write off the cost of each sitter and hotel because it was an expense related to the book. The rest of us have to make do.
   
   Interestingly, they were back to once or twice a week after the "marathon" ended.



3. This is a look into Doug and Annie's marriage and commitment to each other much more than a look into their bedroom.
   
   I recommend this to anyone looking to get the passion and intimacy .
   Other recommendation is: I Love You. Now What?: Falling in Love is a Mystery, Keeping It Isn't



4. This is not a well written book. Not really that much fun unless you like listening to other people whine about there lives. Yes, I get that the author doesn't like Denver and he grew up 'poor' (who didn't?). Anyone that has kids will not sypathize with the routine juggling act that we ALL do with marriage, kids, family, etc. This one's going in the trash - never to be read again.



5. Cute book, I agree with other reviewers that the writing is poor. Sometimes that was a distraction, but to be fair, it's not the great American novel. Nothing special, but something to fill time. I'm surprised people are complaining that it wasn't erotic enough. If you read the description, it's obviously not erotica nor really self-help- just a cute love story.