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Some of my friends found this book really inspiring. I tend to look for things like detailed and balanced analysis of issues, in-depth descriptions of the work of political groups, and sophisticated understanding of the way in which voluntary organizations interact with elite politics and economic factors. This book is weak on all of those - but it DOES have a lot of inspirational rhetoric.

Paul Hawken has a wonderful gift of pattern recognition that enables him to draw from diverse sources and sew together a patchwork of information that is compelling in its message: We must work together if life on this planet as we know it today is going to survive the threats of devaluation of individual life, depleted resources, pollution and global heating. (Heating is my term. I feel that `warming' is an unacceptable euphemism!)What is most appealing to me after the excellent summary of facts and issues is Hawken's positive spin on the situation.

When asked at colleges if I am pessimistic or optimistic about the future, my answer is always the same: If you look at the science that describes what is happening on earth today and aren't pessimistic, you don't have the correct data. If you meet the people in this unnamed movement and aren't optimistic, you haven't got a heart. What I see are ordinary and some not-so-ordinary individuals willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in an attempt to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty to this world. (p. 4)

Healing the wounds of the earth and its people does not require saintliness or a political party, only gumption and persistence. It is not a liberal or conservative activity; it is a sacred act. (p. 5)

In total, the book is inadvertently optimistic, an odd thing in these bleak times. I didn't intend it; optimism discovered me. (p. 8)

Hawken points out that the roots of our problems lie in our concepts and attitudes about our world. For instance, production and acquisition of material goods has become the primary focus and goal of the modern world, to the point that they are more important than people. This has shaped our mentality in self-destructive ways. Mass production and distribution of products become more economical and profitable through uniformity. Living systems thrive best on diversity, which provides a gene pool that can adapt to external challenges. However, in the name of enhancing efficiency of food production, distribution and sales, our diversity has been sacrificed and the biological pool of genetic resources has been systematically whittled down to the cheapest and most marketable varieties of edibles. This mind-set is core to the struggles of our modern world between the interests of business and industry and the interests of people and the environment.

In the pursuit of industrial and economic growth that has assumed the proportions of an ideology, natural resources have been over-exploited to the point that they are depleted. Our fish, trees, land and waters have been wantonly exploited, with little if any thought to the needs of tomorrow, much less to those of future generations. Similarly with people:

Slaves, serfs, and the poor are the forests, soils, and oceans of society; each constitutes surplus value that has been exploited repeatedly by those in power, whether governments or multinational corporations. (p. 22)

Trade is not the salient issue; the critical question is, Who sets the rules and who enforces them? There can be no sustainability when institutions whose primary purpose is to create money are dictating the standards. (p. 135)

As a uniform trading system sweeps over the world, the monetary gains are called GDP, but the losses that are suffered, even in the industrialized West, much less in the Third World, are not tallied, as if one were recording sales at the cash register but ignoring thefts at the back of the warehouse. (p. 118)

The World Trade Organization (WTO) seeks to establish commerce as the basis for governing the world. It is set up without checks and balances, as a dictatorial institution that can override local populations' wishes and needs.

The purpose of the organization could not be simpler: the eliminations of constraints on the flow of trade, including how a product is made, by whom it is made, or what happens after it is made. By doing so, WTO removes individual countries; and regions; ability to set standards, to express values, or to determine what they do or do not support if those standards conflict with WTO rules. (p. 120)

In all WTO rulings one common denominator prevails, and the denominator is money. (p. 129)

The severity of the challenges has spawned both awareness and action groups. Hawken gives brief discursive summaries of several dozens of these, and many more as annotated references.

The exponential assault on resources and the production of waste, coupled with the extirpation of cultures and the exploitation of workers, is a disease as surely as hepatitis or cancer. It is sponsored by a political-economic system of which we are all a part, and any finger-pointing is inevitably directed back to ourselves. There may be no particular they there, but the system is still a disease, even if we created and contracted it. Because a lot of people know we are sick and want to treat the cause, not just the symptoms, the environmental movement can be seen as humanity's response to contagious policies killing the earth, while the social justice movement addresses economic and legislated pathogens that destroy families, bodies, cultures, and communities. (p. 145)

Action groups work at different levels to promote a saner, sustainable world:
· Watch organizations - monitor governmental institutions, corporations and geographically sensitive areas
· Keeper groups - advocate for the preservation of waters and all their users
· Networks - combine the information, knowledge and action focus of like-minded groups

For example:
· The US Green Building Council (USGBC) promotes awareness of, use, and distribution of building materials that do not deplete or harm the environment.
· "Slow Food (alimento lento) is the long overdue response to dead food, processed food, fast food, agribusiness..." (p. 155)
· Microloans help to bring hardworking people out of poverty. Kiva.org brokers loans on line.

Hawken points out that every one of us bears a responsibility to participate in addressing these problems. The two basic rules to guide us must be the Golden Rule and the Sacredness of All Life. We must aim for a `zero-waste society" or better, a restorative one.

We will either come together as one, globalized people, or we will disappear as a civilization. To come together we must know our place in a biological and cultural sense, and reclaim our role as engaged agents of our continued existence. (p. 165)

I cannot recommend this book highly enough - to anyone interested in contributing to healing our modern societal illnesses and insanities and saving our world.

This is a wonderfully documented guide about groups working for social justice and for bringing balance and restoring our planet's seriously damaged environment.

Among many issues, Paul Hawken tells us that fighting for those important objectives, ideology or partisan politics play a secondary role, because civilization survival is on the balance and people's direct involvement is vital.

Saving Earth and bringing social justice to all must have priority over short term goals, such as profit maximizing via externilizing costs to society.

The road for the largest social movement in history is long and full of powerful obstacles. That is why social and ecological education along with democratic participation are crucial. After all, real democracy is built from the bottom up and not the other way around, as the political establishment wants us to believe.

I heard about Paul Hawken few weeks ago and I decided to buy his book. I just feel that I learnt so much, the information is clear, the writing is great. Loved the image of the immune system as a comparison of the reaction of people who fight for Human Rights, Environment, Culture, Language, etc. I just want to read more now about these subjects. (sorry for the mistakes)

A few years ago, activist author Paul Hawken set out to create a database of every non-profit in the world categorized into a taxonomy, which is now on the web in a sort of Wikipedia community format at wiserearth (dot) org - This had never really been done before and he was surprised by the sheer number of organizations working independently to make the world a better place. He found a common thread that all were concerned about the environment and human justice. From this he concluded that there is a global "movement" (a word with many qualifiers) the likes of which have never been seen. He compares it to the "Industrial Revolution" - at the time everyone knew something different was happening, but no one had a name for it or even described it as a unique event, it was both everywhere and unrecognized. Likewise, according to Hawken, this global movement is from the ground up, with no core ideology or leadership, it's an historical mass movement that has snuck up on us and only now being recognized as a major shift.

I think Hawken's message is a powerful one and will appeal to the millions of people working in small groups in isolation against large and powerful forces. Hawken does in fact describe a new trend that has been observed by others: the recent rise, proliferation and influence of NGOs. Hawken contends top-down organizations led by ideologies are old school 20th century, the future is distributed small organic holistic, sort of like how Wikipedia is made, millions of individuals (small and large NGOs) contributing expertise on a local basis that has the net effect of global human and environmental justice.

I had some problems with the book, it is clearly a one-sided manifesto and much of it is historical anecdote of well known incidents (the Bolivian water wars, the India coke pesticide case, etc..) and presents a single side. These issues are extremely complex, it is rarely so easy to say there are good and bad guys, it is harmful IMO to present these controversial issues so one-sided and hold them up as poster children for reform. Why not look at the real undisputed success stories that everyone can get behind? He does in some cases such as Rachel Carson's fight against DDT. Overall I was touched by Hawken's passion,
vision and (ironically) his idealism.

This is just an excellent novel by a fine writer. In all honesty I'm sort of at a loss here so I'll just say that you should read this book. You'll thank all of us who have recommended it to you.

Oh, I heard Lee Smith interviewed and she's really worth hearing. She's funny, self-effacing and smart.

_Fair and Tender Ladies_ tells the secrets of the soul of Appalachia. Tracing the life of Ivy Rowe from youth to old age through her letters, the book is an Appalachian masterpiece. Ms. Smith was supposedly inspired to write this book after coming across a bundle of letters at a yard sale. She claims not to have read the letters (after all, they were private!), but she felt a story like this should be told.
Here, Lee Smith tells the story of Ivy Rowe, rural Appalachia, the impact big business coal mining, love, hope, and life. If you know nothing of Appalachia, let this be your introduction. If you live there, let it be your celebration. If you are alive, let this story draw you along, softly whispering the story of your own humanity to you--one letter at a time.

I'll admit that I haven't finished reading this novel yet, and I'm going to try to grit my teeth and get through it. However, I'm finding that Ivy is getting on my nerves, and I'm at about the middle of the book. At first, her childlike observations were appropriate because she was . . . well, a child. However, this gets to be ridiculous as she grows older. I mean, she's starting to seem like a simpleton. I know she doesn't have much education, but even with that in mind, she wouldn't be so child-like. Ater having gotten pregnant once out of wedlock, she starts an affair with another man. Where was her concern about getting pregnant again??? Also, what's starting to annoy me is that she keeps referring to herself as "ruined," but there is barely any outside societal manifestation of this. She is not shunned by anyone, and the man that she grew up with and eventually marries doesn't seem to think anything of marrying a woman who had a child out of wedlock and openly carried on an affair with some hot shot in town. I do not think it would be acceptable during that time for a young woman to openly carry on a sexual relationships like Ivy did. I'm not saying that women didn't have pre-marital sex, but I'm saying that it wasn't done so openly. I hate when authors put contemporary mindsets on people in historical novels.

Overall, this book is engaging at times, but I've started to dislike the protagonist more and more as I continue reading.

Update 6/28/08 - I finished reading this, and overall, I do think that its a worthwhile read. Also, I think the author is talented. I must say, though, that the novel was depressing. It is definitely one that will make you cry at the end, not because of any specific tragedy. It's sad because it so clearly shows us how swiftly life passes. This book is good, but in a way, I wish I hadn't read it because it is not uplifting (I guess you just have to be in the mood for this kind of novel).

I love Ivy Rowe; especially the child Ivy whose words and observations make me smile and sometimes laugh out loud.
While I know some readers find adjusting to the letter-style of this book a little difficult, I found it a compelling read from the first page. I wrote lots of letters as a child, so perhaps that is why this style seems so natural to me.
I was most impressed with Ivy's words and style of speaking - this is exactly what Ivy does; she speaks through her letters because they are written exactly the way an Ivy Rowe would speak. It was very interesting to see how there are subtle changes in Ivy's words, phrases and spelings as she gets older and reads more.
I cried when Ivy hears the bell for the last time: I rarely cry when reading and I read a lot.

How I hated for this book to end! I LOVE Lee Smith's writings. She is truly one of THE BEST authors of our time. If you have not read her, PLEASE DO. She NEVER EVER disappoints.

This wondeful book is written in the form of letters by one Miss Ivy Rowe. The letters span the lifetime of Ivy. She LOVES to write letters and writes to friends, family, acquaintances. Ivy chronicles her entire life from a young teenager to her death (SOB!! -- yes, SOB!!) in these letters.

Ivy lives and dies in the Appalachian Mountain area. She lives through World Wars, ups and downs, feast and famine, good times, bad times, pain, sorrow, joy, happiness. Her letters tell all and tell all very, very well. You meet her family and friends all through her letters to various people. She is outspoken, kind, tough, sweet, loving, caring. Ivy's life was never easy, yet she handles every hurdle with common sense and humor.

At first it was a little slow going reading this book as her letters are written in true form of someone who lived in the early 1900's with very, very little education. However, Ivy is one of the lucky people who can read and write and loves to do both.

Her spunk, wit, and just IVY will make this one of your favorite books of all time. I loved the format of the book, it is different than any other book I have ever read. I know this is one book that I will not soon forget. Ms. Lee Smith has the outstanding talent of making her characters so life-like and totally people you believe in. How sad I was when this wonderful tale ended. This book also contained much history of our country and I believe I learned a great deal -- in a fun and interesting way -- about our country's colorful history.

Do yourself a favor and read this book and then read all of the other treasures that Ms. Smith has waiting for you. You will not be sorry.

Thanks!

Pam

I Say a Prayer for Me was an excellent book. I had actually purchased it locally about 2 years ago and had not gotten around to reading it until we were deciding which book to read next in by Sisterhood Ministries group. I suggested this book, and everyone including myself, could not believe what a great book it was. To read about Stanice's life and her struggles with what God would have her to do, was true testimony of how Faith can turn your life around. After we finished the book, I ordered additional copies from Amazon and gave them to my sisters as gifts, and they also raved about how good this book was and have since purchased additional copies and given them to their friends. Great work, Stanice!!!!

The writer gives the impression that you can overcome herion addiction just by praying and becoming a member of the 700 club.

Whew, what can one say after reading this book!?! To read this woman's stories of what she experienced and to see her now; only God can create such a transformation in one's life. I laughed and I cried as I read through the chapters. Some reminded me of my own experiences. This is a MUST read! If you are in need of any type of healing, it will definitely take place in the pages of this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Her life is an inspiration. She taught me to consider God in all things no matter how small I may think it is. Her story of her California trip was great and really taught me to witness to anyone and everyone. This was my selection for my bookclub and I was the toast of the day. We all enjoyed this one.

Not only was this book written as a testimony to show how GOD navigates our lives to help us know that we are loved it also shows that with faith all things are possible. This book is not only for those with drug or alcohol addictions but it is for those of us who suffer addictions of all kinds, it is for those of us who don't believe in ourselves, for those who have experienced hurt and also dished hurt out towards others. The lord spoke to me personally thru his vessel Stanice. Thank you for allowing your loving and gentle kindness to flow from this wonderful women who has allowed you to use her. I am and will always be in loving awe of your unconditional love.

"Sophie." That one word carried layers of meaning... (A Minor Revolution, pg 13)

Any remaining "seeds of doubt" are now dispersed!

Behind each carefully chosen word of this well-crafted first chapter, the reader catches a tantalizing glimpse of the layers of meaning yet to be uncovered in A Minor Revolution. With her uncommon creativity and her remarkable command of the English language, Ms. Genther has provided us every reason to join her as we step back in time and discover a fascinating world of danger, intrigue, and even - dare we say - love.

After reading the first chapter I was so wrapped up in the main character Sophie I wanted to keep reading. With the book set in the fascinating time of the French Revolution and with a plethora of strong, independent characters, this book is a must read.

The lives of individuals can seem minor indeed, when viewed against the a big background such as the French Revolution. Yet, Ms. Genther clearly delineates the lives of her characters, while still showing the grand scale of history playing out at the same time. A Minor Revolution accomplishes a challenging task by keeping things moving smoothly while working on several levels at once. This excerpt moves along briskly by providing exciting action on both the personal and historic levels.

It has potential, but I agree with the statements of the "Lots of Description" review; however, I did pick up on the fact that Pierre's intentions were NOT to rape Nanette.
The story does a flashback to 3 months before to state that her father is choosing her suitor for her, but then in the present, suitors have come and gone with no reasoning as to why. You state what the character thinks her father wants in her potential mate, but ultimately, if they all had similar qualities, what led him to reject them?
As with the initial meeting of Geoffrey, I'm sensing some Jane Austen "Pride and Prejudice" with the behavior of the younger sister and potential suitor. Hopefully, you have a different twist on the storyline. Despite a slow start, I would be interested in reading how things pan out for Sophie and what she does with her new found power to impact the world.

A Minor Revolution will prove to be a masterpiece. The cadence of her words takes on a life of their own. She has a distinctive flair in her writing that is quite rare. To be sure, I think that this author is certainly one to watch. Very few writers make an impression on me in a few lines. Kirsten Genthner portrays excellence in writing and is a credit to the literary world. I can't wait to read the whole novel!

Friends in the Swiss government gave me this important review of American history and the foundational role that prayer has played in shaping and forming us as a people as well as the government of the United States of America.

James P. Moore Jr. has done an incredible job of writing this book and compiling resources from thousands of different sources on the history of prayer in America. Before writing this book, Mr. Moore looked for equivalent writings and the role and significance of prayer on American history and he could find none. So after seven years of writing this manuscript, he unearthed "a marvelous, hidden treasure chest." I agree and I would highly recommend this book as a treasured resource that I will continue to refer to in the coming years.

Mr. Moore puts prayer right at the center as he looks at history, faith, politics, literature, arts, entertainment, culture, music, sports, etc. in America. He says in his prologue on page xi, "Quite frankly, the story of American prayer is so powerful that it does not need to rely on anything but historic fact and reasonable interpretation. "

He recounts 16 periods of time in American history, primary themes and events during those times and within each, the key importance of prayer. He says it best himself in his introduction on page xxiii, " If American history can be likened to a great musical composition, prayer must be seen as an integral and powerful theme throughout the piece. At times it is softer; louder at others. It has its own rhythm, it own pulse. It is always there, fundamentally contributing to whatever melody may be playing." As Mr. Moore recounts in his introduction, G.K Chesterton's words on the vibrant spirituality and prayer life of the country, he wrote, " America is a nation with the soul of a church."

He meanders from before the early inhabitants up through the second term of George W. Bush. If you want to learn more about the past, present and the potential future of America, this book on the life of prayer is a good starting point.

Lovely book, but is the author quite certain of the attribution of the prayer poem that appears on page 312 of the book to one found in the pocket of a dead U.S. soldier in North Africa during WWII? This is actually an English translation of a rather famous Russian poem found in the pocket of a dead Russian infantryman during the Great Patriotic War (as WWII is known in Russia). The original Russian uses very powerful lyrical language that is lost in the English translation, where, for example, for purposes of achieving rhyme a colloquialism such as "calling a spade a spade" is used. Furthermore, one line in the poem is a dead giveaway that it is not American in origin. I doubt very much that an average young man in pre-WWII America had been told that God did not exist or that he had not been exposed in some way to the prayer culture that abounded in America at that time. The Communist Soviet Union, on the other hand, pursued one of the most aggressive religious persecusions known to man in the 1930s at the time when this young soldier author was growing up in an atheistic state. The reason for the poem's power lies in the fact that after years and years of indoctrination and lack of belief, the beauty of the night sky was enough for one individual to realize and recognize the connection with God he had been missing all his life. Framed in this light, the prayer poem achieves extraordinary pogniancy.

I must have been living in a cave all this time. I just stumbled upon this book and found it to be absolutely incredible. I then came to the website to see what others had to say and loved to read how much this single volume has maent to so many. Count me as one of them.



I found the author's writing style to be very inviting. I felt as though he were talking just to me rather than to some big general audience in some impersonal way. The material in this book is stunning. I loved the vignettes that were interspersed with the prayer life of America since the earliest times. Honestly, this book is just stunning.



I am an Asian-American, born and raised in Japan. I came to the United States originally to study and now am a successful businesswoman who finds herself shuttling between both countries. I found in this book the chance to understand Americans in a more intimate way. Thank you to Mr. Moore, the author, for this incredible gift to me and to so many others.


I just wish that my parents, who speak no English, could read this book. Through it they would learn why I have come to have an affection for the American people - a very different impression than the one in the world media these days.

I have been beside myself over the way our government has been behaving in the Middle East. Over dinner last night my friends echoed the same concerns and misgivings.


It was then that I told them about One Nation Under God. This is a book that I finished a few weeks ago and loved from the very start. It gave me a perspective that I really did not have about the incredible spirituality of our country since before its inception. It is masterfully written.

Coincidentally I picked up the July issue of St. Anthony's Messenger and found the same opinion, which I have attached. Thank you to James Moore for this extraordinary contribution to our country for years to come.




IF ASKED to describe the United States, would the first adjective to jump into your head be "prayerful"? After perusal of James P. Moore, Jr.'s book, it would seem that no other description is as accurate.

From the Native American inhabitants to the modern era of immigrants practicing myriad religions, we Americans have been a praying people. Moore is neither a historian nor a clergyman but a professor at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. He has produced an impressive study of the effects of prayer on virtually all facets of American life.

In 16 chapters, Moore thoroughly documents his text with excerpts from the writings of the individuals chronicled or those of firsthand witnesses, which necessitates 34 pages of Notes and a 15-page Index. Readers will find no legends here.

Early explorers were deeply religious and mandated how their crews would pray daily. Christopher Columbus was a member of the Secular Franciscan Order, as were his sponsors, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. In Jamestown, Virginia, in 1610 a law was passed that all residents should attend morning and evening prayer services, enumerating the punishments to be leveled for absence.

The Founding Fathers, Moore writes, used prayer as "a coalescing tool to bring together widely disparate colonies, communities, and churches." At the First Continental Convention, after the report of a British incursion in Boston, the delegates prayed "for America, for Congress, for the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and especially for the town of Boston." John Adams wrote in his diary that the prayer and emotions expressed were "as permanent, as affectionate, as sublime, as devout, as I have ever heard offered up to Heaven."

Every president has acknowledged the existence of a higher power in his inaugural address; admittedly with varying degrees of belief and, possibly, for ulterior motives. But all presidents, sooner or later, would call upon and acknowledge this power to aid in carrying the heavy burden of office.

John Carroll, the first Roman Catholic bishop in the United States, inaugurated prayers for the country's leaders to be recited after Mass on Sundays to allay suspicions that Catholics were loyal only to the pope. Carroll composed a special prayer on the occasion of President Washington's birthday in 1794. Carroll was foresighted enough to request permission of the Holy See to use English for all Mass prayers to help integrate Catholic immigrants.

Publishing in the United States began with The Bay Psalm Book; a hymnal was the first songbook. These overtly religious writings were followed by uniquely American poetry, prose, drama, art, dance and architecture executed by talented people using their expertise to praise the Almighty.

The Jazz Singer, the story of a Jewish cantor, was the first talking movie. The first American opera to be written and staged was George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, which has songs like "Oh Doctor Jesus" and "Oh Lawd, I'm on My Way."

The chapter entitled "The Dreamers: The Legacy of Slavery" alone is worth the price of the book. Dealing largely with Frederick Douglass, a slave who was able to buy his freedom and work for the release of other slaves, the narrative is spellbinding in detailing the role that prayer played individually and communally in the life of a slave.

Many unique spirituals were introduced to the country and the world in 1871 by the touring Jubilee Singers of Fisk University, and the response was overwhelming. Andrew Ward, music biographer, has said the spirituals "not only declared faith but carried news, raised protests, expressed grief, asked questions, made jokes, lubricated a slave's never-ending toil."

Many industrialists felt called upon to aid the religious cause: Andrew Carnegie purchasing 7,000 organs for churches and schools, the J.C. Penney Foundation providing funds for care of retired ministers and Church workers. Military leaders encouraged prayer and often led by personal example.

Most of us will have lived through the events recounted in the last five chapters, culminating in the second inauguration of George W. Bush, but there are still personal and often touching new insights here into the personalities behind the media reports. Yes, Moore exhibits some political favoritism, but seven years of research utilizing and reproducing primary resources on prayer from virtually every religious sect is a blockbuster publishing event. This historical compilation is as readable and accessible as a novel.

I just want to put my two cents in and let readers know what a joy this book was for me to read. Honestly, it is one of a handful of the best histories of America I have read, and I have read hundreds over my lifetime. The author interweaves spirituality and history in a very straightforward way. While endearing, it never becomes sappy or over the top in any way. I intend to see that firends and fmaily get copies as gifts. It's that good and relevant for a wide swath of people. Congratulations to the author and publisher.

Having traveled the Mediterranean, lived in Worcester County where the first human was cloned (and then promptly destroyed), contributed to the research of The Shroud, and strolled through Central Park, I was amazed that so gifted an author could integrate reflections of all of these life experiences into a few action trilled pages that go way beyond my own life experiences. I am excitedly awaiting the rest of the novel.

There's some good writing here but it is spoiled by a lack of depth in the characters and the plot. Maybe this should have been designated a "Thriller" as it is more genre than General Fiction or General Literature. Basic stuff: the author shouldn't assume that a cloned Jesus would be a problem, just because he's a Jesus doesn't make him a Christ. Or tell us why, even quickly, round things out. Very early on the story becomes only about greed and malevolence, without exploring the complex side of religious passion that can lead to doctrinaire institutions, and greed and malevolence. The doctor praying over the patient is too subtle to balance things, so we get another whack at religion without giving us understanding about why people practice religion. e.g. Da Vinci Code had the strange fellow who whipped himself to remind us of the foundational spiritual fervor. There's some good vignettes and interactions though.

The last time I felt this way, craving the rest of the story, was when Stephen King released The Green Mile in 6 sections, each one several months apart. Or when waiting for the next Harry Potter book to come out. Lankford's sequel to the page-turner The Jesus Thief appears to be just as captivating, entertaining, and expertly crafted as the original. Please don't tease us too much longer! I might have to go back and reread The Jesus Thief to get my fix of these lifelike characters and their amazing story, while waiting for the rest of the sequel!

It's not often that we are educated as we are entertained, but after reading this excerpt, I'm assured that's just what this author does, and with great style. I was swept into the story by skillful scene-setting of New York as the author begins to reveal characters one at a time and the plot begins to open up. A clone of Jesus? Not implausible in today's world. The idea is at once scary and exciting, and I can imagine that the same controversy surrounding The Da Vinci Code will exist for this author's work, created by religious entities who feel the subject matter is sacro sanct, while those of us who are willing to let our minds be stretched might very well believe there could be a true story behind this work of fiction. The excerpt whetted my appetite to read the complete novel.

I was excited to hear there was a sequel to The Jesus Thief. After reading the exerpt, I know I will not be disappointed. I have one suggestion for both of the books, MAKE A MOVIE.

Jackie and Me is a book about a kid named Joe Stashack. He has the power to touch baseball cards and go back in time to when that card was printed. Joe is supposed to write an essay on African-American Heroes. He loves baseball so much he does his report on Jackie Robinson. There is also a contest where the best essay wins a trip to Kentucky Kingdom. Joe really wants to win. Joe goes to his favorite baseball card shop but they don't have a Jackie Robinson 1947 card. Jackie will break the color barrier which is not an actual barrier but it is the law, yet in 1947 he hasn't broken it yet. So they don't have the card, but they do have a Jackie Robinson 1947 signature. Joe is able to travel back through time and he learns something from Jackie. You must stay cool and do not use violence. This is a great book. -Andromeda Grade 5

The book I am reading is Jackie and Me. It is written by Dan Gutman. I think this book deserves five stars because it has real events but at the same time its fiction. It's about a kid who travels back in time to meet Jackie Robinson. But the next thing he knows he gets stuck back in time. So the next thing he tricked ant a bat boy to give his Ken Griffin Jr. Card back the key to get back to his time. He also wrote Babe and Me Honus and Me.

Jackie andme is the best baseball book ive ever read but the thing i hate about it isthere is a kid namedant whosi very negative and hecalls african americans bad names thatwe cant speak of but i would recomend the book if you like baseball.

This book was very powerful in climaxs and the segregation.As I read this I was mad at the terms and the abuse the african american people had to stand up to and in doing so were at risk of being killed.But at the same time I enjoyed hearing about the early 1900's ball players so i rate this book a 4 star book.

I purchased the book as a gift for my children. They love the series and have all of them. I highly recommend the series. It engages the minds of the readers in a fictional, imaginative way for those avid baseball lovers.

There was a seeming dual purpose motivating the author to write this book. Remen is a medical doctor who basically tells the stories about how her professional experiences moved her closer to, rather than away from, emotional involvement with her clients particularly as it pertained to the connection between one's spirituality and recovery,amongst other things.
Remen also shares some very deep and moving stories that were shared with her by her clients once she became a therapist.
It's a wonderful read and will be helpful to anyone seeking spiritual enlightenment and motivation.

Beautiful sweet touching book that helped me get me through some tough times. Celebrates the human spirit.

I recently had the privilege of hearing the author speak. she is an amazing woman.

Rachel Naomi Remen believes in the healing power of stories. She trained as a pediatrician and expected to practice traditional medicine much as her father and other male members of her family had done before her, but something happened to change her carefully planned course.

In the introduction to Kitchen Table Wisdom, Remen tells how her male colleagues frequently knocked on her office door to ask for her help with a crying patient. They believed that she, as a woman, would know what to do. Though she knew no more than they, she felt flattered that they came to her and felt that this helped her be more a part of their exclusive "Old Boys Network." She began to spend more and more time listening to patients share their fears and feelings of living with a terminal disease.

Since the age of fifteen, Remen has suffered from Crohn's disease. As she listened to her patients, she began to feel less lonely and isolated. Probably, her guidance and uncanny understanding of her patients stemmed from her familiarity with physical and emotional pain.

Kitchen Table Wisdom is a compilation of eighty-eight poignant stories that Remen heard over many years, as well as stories of her own life. Her stories demonstrate her belief that a larger process is at work in all our lives and that human beings are "unfinished, a work in progress." She believes we come into the world whole but lose faith in our wholeness and become discouraged by feelings of not being pretty enough, smart enough, etc. " ... our wholeness exists in us now," she writes, "Trapped though it may be, it can be called upon for guidance, direction and most fundamentally, comfort."

No retelling of Remen's stories can do them justice. One of my favorites is "The Question"--a story told by a patient named Tim (now a cardiologist) of his experience at the age of fifteen with his father, who was in the last stages of Alzheimer¹s disease. At the time, his father had not spoken for ten years and was totally helpless. Tim and his brother were alone with their father when he suddenly slumped over and fell to the floor. The brother was calling 911 when both boys heard a voice commanding, "Don't call 911, son. Tell your mother that I love her. Tell her that I am all right." With those words, the man died. An autopsy later revealed that Tim's father's brain had been entirely destroyed by the disease. Tim never stops wondering who spoke those final words. He tells Dr. Remen, "Much of life can never be explained but only witnessed."

The author believes that talking about and sharing one¹s feelings revives memories that can lead to important new insights about one¹s life, bringing about a healing that formal treatment is unable to offer. She says that Shamans believe illness is a direct indication of soul loss. The soul, she explains, is that which is aware of the sacredness we carry and the sacredness that exists in the external world as well. Losing our appreciation for our sacredness, living with sadness, with feelings of unworthiness can manifest illness.

"Life is the ultimate teacher...," she writes. "It is through experience, and not scientific knowledge or expert academic training alone that we learn our deepest lessons." In her lectures and writings, Dr. Remen likes to tell of a sign on the wall of a room in Florida where the elderly come to play Bingo. It reads, "You Have to Be Present to Win." And so it is in life.

by Duffie Bart
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

I am presurgery and this book helps to calm me and encourage me to think positively.

For years I refused to read this book after a friend's recommendation thinking that it would be another "feel good" attempt . Boy was I wrong! This book is one of the most extraordinary pieces of writing I have ever encountered. I have read it over and over again many times (the stories are short enough that allow you to read at your own pace). It has actually become sort of a "guide to Life" for me. Furthermore, as story-telling itself goes, is simply masterful. Dr. Remen is a powerful communicator and her wisdom goes beyond "new age". It is a groundbreaking work about mystery, awe and Life with a capital "L".

It just gets better and better as it goes. The characters are very real and you can quickly get a feel for who they are. I had a very good sense of what life must have been like in a small town in the late 60's. Can wait to read more!

It has been a very enjoyable read thus far. I look forward to seeing more from Mr. Bischane in the future.

I was captivated from the very start. The writing style is rich in descriptiveness, yet not at all tedious. I feel intimate with the characters already, and am totally drawn-in to wanting to follow them on their journey. The magnetic attraction of nostalgia notwithstanding, i find the obvious groundwork being laid in the first pages to be quite compelling. A great read, and thought provoking at the same time -- right up my alley!

Nice, literary title. Derived, I believe, from a poem by Tennyson. Am I right, Mr. Bischane? And as an epigraph lover and published novelist, I like the Joyce quote as well (though there is no apostrophe in Finnegans Wake). All in all, a splendid effort: nerve, verve, edginess, and entertaining asides ('What's IT all about, Reverend?'). The characters force themselves noisily, ironically, and sarcastically into life. I haven't seen Proust here yet but Kerouac and Balzac and even a bit of Henderson the Rain King come to mind. Not a bad mix for anyone at any time. Myron makes it look easy but it ain't. Five stars.

There cannot possibly be a grimmer beginning than locking a bunch of thugs in a diner, unless it's burying your father in his own backyard, (which is probably illegal) . The stage is set, and I'm looking forward to following this extraordinary crew of kids as they move up and out. The language is vivid and the attention to detail remarkable. Clearly this book will take the reader around the world once or twice and in the company of richly drawn characeters who will have a great deal to say about their changing times.

Full disclosure - I worked for Backbeat Books when they published Robin Meloy Goldsby's wonderful memoir, Piano Girl, and am fortunate to have read Rhythm in its entirety. Re-reading this excerpt just now put me right back into Jane Bowman's world, where her seemingly perfect life is marred by a tragedy perhaps too great to bear. Rhythm is the pulse behind the prose, and the affirming yet mysterious life-force that brings people together when it seems they need each other most. I rooted for Jane the entire way, inspired by her resiliance, warmed by her friendships, distressed when her obstacles felt too real, and richly rewarded for persevering with her through it all. Drum roll please....this one's a winner. Brava!

Robin Goldsby has created characters in her novel that come alive as you read about them and envision them in your mind. This is a novel that both musicians and non-musicians will enjoy reading. Robin, a musician herself, shows her insights into life, passion for music and the characters she has brought to life on her pages. I couldn't stop reading until I finished and now I am waiting for publication so I can find out what happens. Bravo Robin! This deserves to be in the finals. I can't wait to see what Ms. Goldsby will write next.

Having absolutely no musical background, I was mesmerized by the reminiscences of a daughter for her mother and the memories evoked, especially the sound memories. How many of us remember sounds? The bittersweet descriptions were priceless without being maudlin and certainly draw the reader tightly, and immediately, into the story. The idea of having a kickass percussionist for a mother is excellent and unique and something I would enjoy reading in long form. Most of us more modern types of girls would give anything to have that background. The general writing is fluid and easily descriptive, the dialogue just right, and the images clear and sometimes haunting. I especially liked the idea of hiring a maid for the maid. The voice of this writer is amazingly good, especially for a first fiction attempt. This entry has my vote.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R21G6I168MF78D In this short video, I talk about my new novel, Rhythm (Official ABNA Entrant). I reveal some of the stories behind Rhythm and read a short excerpt. You can also find out more about my first book, Piano Girl: A Memoir, (Publisher's Weekly, Starred Review), and my solo piano CDs, Twilight, Somewhere In Time, and Songs from the Castle. Thanks for watching and listening!

I love when novels take me on an insider's tour of a new world, and "Rhythms" is one of those great reads that opens up the world of professional musicians in a way I've never seen before. It also reimagines the traditional musical "Bildungsroman" as a girl's story--something my teenage daughter and I can groove on. Go Piano Girl!