N Books

This book is an intelligent conversion story. The author, Etty Hillesum, begins writing at a time when her life was repugnant; and yet, she is obviously very intelligent and so reading what she wrote during that period is not a waste of time.

Towards the middle of the book, Etty begins to change, and by the end, she is an admirable person - not just because she is intelligent, but also because she is good. It seems that her will changed, which is the definition of conversion.

I would compare this book favorably with "Surprised by Joy", which is the autobiography of C.S. Lewis. "Surprised by Joy" is a great book for Christians. "Etty Hillesum" is a great book for anyone.


Shawn T. Miller

This book would be one of the five. Its not about the Holocaust, not really. It is about one of the most soulful women who we all could learn so much from about how to approach our days. I cherish this book with all my heart. It came to me in a very weird way however! My parents were viisting me in Seattle when I lived there and while browsing in Elliott Bay Books, my mom handed me this book and said, "When I die I want this book buried with me!" I know, thats kind of a weird sell but she bought me my own copy (along with a separate one for her future plans) and I read it in one evening. I couldn't put it down. While she lived just a short distance from Anne Frank and was writing her journals at the same time, they are equally moving but worlds apart. Etty was in her late twenties while she wrote and her outlook on life is simply among the most remarkable I have ever encountered. I don't think I need to be buried with it but that doesn't mean I don't recommend it extremely highly for both men and women. Its a privilege to be able to recommend it, to know that even while her life was so tragically cut short at Auschwitz, that her journals survived and that maybe just one person more will come to her journals as a result of this review. You know what? I'd like to be buried with this book too. Also include a cupcake.

Etty Hillessum's diaries and her letters from Westerbork serve as an outstanding testament to the human spirit and the ability to find the sacred in the most horrific of situations. Although she was not a saint in the sense that Teresa of Avila or Juan de la Cruz were saints, she could properly be considered a mystic and a good example of a modern who had 'enlightened' insights. I find her diaries at once humane and modern in the sense of a liberated 'bohemian' who explored her sexuality and her psyche. As her diaries progress, her inner life (and oneness with God) deepens as the horrors of the realities of being Jewish in Europe during the Second World War becomes more apparent. I highly recommend this book! It will change your life!

This is one of the most profound documents ever written. Etty Hillesum was truly a person who had reached transforming union and had the ability to be able to share her experience through journaling and letters. She was unwaivering in her desire to see the beauty and meaning of life in one of the most difficult situations ever experienced on this planet. There are no words to express how deeply this work has influenced my life, except to say that I go back to her writing over and over again. She is a bright light for anyone seeking spiritual growth.

In nearly all of our nation's middle and high schools the Diary of Anne Frank is required reading. This present volume ought to be a required follow-up reading for the older student.

This Owl Books publication includes excellent photographs and commentary to bring alive holistically the full presentation of this intelligent and searching young woman's life and vision, whose eight well-preserved copy books reveal to us her soul, supplemented by personal, surprisingly joyful and hopeful and positive do-not-lose-heart letters from a way station on the road to Auschwitz. Together this corpus of writing presents bright light in the deepest darkness and locus of despair. One cannot read these living words on the way to certain death without weeping, and reflecting, at the unreasonable cruelty and inexorable deadly fruit of any total war. One cannot read this without a cry for the end of all war.

Please read this book in a prayerful way. Consider the promising and peaceful lives which were lost, whose voice rings out truly here in this thick volume of her writings, and resolve to work for peace, that we may never study war, no more. Let us work for peace, and pray with the prophet that our swords may soon be beat into plowshares, that all may live in peace to their fullest promise.

This book brings to us the reality of the horror of hateful war, through Etty's human and hopeful and joyous and beautiful voice, ever encouraging those in the deepest despair until she herself is also placed on the road to Auschwitz, a road from which so very few ever returned.

Wow! I had no idea when I started this book it would be SO GOOD! FAB is Sex in the City meets Waiting To Exhale. It was really hard for me to put this book down!

Once you meet the four main characters you'll have a hard time choosing which one is your favorite. Bianca quit her job as fashion publicist to move to LA to be a TV publicist, Taylor is a high powered lawyer who hardly ever has time for herself, Roxanne is a struggling actress/sex addict and Carolyn has low self esteem, but she's in love with her job.

I laughed, cried and talked out loud as I read each chapter of the girls lives. This book is fiction, but I feel as though every woman can see herself in one of these characters. The authors of FAB did an amazing job writing this novel. It deserves more than just five stars. This book was a perfect and flawless pageturner!!!!!!

This book has moved to the rankings of one of my favorite books ever! It was so smart and witty...I couldn't put it down and I was so sad when it ended. These characters were fresh and fun, they were confident but still flawed, and they were so relatable.
Not once was a character described by skin color or something else trivial, this book actually made fun of books like that! It was such a refreshing and smart read, I would recommend it to any reading diva!

I am always looking for something new to read. The story line has to move me. I loved he story line and characters. I could not put this book down. I think every woman can relate to each of these women. I loved it and will recommend it to others.

FAB is the story of four friends who are trying to balance their careers while looking for love. Bianca has moved from New York to Hollywood as a television publicist, but finds her paycheck doesn't cover her lavish lifestyle, and she discovers the men in Hollywood don't follow her rules. Carolyn is a successful advertising executive; however, her love life isn't going so smoothly, and she has self-esteem issues that have her always belittling herself. Taylor is a corporate attorney who works six to seven days a week and can't find a man worth spending her time with until she meets Meschach. Finally, there is Roxanne, a struggling actress who has hit a standstill in her career and must take a break or lose her mind.

The four friends are fiercely loyal to one another and offer each other advice when things seem to be a bit rocky. The ladies must make some hard decisions in their personal and professional lives in order to find their true happiness. Bianca must hit rock bottom before realizing it is not about the name brands you are rocking, it is about being yourself. Carolyn must learn to love herself to find her true love, which happens to be closer than she realizes. Taylor must face her fears of rejection and learn to balance work and life by taking a leap of faith. Roxanne must undertake a small sabbatical to find her muse and reinvigorate her career.

As successful as these ladies are, they still harbor the same issues of most women as they maneuver in the dating world, searching for the right man. However, they know they can depend on each other no matter what and will be friends until the end. The quests to balance work and find Mr. Right makes for some witty moments between the ladies. The characters are easily relatable to most hardworking and successful African-American women. Their pain, hurt and eventual understanding makes them believable. Although the story is not fresh, since it centers on female friends searching for love, the approach with four different authors was. The writing was skillfully crafted where each character had a strong voice. My only issue with the story was at times there was too much narrative and not enough dialogue, which tended to slow the pace down a bit. When the dialogue was there, it brought out laugh-out-loud moments and kept me turning the pages. The authors have presented an engaging friendship story where the women have their pains and their struggles, but in the end they still have each other.

Reviewed by Cashana Seals
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Honestly, the only thing that I didn't like was the title. To me, the title didn't really do the book justice.

It's a great, realistic story about four black women who want to live "the fabulous life," but do it by working hard and enjoying their time with their friends, as opposed to scheming or marrying rich. What a refreshing change! They all want the same things -- a successful career, good friends, unconditional love and support, and, to be happy in their own skin. Each character is struggling in a different way to find the right balance and perspective. They all have flaws, but wonderfully, they all know it, and they all try, in varying ways, to improve themselves and their lives.

Because the writing is so clever and interesting, all of this is clear without ever sounding trite, simplistic, or cheesy. The writing is clear and the plot never slows down. Even better, the plot isn't silly or outlandish. The writing is also VERY witty, and intelligent. (I know I said that already, but I really appreciate cleverness and wit.) It made me laugh out loud several times. I enjoyed all the characters and felt like I really got to know and understand them all. The characters are real and developed. I don't mean to sound so suprised, but even with books where I enjoy the plot, I am disappointed by the character development or the writing. FAB has it all. It's probably the best black "chick lit" that I have ever read.

If you are (or you know) an intelligent, fun, professional, independent black woman, read (or tell her to read) FAB.

Whether you're a gay parent or the child of gay parents (or neither!), you'll want to read this wonderful book. I found it compelling and engaging. It's comprehensive and thoughtful, addressing issues you're wondering about and questions you didn't even know you had. It's beautifully written, thorough, and comes from the heart. Get one for yourself and give one as a gift. You'll be glad you did.

I just finished reading your book, and it made me cry. (And I don't cry easily.) Your insights and perspective were profound, for me, and I'm sure for countless others who have read, and will read, your words.

I am a gay dad, and my son is currently three years old. It took my partner 15 years to convince me to adopt, and I did so reluctantly. I grew up in the 60s and 70s and was led to believe by all I heard and saw that my sexuality not only defined me, but limited me. I did not believe I was worthy, capable, allowed or justified to raise a child, or children, even after having mine placed in my arms the day he was born. I've come a long way as a parent in the past few years. But there remained lingering doubts about my ability to prepare my son for his unusual road ahead.

After reading your book, I'm relieved, hopeful, and mostly thankful to have such an eloquent reference tool. As a GLBT person, and now parent, I cannot satisfactorily tell you how meaningful your book is, or how fortunate I feel to have you as an advocate.

This really should be required reading for everyone in our society.

This book is a heartwarming panorama of the viewpoints and experiences of kids with gay parents. I am the adult daughter of gay fathers, and as I grew up I did not really have the luxury of knowing there were others like me. That I was a grown and married woman before I discovered this does not detract from the immense value of the lesson.

When I received this book, I read it from cover to cover in one day, relentlessly devouring the many pearls of wisdom and insight shared by those like me, these fabulously different queerspawn with that one silvery, similar skein woven throughout their lives. It was a wonder to hear these voices in their choir, flawlessly directed by Abigail Garner, finally allowed to sing and sing well of their lives without fear of reprisal, without shame. Too long had I lived without the knowledge contained within; each paragraph had me nearly shouting affirmations. It is far too easy to believe that you are alone, and the stories recorded here are a blessed reminder otherwise.

There is tremendous worth in the accessibility of these anecdotes, and they all reveal a vital part of the larger picture of our lives. It is often difficult to speak of these issues with friends or even family, but the freedom of these stories is infectious. I cannot begin to express how much that alone helped me in my own journey. These stories show most sweetly that we are normal, we are zany, we are troubled, we are compassionate, that we are the legacy of the parents who raised us, and we are much, much more than just the sum of these things.

For long and long, we have been invalidated, conveniently ignored or pushed aside for the sake of political and social agendas. This book purposes to change that. There is no agenda here, just the timeless, often hilarious, often tragic stories of the children of gay parents. Families Like Mine should be a staple in the literary diet of anyone whose life is even remotely tangential to queer culture. Moreover, I daresay that anyone who is involved in the great debate about children and LGBT parents should be required to read these pages and glean wisdom from the stories within, to see that we are really no different than any other children raised in a more traditional manner. But then, what could be more traditional than love and stability and a family that rallies with pride and care around its members?

I just came out Aug '06. The book taught me that kids have to "come out" about their parents (or may choose to hide it) and it's okay! Also, my multi-sexual eldest does not want to be categorized, and it's okay! Glad to have it on my shelf.

I'm a lesbian mom raising a son, so I was excited to find a book that claimed to be about families like ours. Unfortunately, I found the book quite a disappointment. The author does explain in the prologue that, since she was interviewing people in their 20s and 30s, most of them predate the "gayby" boom and are actually children of heterosexual marriages, with a parent later coming out as gay or lesbian. This would explain the big emphasis in her book on topics like how to come out to your kids, custody issues and contention between the gay parent and the straight one, break-ups in general, problems amongst extended family with new partners, etc. Most of it would be irrelevant to gay or lesbian people that come out before conceiving or adopting children, whether as couples or on their own.

Also, while the book was published in 2004, the author spent 8 years researching it, and most of the folks interviewed were in their 20s or 30s. So most of the experiences these grown children talk about it -- issues at school, with friends, with parents dying of AIDS, and society in general -- would have happened from the 1970s to the mid-1990s. Where I am, in Massachusetts in 2008, the landscape looks pretty different. Kids may still make nasty cracks at school, but the teachers are very unlikely to. Kids don't assume that if your mom is a lesbian, you might give them AIDS. When I introduce my partner at church, people don't think we're in business together. And while the whole chapter on parents dying of AIDS is probably invaluable to the grown children who had to deal with that, I don't know any gay or lesbian families with young children who struggle with that now.

It was mildly interesting from a general historical/sociological point-of-view. But I didn't find it at all helpful from a parenting point-of-view, and it's not a book I would want my 10-year-old son to read, since I think it paints a far gloomier picture of society than what he is likely to encounter. As far as the book's title goes, instead of "Children of Gay Parents Tell It Like It Is," maybe "Children of Formerly Straight Parents Tell It Like It Was," would be more accurate. Judging by the research the author has done, clearly there's a sizable demographic there. But neither my family nor my son is part of it.

I am deeply sad that the author Martin Booth is no longer with us. However, he left behind a treasure in this amazing memoir. This book is also published under the name "Gweilo." I hated coming to the end of this enchanting book and recommend it to everyone.

GOLDEN BOY, Memories of a Hong Kong Childhood
By Martin Booth
Picador Press |(St. Martins) 2004
ISBN 978-0-312-42626-2 (pbk)

What gave a seven-year-old British boy courage to explore the Hong Kong of 1952 in places where no foreign child belonged? Martin Booth felt safe among unusual friends during his adventures, because Chinese people believed rubbing his golden hair brought them luck.
Booth's superb prose pictures brothels, opium dens, Chinese drug-lord friends, forbidden temples and also the wild life and flora in both Kowloon and Hong Kong. Often lonely, Martin's independence was encouraged by correspondence and gifts from his grandfather in England. He never told his parents the extent of his explorations into forbidden and dangerous areas.
The boy also endured the hostilities between his bigoted, bureaucrat father, a man who never quite succeeded, and his out-going mother who was fascinated by Chinese culture.
The author calls himself a "curious, somewhat devious, adventurous and street-wise child whose heart never left Hong Kong" after his father's job sent them back to England four years later.
Anyone who likes biography, history, adventure, Chinese culture and beautifully written literature will enjoy this book.

Martin Booth had an amazing memory for the details of post-WWII Hong Kong and the times he had there as a seven to ten year-old boy. His civilian father gets transferred by the British to the far-flung colonial outpost. While his father is more of a spoilsport, his mother tries live life to the utmost--wherever that life may be--and she allows Martin the freedom to do the same. He takes her fully up on that offer, befriending hotel staff, local storekeepers and more and tasting practically every Chinese dish and joining in every local festival with eyes wide open. However, there are actually very few stories of his escapades with fellow children, mostly stories with the adults that surround him and the nature and culture of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong is ruthless with its built history, so a book like this is the only way to get to know the Hong Kong that existed only fifty years ago. It includes one of the few descriptions of a westerner in the `Kowloon walled city.' And from an eight year-old boy too!
I am grateful that Mr. Booth was able to finish this book before he died. I wish he had lived a few more years for selfish reasons--so that he could have finished a book on his second time around in Hong Kong. I am sure he had just as many adventures as a teen as he did as a young boy.
Richard Mason's `World of Suzie Wong' takes place at approximately the same time and is a great and recommended look at a decidedly different part of Hong Kong. So it was neat when Booth's world and Wong's world intersected (innocently) in a few of Golden Boy's pages. Mason actually spent very little time in Hong Kong prior to writing the fictional Suzie Wong, so Golden Boy is a more knowing portrait of Hong.

This book was recommended to me by a friend who said she was sad when it ended. Well, I am recommending it, and also sad when it ended. It is a delightful memoir of a blond 9 year old boy living in Hong Kong in the 1940ties. Blond means "luck" to the Chinese and everyone wanted to pat his head. He learned Chinese and was allowed into areas that no other "white" person could go.

I read this book because I love Hong Kong and its history. I was totally unprepared for Booth's parents and adored Joyce. How cannot you not like someone so lively, loving, accepting (except of Ken) and adventuresome?

While the family (Ken, Joyce and Martin) are exploring Algiers, Joyce buys some dates from a market stall, and Ken pitches a fit because they are probably unsanitary. He asks, 'How can you tell where they've been?' Joyce replies that they've been up a date tree. 'And they picked themselves I suppose?' 'No,' Joyce rplies, 'I expect they were plucked by a scrofulous urchin and thrown down to his tubercular aunt who wrapped them in her phlegm-stiffened handerchief.' I had a large mouthful of iced tea when I read that and spat the tea I didn't snort up my nose all over the page. I couldn't stop laughing. This was, I learned, pure Joyce.

'Golden Boy' is delightful, insightful and something more - a word or phrase that escapes these old brain cells. This is the first book by Booth I've read, and I'm eager to read more.

When I was young, my history-buff Mother had my siblings and I visiting every old fort she could find. I did not enjoy it. However, I found that reading Micaela Gilchrist's novel was a lot of fun and added a whole new perspective to the historic vacations of my youth. Her characters are entertaining and she shifts persectives -- from Army wife, to Army officer, to Native American -- with ease and wit. Well written, entertaining and a good journey through our past.

This novel gets off to a slow start. I think the prologue kept me reading. Initially, the author's characterization of Mary Bullitt is unconvincing. Happily, as the character ages, so does the writer's depth in portraying her. Stay with the novel through the first bit, and you'll enjoy the journey. Lots of action and opportunities for speculation about the General's romantic interests.

Excellent reading. I didn't want to put it down. This is also a
part of my husbands' family history so it was very interesting to read and also to update our family records. Will keep as a reference book.

I have never tried to read a book so slowly before. When I finished, I closed the book and was completely speechless. If you like historical fiction, this will soon be one of your favorites. The author paints a picture without overdoing it with flowery language. I had to turn around and buy a copy as soon as I finished.

This is perhaps one of the most intense historical fiction novels I have read in a long time. It is so well-written, that I keep glancing through my Native American Indian history books to gather more information about Black Hawke and General Henry Atkinson. This novel really has renewed my interest in Native American history.

Mary Bullitt agrees to marry General Henry Atkinson after knowing him one day. She moves from Louisville, Kentucky, to St. Lois ~~ at that time, a frontier-town in what was known as the West. This novel is based on Mary's journals. It is also a novel rich in details of life in the early 1800s to the mid-1800s. It also explores the question of Indian rights that were being violated at the time and other people's misconception of the Indian Wars.

Mary and her General kept me riveted through the pages and transported me back to the early beginnings of this country. It reminds me of man's greed ~~ to conquer all he sees and how others fight it. It brought me to the realization that life was tenous during those times ~~ as well as being more intense as well. The scenery descriptions and actual lifestyle habits of the times are so well-researched, that I actually felt like I was there as an observer.

This is a beautifully-written novel ~~ one to keep in your personal library. If you know of someone who is tenative about reading historical novels, start with this one. It is a guarantee to bring history alive in the reader's mind.

1-27-04

I haven't read this book in over 20 years. The other reviews written here say a lot for the way this book finds its way into your life. For me, my kung fu teacher gave it to me to read. One memorable line that has stuck with me permanently was when Justin asked his Buddhist teacher if he knew any magic. The teacher told him to look around, all that he saw was magic.

If I need its lesson again, I'm sure the book will turn up.

Yes. this is my second copy of Grandmaster..... this book hits a satisfying spot inside me. It's intense, a great combination of spy thriller and eastern mysticism. I can read it every 2 years or so, and love it every time. Too bad the new edition has such a cheesy cover compared to the original paperback issuance. It looks like a chess manual, which it certainly is not, although chess plays a serious part between the two main characters as they meet again and again throughout life. Get it!

They were born on the same day on different continents as Justin Gilead is an American and Alexander Zharkov is a Russian. They first meet at ten years of age over a chess game. However, that night Justin watches assassins kill his father in a seedy Paris bar. He is rescued from the same fate by monks from the highest mountains in Asia who were looking for him as they believe he is the latest reincarnation of Brahma. For the next decade and a half he lives and studies Buddhism under their tutelage.

However Russian troops attack and burn down the remote monastery. Justin survives but is filled with rage and a need for vengeance against the Russians. He obtains work for the CIA enabling him to focus on his target Zarkhov, the chief of the Russian top secret espionage elite unit Nichevo. The life and death chess game between two masters will leave one as the GRANDMASTER and the other dead.

Readers will quickly understand why this novel won an Edgar Allan Poe Award in 1985 though the Iron Curtain has since fallen, turning what was contemporary back then into historical especially the insight into the life and death of grandmaster chess as played by the Russian Bears. Justin moves the action-packed plot forward as his Buddhist trained skills enable him to accomplish seemingly impossible achievements; on the other hand Zarkhov is a vestige of the Soviet Union adding to the sense that this is a historical thriller. Fans will marvel at how newlyweds (at that time) Warren Murphy and Molly Cochran gifted their readers with a novel that remains tense and exciting though the perspective has changed.

Harriet Klausner

What is it about this book? It seems we read it and then lose it. Rather like Gilead and his medallion. I read it about ten years ago in a local community college library. When I finally had money to spend to buy my own copy I couldn't find it. I was about ready to decide that I had imagined the book. Then I found it in a local used bookstore. And found out there is a sequel! I snapped them up immediately (even though I don't really have the money to spend at the moment but I couldn't risk not being able to find the book like before.) Thank you, Molly and Warren.

I found this book for the first time in a box of family give away books. I read it and loved it. That was several years ago, and now I re-read it every time I run out of books to read. Warren and Cochran do a great job of relaying the eternal struggle of good and evil alongside the modern storyline of international spy-games. I didn't want to stop reading this book when I reached the last page. I was happy to find that Warren and Cochran wrote High Priest to follow where Grandmaster left off. Both of these books are quick reads that often times go too quick.

This very useful guide is full of strategies to help you get the most out of your staff. The gardening analogy does wear a bit thin by the end of the book, but its points are valid, and it lays out a solid road map for hiring and developing employees. Author Erika Andersen provides case studies and other hands-on tools that give you the chance to apply what you learn along the way. In addition to telling you how to grow great employees, she offers information on how to decide that someone isn't going to fit and how to let them go properly. getAbstract recommends this excellent guide, which carefully explains how to become a master at hiring and keeping good employees, a very important facet of growing your business.

In the introduction, Erika Andersen lays out her underlying premise as follows: "Managing well requires skills--just like cooking or playing the piano or, yes gardening--and I hope to teach you some of those skills." She succeeds. Here's an outline of the book, chapter by chapter.

Preparing the soil. This chapter concentrates on what Andersen calls "the foundation of management success:" listening.

Plan before you plant. This is about how to set expectations. There's very good material here on core competencies and key capabilities. One very important skill that Andersen covers is learning to describe a job clearly. This is vital if you want to find the right people to do the job and if you want to establish clear expectations for them.

Picking your plants. This chapter will be hard for many managers in larger companies to implement. It covers using the interview process to make sure you're hiring the people most likely to succeed on the job. The material is good, and picks up on those listening skills mentioned in the first chapter. The sad reality, though, is that HR has co-opted the hiring process in many companies and the managers have very little say

Not too deep and not to shallow is about how to bring people on board. You will search in vain through dozens of books about managing people without finding a word, let alone a chapter, on this critical task.

The gardener's mind is a great chapter about trusting your own skill and letting human nature help you grow great people. This is the core concept beneath the metaphor. Read this chapter when you doubt yourself. Read this chapter when you are tempted to "make" something happen.

A mixed bouquet. Guess what? Everyone who works for you will be different. This is the chapter that will help you figure out how to manage each of them.

Staking and weeding. This is the day-to-day stuff you have to do to keep the garden growing. It's not very exciting most of the time, but it's absolutely essential and the great supervisors I've known have practiced it as a core part of the job. There's good material on giving feedback of all kinds.

Letting it spread. The gardening metaphor starts to break down a little here, but it's OK. This chapter is about delegation, how to do it well, and how it can make things better for everyone.

Plants into gardeners. The metaphor morphs into science fiction. Imagine the plants in the garden rising up and seeking nutrients on their own, watering each other and thriving. Andersen shares her coaching model in this chapter.

How does your garden grow? The metaphor is back and working. Andersen re-states the core idea that successful gardeners trust their own skills and the power of (human) nature. She offers her "management decision tree" to help you work effectively with your team members. If you like complex decision trees, you'll love it. If you don't, skip it. There's enough good narrative and example here that the decision tree is not really necessary.

Some plants don't make it. I wish this chapter had come earlier in the book, but I'm glad it's here. Too many authors imply that if you do as they suggest everything will work wonderfully and profit and joy will reign. Every working manager knows that's impossible. Sometimes you have to help a team member move on to another job where they can thrive. There are tools here to help you.

The master gardener. When you become responsible for people and their performance you enter a field where you will never know everything. I tell new supervisors that it will take them a year and a half at least to become effective and at least ten years of work to master the art of supervision. Even then you won't know or be good at everything. In this final chapter, Andersen comes to terms with that by giving you tools to guide your own development.

If you are responsible for managing people and their performance this book will help you do your job more effectively. It is an absolute must-read for working managers and for senior executives who want to improve people management in their organizations.

Tending the garden is metaphor and departure point for this brilliantly clear, wise and pragmatic book. If you aspire to be an effective leader, if you strive to achieve the potentiality of those who work with you or for you - whether you are a human resources professional, a CEO or newly minted supervisor - Erika Andersen's insights, tools and exercises will deepen your skills, give you fresh insights, and reinvigorate you.

GROWING GREAT EMPLOYEES reminds me that one's humanity plays a big role in becoming an influential leader. The importance of being a good listener, a mentor, being bold, honest, responsible and accessible to those around you are welcomed reminders in this era of myopic functionality, quarterly returns, and corporate liability.

Beyond trend, GGE will be a `perennially' relevant resource for the business community.

Growing Great Employees is an exceptional resource guide to building and managing a powerful team. We send this book to all of our clients, candidates and new hires as it is full of inspiration, powerful tools, practical examples and insight. Erika's conversational writing style, realistic examples, and multi-faceted approach empowers each reader to enhance their leadership skills and manage with confidence.

Erika Andersen provides us with all the skills we need as managers to turn our associates from contributors to superstars!

In addition to being full of insights and inspirations, Growing Great Employees has space for you to write YOUR story, and to make this book your own.

Don't buy 1 copy of this book...BUY 2: 1 for you, and 1 to give away to your favorite manager or manager-to-be!

A book every woman needs, especially if your journey is personal power development. It's not just the interviews that empower and connect us it's the authors thoughts which make this SUCH A GREAT BOOK.

I have found this book to be GREAT!, just what I need to tell my students. Very good bits of info that almost everyone can use. If you are a fighter even better, you don't have to get into scrape to learn this. I will recomond this title for all of my teachers and students.
toma the old one 4th Level Aikido Teacher and USAF-WR teacher and Canemaster teacher.

If there was ever a book that says "you can do it" this is it. The women were real and Fawn seemed to be able to bring out what is real in their lives. Women are women the world over and she shows that success doesn't always come easy but it can come to any and all with determination. Amazing stories and amazing women, the most exciting thing to me was the women are like almost every woman I know. Hope she writes something again soon. This book gave me a lot to think about and compass for my own path.

When Oprah told how inspiring this book was, I ordered it immediately. Thanks, Oprah. This is the most uplifting, powerful book you've turned me on to.

The author's human touch makes you a part of the experience of learning from such great women leaders. I truly felt like I could do ANYTHING after I read Hard Won Wisdom, and that's a good thing because my company is on the verge of layoffs. Fawn Germer's book reminds you that smart women survive and prevail in the toughest moments. This book changed so much about how I view myself and the possibilities that exist for me. You'll see.

I was given this book as a gift and wasn't intentionally reading it as a Self Help book. I found that I couldn't put it down, pulled out my high-lighter as I was reading it and started highlighting and starring as I read. Fawn didn't simply interview and tell a story. She wove the lives of these exceptional ecletic women telling of their trials and tribulations, their perserverence, and the outcome of their lives because of the choices they made during adversity as well as good times. The reader could easily identify with each concurring that we are the ones that are responsible for
following our own dreams. The dream may not become a reality but we are stronger and have grown from our efforts. This is a
great gift for friends of all ages as well as a perfect
graduation gift.

The young Hal and his instructor in the art of living the good life , Falstaff cavort through the first half of Henry IV as if life were going to be one long , irresponsible entertainment. The dramatic transformation of all of this , and Hal's casting off of Falstaff, and moving to kingly responsibility will come in the Henry IV Part II.
What is present here throughout is the tremendous richness of Shakespeare's imagination in his creation of character, and inventiveness in language , in his ability to create so many different moods and feelings.
'Falstaff' is one of Shakespeare's most beloved characters, and one of the great figures in the Comedy of world literature.
Enjoy.

This is the play where the Percy rebellion begins and centers around the Achilles-like Hotspur. Eventually, Hotspur (Henry Percy) and Prince Hal (Henry Monmouth - later Henry V) battle in single combat.

We also get to see the contrast between these young men in temperament and character. King Henry wishes his son were more like Hotspur. Prince Hal realizes his own weaknesses and seems to try to assure himself (and us) that when the time comes he will change and all his youthful foolishness will be forgotten. Wouldn't that be a luxury we wish we could all have afforded when we were young?

Of course, Prince Hal's guide through the world of the cutpurse and highwayman is the Lord of Misrule, the incomparable Falstaff. His wit and gut are featured in full. When Prince Hal and Poins double-cross Falstaff & company, the follow on scenes are funny, but full of consequence even into the next play.

But, you certainly don't need me to tell you anything about Shakespeare. Like millions of other folks, I am in love with the writing. However, as all of us who read Shakespeare know, it isn't a simple issue. Most of us need help in understanding the text. There are many plays on words, many words no longer current in English and, besides, Shakespeare's vocabulary is richer than almost everyone else's who ever lived. There is also the issue of historical context, and the variations of text since the plays were never published in their author's lifetime.

For those of us who need that help and want to dig a bit deeper, the Arden editions of Shakespeare are just wonderful.

-Before the text of the play we get very readable and helpful essays discussing the sources and themes and other important issues about the play.

-In the text of the play we get as authoritative a text as exists with helpful notes about textual variations in other sources. We also get many many footnotes explaining unusual words or word plays or thematic points that would likely not be known by us reading in the 21st century.

-After the text we get excerpts from likely source materials used by Shakespeare and more background material to help us enrich our understanding and enjoyment of the play.

However, these extras are only available in the individual editions. If you buy the "Complete Plays" you get text and notes, but not the before and after material which add so much! Plus, the individual editions are easier to read from and handier to carry around.

I am actually reviewing both Parts One and Two with this since they should be read together.The reason why I enjoyed these plays so much is because we see Falstaff in both of them. He is my favourite Shakespearean character - big, bawdy, rough, a liar and a cheat, but again we know what he is right from the beginning, and Shakespeare keeps him so true to character. These plays are a bit different from some of the other histories. There are more comedic parts in them for one thing. The plays are certainly used as a medium for introducing young Hal (who will become King Henry V). We see him as a young man, and watch him grow and see the influences that his society and the people in it have on his development. He doesn't appear to be growing up well according to his father because he is so irresponsible. King Henry IV was not England's strongest ruler. He was haunted by his guilt over the death of his predecessor, King Richard II. In Part Two, comedy still plays a big role, and we still see Falstaff's influence on young Hal until the shocking moment of Falstaff's death. The best part about Part Two though is the deathbed scene between old King Henry IV and his son Prince Henry. The play leads us to "King Henry V". Prince Hal does finally grow up and he becomes a very strong leader. Actually King Henry Iv, Parts one and two should be read before King Henry V. It is the correct sequence and we see Prince Hal grow and mature.

Henry IV remains one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, even though the tragedies and comedies get far more attention and seeming appreciation than do the histories. As an English major, I examined Henry's (Hal's) character, and I focused on his development from a somewhat foolhardy young man into a self-assured, even manipulative prince. It is hard to say which of these Hal truly is, or if he is a little bit of both.

At the beginning of the play, Hal spends his free time cavorting around with his friend Falstaff (who provides all of the laughs in the play and is cited as one of the best comic characters in all literature). In the first act we already see hints in Hal's sololiquy that he may not be as carefree as we are led to believe, and that he might betray friends like Falstaff to be the prince that he is expected to be. Read on in "Henry V" to see just how much of a polished politician Hal becomes--his battle cries and his "once more unto the breech, dear friends" is masterful in its persuasiveness and ability to induce his countrymen to fight.

Hotspur serves as a nice counterpoint to Hal in "Henry IV." Hotspur is the hothead and Hal makes his decisions calmly and rationally. This almost inhuman rationality comes into play again in "Henry V" and makes you long for the seemingly carefree Hal.

All in all, "Henry IV" is a great read and quite an interesting character study--I highly recommend it!

In Part One of Shakespeare's "Henry IV," the titular king tries to defend his throne from a rebel army led by the hotheaded Hotspur, who has a long list of grievances about the king's treatment of his family, the Percys. Hotspur has allied himself with several principal figures including his uncle the Earl of Worcester, his brother-in-law Mortimer the Earl of March, Lord Douglas the Scot, and Owen Glendower, a Welsh chieftain with a vivid mystical imagination -- he is so egotistical that he insists an earthquake that occurred the day of his birth was a divine proclamation of his importance -- and a desire to usurp all of Wales from the king.

While he is preparing for war against the rebels, Henry IV laments that his own son Henry (Hal), the Prince of Wales, is a shameful libertine living the high life in London and consorting with a gang of scurrilous miscreants. Indeed, Prince Hal's idea of fun is robbing people, and his best friend and accomplice in this activity is Sir John Falstaff, who turns out to be not Hal's peer but a middle-aged man. In a character transformation of an abruptness that can only be described as magical, Hal becomes a serious young man determined loyally to defend his father's kingship from Hotspur's assault after he receives an earnest lecture from his father about the dangers of acting irresponsibly as a public figure.

Not enough can be said about Falstaff, who is undoubtedly one of the most richly realized characters in literature. He is fat, lazy, cowardly, yet boastful, but not in the same way Owen Glendower is -- Owen really believes what he says; Falstaff is just trying to make himself look better than he actually is, but fools nobody because he prevaricates and embellishes without bothering to remember his previous lies for the sake of consistency. You probably know somebody like this in real life -- especially if you're ten years old. Falstaff's piquancy, in fact, so outweighs the stature of the other characters that his absence is sorely felt in the scenes in which he does not appear.

Most of all, Part One of "Henry IV" is a play of contrasts personified by Prince Hal and Hotspur, who incidentally is also named Henry. In their confrontation on the battlefield, it seems unlikely that Hal, who wasted many of his best days living as a rake, could conquer a seasoned warrior like Hotspur in a swordfight. But there wouldn't be much of a tale to tell if not to show Hal triumphing after his resolution to change his weak habits, and the play ends with the conviction that, despite his past mistakes, he would make a noble king himself.

Hope's Edge is a Must Read for Everyone! The book puts it all together in an easy-to-understand, personal and honest fashion: the connection between consumerism, 'brainwashing', oppression, global economy, poverty, exploitation etc. etc. The concepts presented in this book are sophisticated and have depth. I liked the personal tone of the book, the story telling. The book is very honest, the stories told utterly inspiring. Frances and Anna never 'whitewash' the porlbmes the projects they are describing are facing. This truth-telling makes the stories even more impressive, more credible. The very existence of these projects defy the global systems as we know them. The way they do 'business' defies the global system of exploitation and competition. This book makes us take an honest look at ourselves, our values, the daily choices we make, what we consume, how we live. This is not just 'about food' or poverty or world hunger, this is truly food for thought and inspiration of how to create a better world."

I won't say much here, because the other reviewers have described the book well. All I will say is that this is one of the very best books I have ever read. Not only does Lappe have an incredible way with words, but she summarizes her profound insights in such a way that really organizes one's thoughts for genuine reflection. Add to that a well-documented and researched approach, as well as fascinating stories of different communities around the world which they themselves visited.

This is a very interesting book. It features in one part a detailed description of 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus and his Grameen Bank, who used microloans to help Bangladeshis, especially women, get out of poverty and earn for themselves. By issuing very small loans, the people of Bangladesh are able to build their businesses or working conditions and change their lives. I recommend this book.

Good copy. Excellent vegetarian recipes. Explains why we need to eat lower on the food chain. If we do, we can feed the world's hungry people.

Thirty years after the publication of the highly acclaimed "Diet For A Small Planet", Frances and her daughter Anna Lappe have come out with a potent sequel and a beautiful statement of hope for a more equitable world through the world-wide spread of organic and sustainable agriculture techniques and locally controlled "fair" market modalities now challenging the status quo of chemical fed, toxic pesticide/GMO laden crops, and the lopsided "free" market capitalist WTO agenda that has been reaping havoc on the environment and small farmers everywhere.

The Lappes traveled to 5 continents while researching this book and their travels are both fascinating and uplifting as they report on people all over the world demonstrating that going organic and controlling their own markets are reaping major benefits in healthy, abundant food production while cleaning up the environment.

The Lappes do not reject world trade or capitalism, rather, they demonstrate how unregulated "free" markets monopolized by huge international corporations have been inadvertently causing food scarcity, bankrupting and polluting people all over the world, yet with an injection of regulation in the form ethics, strict fair trade measures, etc., they believe capitalism can "evolve" to a more sustainable, equitable, and healthy method of food distribution- a similar optimistic view shared by Lovins and Hawken in their book, "Natural Capitalism".

The inefficiencies of nutrient and food distribution is brought home in quantifying the huge amount of crops, water, and land required to feed cattle. The amount of energy necessary to produce an ounce of meat could feed hundreds of people on a much healthier vegetarian diet, hence, the myth of food scarcity and the need to grow more food to feed the world.

Every chapter finishes with a recipe and there are many more at the end of the book along with several pages of resources and contact information on a host of organizations advocating social responsibility.