Non-fiction Books


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Non-fiction Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Non-fiction
Momo
Published in Paperback by Penguin (Non-Classics) (1986-02-04)
Author: Michael Ende
List price: $6.95
Used price: $9.49

Average review score:

Great and beautiful book for both adults and children
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-19
Momo lives in the ruins of the ancient amphitheater alone. She is in rags and an orphan. Though she could stay there by the residents' help at first, she becomes indispensable to them more and more. That is because they get a solution or confidence while the residents are telling Momo about their stories. However, Momo does not do anything to them. She just listens to them with the utmost attention and sympathy. One day, the gray men suddenly appear in the city. They are people who work for the company called TimeSaving and steal time from the residents. Many residents who were happy are being changed by the gray men little by little into busy people who do not have time to enjoy themselves. After Momo finds out the reason that people are getting busy, Momo starts an adventure with the tortoise and Professor Hora to rescue the residents from the gray men.

This book is for an adult who is pressed for time. This book includes many valuable lessons and suggests a right direction of life to people. I could learn from this book how important listening to other people is, and I also could think about time I have and spend every day. Momo helps people to listen to themselves by talking to her. Even though I have tried to listen to other people, I would find myself telling more about things I wanted to say. This book makes people realize once again about the importance of listening. Like this book says, people live busily to pursue their happiness, but they tend to lose their happiness because of that. Even if people make lots of money, they could lose their important things and get unhappy. This book tells us that we should take care of people who are around us more and try to feel the change of seasons and appreciate our life. How to spend time that we have evenly is up to us. We can make us be pursued by time. In addition, this book is very exciting. The adventure that Momo shows to take back time from the gray men led me into the exciting and fantastic world.

Una fantasía muy cierta
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-02
MOMO es un libro lleno de fantasía, pero que con cada una de sus palabras nos recuerda la cruda realidad que vivimos y en las miles de cosas en que nos escudamos para no apreciar la belleza a nuestro alrededor, el compartir con otros y el poder que tiene sólamente escuchar.
Esta historia la debemos compartir con otros, porque no puede quedarse encerrada en nuestro corazón.
Está escrita para ninos, adolescente, adultos y mayores, cada quien con su experiencia sabrá sacar el mejor provecho de las enseñanzas que nos deja esta pequeña niña, no tanto con sus palabras, como con sus acciones.
El lector definitivamente se siente transportado a un mundo que conoce y compate pero se niega a reconocer como verdades, porque nada es más duro que reconocer en si mismo los errores que cometen otros.
Momo debiera ser un libro de lectura obligatoria en la escuelas, pero por no serlo, estoy segura de que más personas realmente lo van a disfrutar en cada una de las etapas de su vida.

A timeless classic for children and adults
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-04-05
I am so pleased that Momo is available again after being out of print. It is one of my all-time favorites. Read it aloud to your kids or your class. There is so much wisdom in this book and it is a great way to start conversations with children about the true values in life.
While the story in itself might appeal to very young children (amazon recommends it for pre-school children) I think that its beautiful depth would be lost on them. I am positive that the book wasn't written with this age group in mind.

This fantasy with a wonderful moral starts slow but gathers speed until its exciting conclusion
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-13
(Young adult fiction) In Momo, Ende tells the story of a young girl (Momo) who wanders into a neighborhood and lives alone but is supported by the local residents. She repays them with her wonderful powers of listening which inspire arguers to resolve their fights, storytellers to tell wondrous stories, and children to play exciting games. Soon, though, a group of strange men begin to steal people's time, causing them to work constantly, feverishly, and mirthlessly. Momo must save the day.

My wife and I began reading this aloud and stopped because of the slow exposition. But as I continued on my own, the pace picked up, and I was treated to an adventure into the origins of time and back again.

The book has several strengths. Ende draws his characters with wonderful detail: Momo and her friends are drawn with painstaking detail (sometimes too much, maybe, but ultimately with benefit). The moral of the tale, that time enjoyed is not time wasted, is a valuable if simple reminder to all of us in our rushed world. A secondary theme, established early in the book, points to the powerful value of listening to others, another valuable reminder. (As an aside, my favorite book on that theme is Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie.) As Momo journeys to the origin of time, Ende employs evocative imagery to help us visualize a physical manifestation of time.

I look forward to recommending this title to my children and to other young readers.

For "I dont have time to ..." people
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-12
It is not because you do not really have enough time to ...
It is not because you do not have enough skills to manage your time to...

It is because you choose to happen it to be so.

See (in this book) how

Non-fiction
Hh-Night Bef Xmas ST
Published in Paperback by Random House Books for Young Readers (1987-09-12)
Author: Night Before Xmas-Hh1987
List price: $0.75
Used price: $0.16

Average review score:

Jan Brett Night Before Christmas
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-06
I LOVE Jan Brett's books! I buy them anytime I see them whether on sale, old ones on Amazon as remainders, or new.. They make great gifts. I have a backup of many to give to children, particularly my granddaughters. The illustrations in this one are so beautiful it is really a keepsake to save as well as enjoy. Give it as a gift and you will make some child very happy and a parent happy,too.

Beautiful, large book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-29
Beautiful illustrations reprinted from over 40 sources. All illustrations are credited on last page. Book measures 9"X11.5" Only down side was that the price changes by the day. One day it's almost $11 another it's $8.97. But that's just the way Amazon works; something to be aware of. (It's worked in my favor often while shopping at midnight--price suddenly went down!)

Classic
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-13
it's a classic, so of course you can't go wrong, but as far as the best one being out there... well, I'm sure there are much better illustrated ones out there than this one

It's Become a Tradition
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-29
I bought this for my grandchildren last Christmas. The wording is traditional, and the illustrations are wonderful! This has become a part of the Christmas Eve tradition at my daughter's house.

This Book is Beautiful...!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-11
These illustrations are the best ever for The Night Before Christmas...Stunning even! A worthy heirloom Christmas Book. The illustrations cover both sides of the page for a large panoramic view seldom seen in other books...

Non-fiction
Old Fashioned Girl
Published in Paperback by Yearling (1987-03-01)
Author: Louisa May Alcott
List price: $4.95
New price: $1.99
Used price: $0.01

Average review score:

Every Girl Should Read This Wonderful Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-09
Although I think it may be a bit advanced for my 9 yr. old, I'm still glad I purchased this book for my most recent book club choice. A gentle book that flows easily, and the characters change for the better in wonderful ways. The one thing that bugged me was Mrs. Shaw and her smelling salts. It almost seemed to me that Polly Milton was the better 'mother' to the Shaw family. All in all, this is truly a memorable classic.

An Old Fashioned (and really good) Story!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-22
This book started off a bit slow, but if you read more than a page or two at a time, I think you will like it. This story is about a girl from the country who goes to visit her cousins in New York. Polly's cousin, Fanny, and her friends find Polly "coutrified" and "old fashioned". Everyone falls in love with her because of her quiet manner along with the fact that she dresses and acts her age. Although their are multiple hardships along the way, you couldn't have wanted the book to end any other way. I recomend that you don't read the book until you are at least 11 or 12 because some of the wording is odd because it was writtedn so long ago. Happy Reading!

Alas for Flo
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-07
Alas. In my opinion, both "An Old-Fashioned Girl" and "Eight Cousins" audio versions would benefit by having a much younger narrator. Despite her long and illustrious career in audio, Flo Gibson is now too old to bring these novels to life. They are books about young girls, and they are obviously being read by a grandmother. Rather than illustrating the timeless quality of these fine books, an elderly reader makes the books simply sound old and out-of-date. What were the publishers thinking?---CaroJ11

A Good Read
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-05
An Old Fashioned Girl begins with a teenage girl, Polly who visits her cousins in the city. There, she realises that they are exactly the opposite of the old fashioned girl that she is, and this causes some distress on both sides. Being a modern woman, I expected that this book would be a wonderful read but the initial chapters where Polly was a teenager were hard to take in. Alcott created what she felt to be the "perfect" teenage model in Polly, but I found myself wishing that this "perfect teenage model" would loosen up a bit and do something for herself instead of serving everybody else, which was the "proper thing to do." Ironically, Alcott herself wrote in the book "excessive virtue doesn't last long ...except with little prigs in the goody storybooks." She should have taken herself more seriously because her main character came very close to becoming exactly that! Compared to other classics like Tom Sawyer, The Secret Garden and The Railway Children, the teenagers in the book were very unrealistic, I dare say even for that time. Alcott wrote too much of what she wanted children or teenagers to be, opposed what they actually were, which can get exasperating. However, that is less than half the book, which follows into young adulthood. In here the characters become more realistic, and Polly begins to be truly affected by her poverty and to long to be different. To avoid spoilers, it morphed from an exasperating read into a very good read. Overall, the valuable lessons in the book make it good addition to any collection, especially for children.

Simple Good Clean fun
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-10
Do you ever feel like you are tied up in our times? Worrying too much about cell phones, fashions, and the latest whatevers? This book can set you straight. It gives you a peace of mind and fills you with simple pleasures.

The stories main character, Polly, we meet at the age of 14. She has come to stay with rich friends for a while. THey do everything so differently from she. The family has two daughters. One that is two years older than Polly called Fan, who cares for fashion, balls, and beaus. The author daughter is six and she is fixed onoo having her own way about everything. THe young man in the family Tom is a trouble maker, who no matter how hard he tries can't seem to stay out of trouble very long.

Polly is a gentle, kind, loving, caring, selfless, practical, and sensible girl. SHe becomes a great service to this family, touching each of them in a special way. She moves in the same town six years later and gives piano lessons. The family needs her more than ever and she helps them all in the end. This book has heart, romance, and realness to it that we can all relate to, rich or poor, young or old. It will make you feel warm fuzzies. Read on a rainy day underneath a flanel blanket!

Non-fiction
Three Tales of My Father's Dragon
Published in Hardcover by Knopf Books for Young Readers (1987-11-12)
Author: Ruth Stiles Gannett
List price: $12.00
Used price: $8.73

Average review score:

Fantastic Three Tales
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-26
This is a wonderful three-in-one storybook. We are reading it as a family and it is so clever and beautifully written. I would highly recommend; you will not be disappointed.

Three Tales of my Fathers Dragon
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-05
Excellent children's book! I highly recommend it to all
people young and old. Great illustrations and wonderful
imagination!!! A classic!

Fabulous for reading together!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-02
My wife bought this on recommendation from another Amazon parent and we have enjoyed it very much! We curl up in bed together with our 4.5 yo son and 7+ yo daughter and read a couple of chapters each night. The children adore the story line, Elmer's cleverness and everything about this charming, delightful, classic series. Absolutely get this trilogy to share with your children and your grandchildren; it's wonderful!

Kindergarten read-aloud
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-28
I could have purchased each book individually, but bought the three in one version. I read the book in record time to my class in daily read-aloud sessions because every day they would BEG me to read just one more chapter in the story! They were engaged each day. It is an amazing read-aloud with excitement, adventure and thrilling parts that kept imaginations running and waiting for the next chapter then book~! I know these books will become a part of my read-aloud for years to come.

My 3 year old's favorite!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-26
This book is my three year old's favorite book. He loves chapter books right now and this book includes three in one. He also loves maps and this book includes a map that connects to the story on the inside of the cover. After reading each chapter he enjoys going back to the map and retelling the story to me. I highly recommend this great family time book!

Non-fiction
Lust for Life
Published in Paperback by Mandarin (1990-02-01)
Author: Irving Stone
List price:
Used price: $9.99

Average review score:

Beautiful
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-31
My boyfriend's father convinced me that, as an art history major, I needed to read this book. I was a little hesitant, but after the first chapter I was completely hooked.

This was a truly powerful book. No matter that it is not a true biography, it was beautifully written and moving. I would recommend this to anyone with even a passing interest in art.

An amazing man !
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-29
Amazing book and so very well written as all of Stone's other books are...I have always been mesmerised by Van Gogh's paintings, especially when I saw an exhibit of his in London.The colours were so wonderful that I just stood there infront of those pieces of art like a zombie ! I loved this book !

A Wonderful Introduction to Art
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-06
I loved this book. For someone like me, with just a passing knowledge of art and art history, it was pretty amazing to learn about Van Gogh's development as an artist and the Impressionist art movement. In addition, I think that its two major themes of expression and immortality are going to have a lasting effect on me.

By expression, I mean that Van Gogh put all his time and energy into expressing himself in a way that he felt was making the best use of his skills. For him, his calling was a new form of art, and he stuck with it despite receiving no recognition or profit for his work during his lifetime. By immortality, I mean that although Van Gogh was not successful in his lifetime, his work lives on and is hung in the most important museums in the world.

Highly recommended.

A Man Amongst Men
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-29
This is a beautiful novel about a beautiful human being. If you love Van Gogh's paintings (he is my personal favorite of all painters) then by all means, you need to read this wonderful book. In his prose, Stone is able to paint a vivid, vibrant, illuminating portrait of an amazing artist. I was truly blown away and completely consumed from the first chapter on. I actually read this fine story after visiting the Musee d'Orsay (Museum Orsay) in Paris and seeing first hand the magnificent works of this illustrious Impressionist. Of all the great many paintings presented at the Louvre and d'Orsay, it was the Van Gogh's that captivated me more than all the others (which is saying a lot, because the whole place is captivating!). I couldn't believe some of his self-portraits. What really fascinated me the most was the despondency in those steel blue eyes of his. This is what led me to read this story. I wanted to know where all that pain and suffering came from. Irving Stone answered all of my questions and then some. He is a brilliant and insightful writer and I will be looking forward to reading his novel "The Agony and the Ecstasy" which is based on the life of another favorite artist of mine - Michelangelo.

Anyone who is struggling to become an artist needs to read this! Talk about sacrifice and desire and heart and passion... this man Van Gogh was a true original. A man like no other before or since.

"...for by sadness the countenance of the heart is made better."

I can't recommend this one enough.

Living for Lust
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-07
I should have read this biography sooner. I used to be in love with his paintings, and even fantasized that IF I were to travel back in time, I would've married him -- all this BEFORE I read this book. After I read it I found out that there was one such infatuated woman (Margot), and also a tragic unrequited love story that led him to religion and then to painting. Anyone who is creative will sympathize with the extent to which pain can be transformed into the strength to create. The creative path is not always materially rewarding, and even if it is all an artist has, it will continuously change others' lives. I absorbed every word of this book and was hooked until the very end. Poverty and disinterest is ephemeral... belief in oneself is revolutionary.

Non-fiction
Dinosaur Roar!
Published in Hardcover by Doubleday Canada (1994-09-01)
Author: Henri Strickland
List price: $14.95
Used price: $24.46

Average review score:

Boys love it.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-11
Vivid illustrations. Short and sweet. Hard, sturdy book. Bought it for 2 year old twin boys and they have fun telling us whether the dino is a meat eater or plant eater by looking at their teeth. If your kid loves dinosaurs I would recommend this book.

Fun Book of Opposites
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-07
My two-year-old son likes dinosaurs, and this one is a favorite of his. The book is filled with rhyming opposites that lend themselves to a dramatic reading. (My son loves to 'roar' when the dinosaur 'roars.') I would recommend it for one- and two-year-olds.

Though it has lots of pictures of dinousars, the pictures are not individually labelled. (I am not sure if the dinosaurs in the book are even modelled on real dinosaurs.) Therefore, the child is not going to learn any facts about dinosaurs, other than they varied greatly.

my son's FAVORITE book of hundreds!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-31
My 22 month old doesn't sit sit for long. He's just always running to the next object for exploration. So, getting him to sit still for reading is a challenge. BUT, he LOVES Dinosaur Roar. The colorful illustations, the beauty of the painted images, the catchy lyrics (emphasized when reading, of course) all hold his attention--so that we can Almost finish the book before he runs off. The juxtaposition of opposites (small and huge, for example) help us teach him concepts. GREAT book!

A good book for younger children
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-27
Dinosaurs Roar is a good book for ages 1 to 3, but older children may be bored with this book. The drawing are friendly, and not scary to younger children. I had noticed that some children's dinosaur books may be too graphically realistic for younger children. The drawings are fun and creative.

A Great Book!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-29
I bought this book for my 2 year old and he loves it! The text (sets of opposites) is written in a fun cadence and provides ample opportunity for a lively reading! I think we'll be reading this one for a long time! -- Updating January 2008: Now 2 years down the road my daughter has come along and she ADORES this book too!

Non-fiction
Dogsbody (Bullseye)
Published in Paperback by Alfred A. Knopf (1990-01-20)
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
List price: $3.50
Used price: $0.42

Average review score:

Not Free SF Reader
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-03
The dog star Sirius has been a bad dog star. His punishment is that he gets to be an actual real life furry mutt, instead of the stellar variety.

Sent to earth, he ends up in the creek when a young girl rescues him, and raises the puppy as her own.

The dog star has a quest to fulfill and an item to find until he gets to be a star again.


Incredibly Engrossing!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-30
I actually stumbled upon this book in Barnes and Noble, and remembered seeing a friend of mine reading it a couple years ago. She has good taste in books, so picking it up I was immediately attracted by it's beautiful cover-art. Following my mother to a fabric store afterwards, I began to read. And honestly, it was extremely difficult to put down. I found the end to be slightly confusing, but that is hardly worth mentioning. If you're on the fence about buying this book, I definitely recommend purchasing it. You won't regret it! The characters are well defined and I love seeing their unique reactions to the dog. Sirius is a lovable character as is the young girl who keeps him.

Deserves to be a classic
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-02
Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones was an absolute page-turner. I was completely immersed within the first few pages of the book. It's certainly a unique concept: the book begins with the star Sirius on trial for a crime he claims he didn't commit. Found guilty, he is sentenced to life in a single solar system, where he will have the opportunity to put things right. If he succeeds, he will be restored to his astral position; if he doesn't, he will live out his alloted lifespan and die. The fates having a sense of humor, he's born on Earth as a dog. And the story presents a dog's view of life masterfully. The book was written in 1975, but is timeless--the humans characters could as easily move through this century as the last. There's an underdog appeal in the story of Kathleen, the human who champions and cares for Sirius as he grows. The daughter of an IRA terrorist, she is the unwanted/misused ward of her English relatives. Readers will likely care for this girl as much as the protagonist. I've read several of the author's books before, most recently _Howl's Moving Castle_, and find that this book, like that, is appropriate for young adult readers without being dumbed down or prettied up for them. I finished it in a day, and immediately set it into the "to read" pile of my 9-year-old son.

One of the Best...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-06
I found this book at my local bookstore way back in the summer of 1979--I read and re-read it until it finally, sadly, fell apart. What a treat it is to see it listed here on Amazon, with so many rave reviews. I agree with a comment made by another reviewer, that Diana Wynne Jones is one of the more underrated authors of children's literature, particularly of fantasy/science fiction. The story shows a complexity not normally found in books aimed at the "tween" set, a delight also in that it can be enjoyed by older children and adults as well. In a personal note, it bears the distinction of being the only book which inspired me to write to the author (back in 1980), to thank her for penning such a wonderful novel.

A Star Among Us
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-20
Imagine that the Sun, the Moon, the Earth, and every stellar body in the sky are alive and conscious, possessed by great spirit beings known as "illuminaries." This is the story about one of the greatest of such entities, Sirius - the Dogstar.

Notorious for his fiery temper, Sirius is unjustly found guilty by his celestial peers for the murder of another illuminary. Their sentence upon him is unusual and involves a mission: The murder weapon, the "zoi," has landed on the Earth. Sirius is to locate and retrieve this thing that has the unfathomable power to destroy suns. His judges, however, make sure that it will not be such an easy task. Part of Sirius' sentence is to be born on Earth as one of that sphere's creatures, a dog. Upon his birth he will have the time of a dog's lifespan to locate and retrieve the zoi. Otherwise he will die as a common earth animal and his spirit will cease to exist.

Born into an unwanted litter of white-furred and green-eyed Labrador mixed breeds, he is soon after tossed into the water with the other pups to die. Fortunately he is saved by Kathleen, a lonely Irish Catholic girl who is shunned and mistreated by the English relatives she is forced to stay with while her father does time in prison. Naming him Leo, Kathleen is at the start Sirius' only protector, while he is her only friend. Duffie, her uncle's wife, is a mean-spirited menace for both of them, constantly threatening to have the dog put down and turning Kathleen out into the streets.

Although in the beginning Leo/Sirius is barely aware of his preternatural origins, certain memories and ideas begin to enter and alter his dog mind. After some initial hostility (of course) with Tibbles the housecat and her two sons, the three felines soon befriend the canine and show him ways of getting around --and out of-- the house. In his daily travels away from the house he is soon aided by Sol, the illuminary of our own sun, and the spirits of the Earth and Moon. He also encounters a mysterious pack of sinister dogs looking very much like him. As he remembers more of his former existence and his mission, Sirius becomes conflicted with many complicating factors which stall his goal. He must deal with the biological and instinctual urges of his dog nature. And, most importantly, he is torn by the desire to remain with Kathleen, giving her the love and sense of security she desperately needs.

Immediately after reading C. McCallister's excellent review of DOGSBODY I wanted to get this book. I'm glad to say that I was not disappointed. Diana Wynne Jones has written a charming but bittersweet story that will appeal to both children and adults. Sci-fi, fantasy, even murder mystery fans have reason to read and enjoy this book. The characters --human, animal and celestial-- have a complexity of personality rarely seen in stories such as this.

After reading this book, you will never look at a bright eyed, tongue flapping mutt like you used to do.

Non-fiction
Blessed Unrest
Published in Kindle Edition by Viking (2007-05-10)
Author: Paul Hawken
List price: $24.95
New price: $9.99

Average review score:

Loved this book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-03
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)

Blessed Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-17
I am giving this book to many friends who care about social justice and the critical issues facing the environment. Paul Hawken has made a clear case for citizen activism that combines a commitment to both, noting that planet Earth is an endangered species, particularly from global warming but also from the exploitation of its resources. His history of the environmental movement and the appendix, which lists a myriad of groups doing important environmental justice work, makes this a very important book.

blessed optimism
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-05
A book anybody who cares about living creatures and our universe should read. It shows how an amazing number of people in both small and large groups are getting together to try and make a difference. Inspiring and filled with hope which in these often dark days is uplifting. As good and important a book as will ever be written.

Something new under the sun
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-30
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.

A message of hope for the future
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-13
It almost always happens, when I speak in telephone conferences with university classes or with larger groups, that someone will ask if I have hope for the future and, if so, why. My answer has always been an intuitive one, the intuition being that in the last fifteen years or so awareness of the perils we face in the immediate future has expanded explosively-and that this in itself provides authentic hope for the future.

In Blessed Unrest Paul Hawken, with his extraordinary passion for information, has transformed my mere intuition into a reality. Acting on the same "hunch" as mine, he "began to count. . . . I initially estimated a total of 30,000 environmental organizations around the globe; when I added social justice and indigenous peoples' rights organizations, the number exceeded 100,000. . . . I now believe there are over one-and maybe even two-million organizations working toward ecological sustainability and social justice."

He concludes this encyclopedic work with these heartening words: "There is no question that the environmental movement is critical to our survival. Our house is literally burning, and it is only logical that environmentalists expect the social justice movement to get on the environmental bus. But it is the other way around: the only way we are going to put out the fire is to get on the social justice bus and heal our wounds, because in the end, there is only one bus. Armed with that growing realization, we can address all that is harmful externally. What will guide us is a living intelligence that creates miracles every second, carried forth by a movement with no name."

Non-fiction
Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
Published in Kindle Edition by HarperCollins e-books (2007-08-02)
Author: John Wood
List price: $19.95
New price: $9.99

Average review score:

Great Book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-06
Very well written book. Enjoyed reading it, and finished it in two days. John Wood has done a tremendous service to Nepal and Cambodia (two countries in which I used to live and work). Amazing work that needed to be done. Great reading also in the book about some of the inner workings of Microsoft as well. Read this book!

excitement, tears, sadness, and motivation all rolled into one
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-03
This book had me bawling from the pictures and the vivid description, but more importantly, it inspired me to action. John has a way of resonating with his audience, expressing the importance of the cause, and showing you how your money can help directly. From the first page I didn't want the book to end, and on the last page I wanted to throw a fundraiser to build a library. If you're looking for a motivational and inspiring story, you should read this book. If you're looking to make a difference, you should take action after you finish this book.

Inspiring book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-31
I recommend this book for anyone who is interested in making a difference in the world or wants to get off the corporate treadmill. This is the story of one man who did both. He is obviously passionate about Room to Read, and the reader can't help but feel his passion. The only downside is that it reads too much like a lightly-edited journal at times--it gets a bit repetitive toward the end (I heard a lot about his "insane schedule").

Highly Motivating and Inspiring
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-12
I am amazed how inspiring this book is. To go from a high level global job at Microsoft, to something that truely makes you want to get out of bed in the morning is awesome. I am not a big reader, but finished this in 2 days.

A story worth reading...
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-03
This is a great book for anyone...John Woods story of leaving a great career, a girlfriend, and a life of luxury to help make the world a better place is a fun and inspirational read. A great tone of "this isn't for everyone, but was right for me" helps the reader enjoy the story without feeling like they should change the world in the same way. It gives you perspective and food for thought...absolutely fascinating.

Non-fiction
Ratha's Creature
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Laurel Leaf (1987-10-01)
Author: Clare Bell
List price: $2.95
Used price: $0.29

Average review score:

Can't miss on this one
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-05
Ratha's creature opens up a whole new world of cats. Long before the Warrior cat series, lived Ratha and her tribe. This book is full of adventure and suspense for any age. I couldn't put it down. Make sure to buy this one first and while you are at it, order the other three so you won't have to stop in the middle of this great adventure. If you love the Warrior Series you will love Ratha's Creature!

Forever Remembered
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-01
The Named Series is a collection that has survived in the hearts of readers for decades, inspiring fanart, fanfiction, and more. Here is the book that started it all - Ratha's Creature, an epic, memorable tale of strife, forgiveness, and triumph. This novel resurrects an ancient world and delivers in full detail, the savage brutality endured by those of arcane laws, a code of claws and fangs - while thrusting into harsh, honest light, what it means to question and discover the meaning of 'Self Awareness'.
Lion King worshipers, Warriors devotees, Animal enthusiasts - you have not stalked the feline path, until you have unearthed these treasures.

For more information, copy and paste the following links:

Clare Bell's official domain:
www.rathascourage.com
For an exclusive look including fanart, fanfiction, and more visit Trails Of Conquest:
www.trailsofconquest.webs.com
For Named (Ratha) Series Cat Role Play (rp) stop by Into The Mist:
www.intothemistrp.webs.com

Fantastic story
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-11
I am a huge cat fan and I can't believe that this book has existed for so long without my knowledge! I loved it from the very beginning and the story drew me in. I quickly ordered the other books to read. Any adventure or cat fan should read this book. If you do not love cats or do not have a fasination with animals you will soon. The book, while fictional is very realisitic and the characters are very wild and "animal-like." I cannot wait to read more. I genuinely feel the loss of one character in particular...sigh. Read this book! It is a great escape. Welcome to Ratha's world.

My Favorite Childhood Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-17
I never write reviews, but Ratha's Creature is the exception. I came upon this book as a 7th grader back in the early 90's and it was out of print even then. This book is fantastic, with it's prehistoric world and it's memorable characters. I am thrilled to see it released again so children can have the same experience that I had at their age in reading this wonderful story. This is a must read! In a world where the Harry Potter series is over and kids are left wondering what to read next, this one is a fun series and you will not regret your time in reading it, only regret that there is not more. Read it, you won't be sorry.

Excellent Story
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-31
Clare Bell is a great author who's works have been too long out of print. I read this story when I was a kid, and am enjoying it just as much now that I am older. A really imaginative, fun tale.


Books-Under-Review-->Arts-->Literature-->Authors-->Non-fiction-->7
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