People Books

Mark does an excellent job of weaving what might be considered the "pop-psychology" enneagram with deep introspection and Jungian psychoanalysis into a nifty, metaphorical ocean diving story. He successfully overcomes the temptation to seek easy answers from the enneagram overlay. Instead he provides, as he states, a shortcut mapping of the deeper elements of the conscious self and the "Triangle of Duplicity." This mapping provides useful tools and labels to understand the more complex, underlying principles.

The best phrase from the book, or at least the one that spoke to me the strongest came from Nikki, during an epiphany, that we are bound between the self that we were and the self that we are becoming - the existential now. It's a concept that I've understood intellectually for many years - understood the concept and the meaning of the words, but this book brought home to me the essential meaning of those words. I understand, or at least I am beginning to understand, the meaning of those words. I grok the "existential now."

Mark all-to-briefly explores creativity. And even though his thoughts on the subject seem to be strongly influenced by Rollo May, Mark's powerful restatement of the essence of creativity -why it's needed and why it's feared - affected me deeply.

I'm naturally drawn to this introspection of the self. But heretofore, I've approached the subject from the biological side of the biological-psychological interface. I've enjoyed the books by Steven Pinker (How the Mind Works and The Blank Slate). The essential connection from these two approaches is the same. There is no "I" in control. There is no ghost in the machine.

This book has made me hungry for more.

An amazing read. Couldn't put it down and solidified the missing pieces of human awareness in life. Told in a story format, the "lessons" it teaches will start you on the journey to self enlightenment. A must have if you "sharpen the saw" in your life. You won't be disappointed.

Diving In is not another "self-help" book. It is a "self-learning and understanding" workbook set within a descriptive and entertaining context. Who hasn't heard that little inner voice and wondered where it was coming from. Diving In helped me learn to listen, acknowledge and act on the deeper levels of consciousness. Very eye-opening!

I found Mark Bodnarczuk's book "Diving In: Discovering Who You Are In The Second Half Of Life" to be a fascinating read. I have always been interested in the "Enneagram" as a tool for working with differing personalities, but have had trouble distinquishing between the nine personality types. By putting names and histories to each of the nine personality types Mark's cast of characters made the distinction seem obvious. Although I cannot adequately explain it in terms of the various thoughts and principals Mark presents, I can tell you that I have been seeing the world, and myself, differently since reading this book. I highly recommend this book!

Asian Diver Magazine/Singapore review - "It's the second half of your life - what if you were able to make deeply profound, life altering and lasting changes and do these while diving! Mark Bodnarczuk's Diving In is the story of nine divers attending a workshop on a live-aboard in Indonesia. The workshop includes daily sessions to plumb the depths of personality, followed by dives that allow the participants to explore the spectacular reefs, while reflecting on their own reactions. The author's use of diving metaphors with post-Jungian psychology teaches fundamental principles of mental growth in a reflective story form."

I've always had the impression that Western/American Buddhism was overwhelmingly white, upper-middle-class and academic - an impression and perhaps a prejudice (or a hang-up); in spite of having read and been influenced by the philosophy and practice through much of my adult life, I've always held any personal endorsement or affiliation at arm's length because of this - I'm not white, upper-middle-class, or an academic, and the (perceived) insularity of that particular world doesn't often seem to be very inviting.

This is why this was such a valuable read for me - Willis belongs to a very, very small demographic - African-American Buddhists, and in DREAMING ME she traces a path from a Baptist upbringing in the segregated (and oft-violent) South to her present life as an academic and Buddhist scholar. Willis' recountings of her childhood were - to me - the most successful part of the book, with the grimness of Jim Crow-era Alabama rendered in cinematic detail. Willis also - with great success - draws parallels between the faith she grew up with and the philosophies she grew to accept as an adult. Beautifully written, she makes it almost seem effortless.

Not a very well-known book, unfortunately - and I fear this may slide into obscurity. I would encourage checking it out.

-David Alston

This book was read in one marathon session that flew by all too quickly. It spoke to the very core of my being. Having this story told in such a personal way deftly teaches the reader at every level. It's well written and one could easily be fooled that they are simply being entertained with a good read. There were many moments where I felt stunned with deep recognition of a life experience that mirrors a good portion of my own. I connected with this book deeply at the heart level. Most touching were the moments with her teacher, Lama Yeshe. His extraordinary heart helped her heal deep societal and personal pains which have traveled across generations influencing and shaping our culture in difficult ways. Thank goodness Dr. Willis chose to develop the good heart, rather than fight the good fight. One does not need to be in a culturally specific group or religion to recognize and feel Dr. Willis' experience. She reached into the depths of spirit and wrote in a way that touches universally. This lady has a heart that totally outsizes her brilliant, immeasurable intellect and her story will benefit countless numbers. I'm one unabashedly grateful reader.

Since I have met Jan Willis a few times through my own work at Naropa University, I emailed her after I finished reading Dreaming Me. Here's part of what I wrote to her: "I just wanted to let you know how engrossing I found your book. It was like talking to you, hanging out with you, to read it. I had put it at the bottom of my pile of "books I want to read" but somehow it jumped right up to the top, and I couldn't put it down until I finished it. Please take that as a resounding compliment! Thanks so much for writing it, and for revealing so much of your big heart.

There is something intriguing about a story which chronicles a former Baptist's alteration towards adhering to the teachings of the Buddha Shakyamuni. Jan Willis is an African-American Tibetan scholar and translator, a professor of religion at Wesleyan University and teacher of Buddhism for more than 25 years. She starts the book recording her life prior to finding the Buddha's teachings, a life spent as a devout Southern Baptist in a segregation ridden south. The KKK was active in her area of Alabama, and at a very early age they had burned a cross in her parent's front lawn. Later she would go on to march in Martin Luther King's civil rights movement, adhering to the values she so strongly believed in. In 1965, with 7 other African-Americans, she enrolled in Cornell University where during her junior year she sailed off on a trip to India which greatly impacted her life. For a brief period she returned to the states to continue her studies at Cornell, but eventually she felt drawn back unto the East again. She left this time for Nepal and underwent intense study with the Tibetan master Lama Yeshe. She studied with him for more than 15 years, where she faced a problem most predominant in all our practices: sense of self, ego.

This book is a fascinating look at a very small minority in the world of Buddhism, the role African-Americans have played in it's growth and the teaching of the Dharma. In the west, in my lineage of Zen, African-American's are probably the least represented group of all. While we have male and female teachers, and practitioners of several racial and cultural backgrounds, for some reason or another there is a very small pocket of African-Americans present. This is not due to any sort of discrimination but rather, to be frank, oftentimes the African-American individual can at times have a problem with breaking down ego. Something which has it's roots in the horrendous treatment this group underwent at the hands of a predominantly white America. This work is a fascinating look at practicing the Buddha Dharma in modern times with a voice of honesty, clarity, and incisive wisdom on each and every page. Enjoy this treasure.

Books like "Dreaming Me" are gifts or treasures that we rarely have the good fortune to discover. Ms Willis' journey is at times painful yet ultimately joyful. She shares this pain and joy in a compelling writing style that is filled with anecdotes and drama. No matter what your life experiences may be you are quickly drawn into the universal themes that every human being shares. As a white male living in the Northeast during the sixties I was on the other side of the world from a person like Ms Willis. Yet she made her experiences part of me. And like two parts of a greater experience I felt whole after reading this book. I highly recommend it. Thank you Ms Willis for putting your experiences into such a beautifully written book.

Lucky you are, you people of Maine, because you can enjoy in person the stories told by Doug Stover. But now, the publication of this book, Eminent Mainers, allows all of us to savor Doug's stories at our leisure. And what a delight they are. Who can forget Hiram Maxim and his machine gun or the man who knew he would be reincarnated as a sheep or the man who wore a handkerchief over his face? Please don't spend all your money buying copies of this book to give to your friends - we need to take up a collection so Doug could return where he grew up and compile another book, Fabulous Floridians.

This is the ideal reference tool for those doing research on Maine people and accomplishments, as well as a great source for browsing. Alphabetical arrangement is highlighted with topical indexes in the front; of particular note is the listing by birthplace. Subjects' schooling, business and professional credentials, connection to Maine and family-related tidbits bring these folks to life. In many instances even their burial places are given-handy for those who want to pay their respects! "Eminent Mainers" has over 500 pages of intriguing facts about thousands of people. What a delight!

This book is a great resource for teachers, especially those who teach history, government, literature, and biography. Teachers live by the stories they tell, stories that link to people, places, and events. Eminent Mainers
is about Americans: native born, immigrants, and descendents. It it illuminating, hysterically funny, and most of all, useful! Buy it for every teacher you know and they will love you forever!

What an incredible amount of work has gone into this unique book. It's about much more than Maine. Through succinct details of hundreds of lives it provides a snapshot of the creative energy that has made the USA what it is today.

This is really about a web of people, times, events and places that extends far beyond Maine. The power of Mr Stover's big set of little, though dense and concise, stories of people who just happen to be Mainers is really national and beyond in scope. I live in Atlanta, Georgia yet found several references to people with considerable and lasting impact on Atlanta's development and growth. It would be interesting to build an online community that follows all the threads that Stover begins to unravel for us.

Joan Steinau Lester and Eleanor Holmes Norton met as college classmates at Antioch College in 1958. They became friends and marched together in civil rights marches in New England. Now forty-five years later, Ms. Steinau Lester, now a journalist/writer reunites with Congresswoman Holmes Norton in writing her biography in Fire In My Soul.

Congresswoman Holmes Norton's great grandfather, Richard John Holmes, escaped from Virginia into Washington D.C. to become a free man and elude his former owner. He eventually became one of the few black firemen in the nation's capital and persevered to become a sergeant in the department. He felt a black man was worthy of equal opportunity and it is no surprise she inherited some of her great grandfather's fire for justice. With a legacy such as this, having descended from a strong, middle-class background, it is little wonder that she pursued a career in law that would one day put her in the limelight.

Already involved in civil rights activities, the Congresswoman, while a Yale Law School student, went to Mississippi in June 1963 to join the voter registration drive as a SNCC member. Twenty-four hours later Medgar Evers was dead, victim of an assassination and Holmes Norton had to make quick decisions concerning other members who were being falsely arrested. After law school, she obtained a clerkship with Judge A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., the first black district court judge, in Philadelphia. She then met her future husband, Edward Norton, also an attorney, a man who was secure enough to not be threatened by her status or activities.

Holmes Norton's status did indeed rise as she ventured further into her profession as an attorney, became more involved with civil and human rights, and eventually going into politics. Her life was not always smooth. Her daughter, Katherine, was born with Down's Syndrome; however, she resisted health specialists advice to institutionalize her when she got older. She was very devoted to her.

This reviewer had the opportunity of seeing the Congresswomen twice this year. She is as formidable a presence in person as she is in the media. Her stature commands respect and her sense of belief in pursuing and preserving the rights of human life comes across instantaneously. She is a cheerleader for the people of Washington D.C., who she represents with candor and is respected by them as she respects them. This was a well-written biography of a powerful woman.

Dera Williams
APOOO BookClub

Thank you Dr. Holmes and Dr. Lester for this exciting, informative and historical book. I was raised in the South (LA) and experienced many of the conditions described in Fire in My Soul. Remembering my blessings on this journey, I give thanks for all of my past experiences. My parents attempted to sheild me from many of the conditions of the south and in turn I was shielded from much of the history of the Civil Rights Movement of the 60's except for limited TV coverage. Fire in My Soul serves as a personal history lesson for me and is one that I will read more than once. Reading about the personal experiences and the 'inner' workings of the local, state and federal agencies that Dr. Holmes was/is a part of reminded me of many personal experiences in the private sector. Reading Fire in My Soul remeinded me that the absence of compassion for another person is not isolated to any specific location or sector of the nation. Reading the story of one who continues to live her passion for justice offers the encouragement to do what I can where I am for justice.

This fascinating biography is not only a pager turner, it also an insightful discourse on how to be an agent of change. This book is a MUST READ for anyone who is grappling with issues of how to change policy, whether as an "insider", "outsider", or hybrid. It is also an inspirational story of an terrific woman. I couldn't put it down.

I don't usually read political biographies, but this one gave me the hope I was searching for in the face of the depressing political realities of today. It's inspiring to read about a fiercely intelligent woman who follows her inner moral compass while compromising when necessary to get things done. I wish everyone serving in Congress had to read this book. Every voter should as well!

In Fire in My Soul, Dr. Lester accomplishes a rare feat for a biographer. While she avoids the trap of painting too pretty or too perfect a picture of her subject, including a number of descriptions that are less than flattering, she is at the same time able to clearly allow her respect and admiration for this remarkable woman to come through.
The effect is that we see a real life heroine, warts and all, and we find her all the more admirable for this.
This is an important book, and I look forward to Dr. Lester's next effort.

A wonderful book from a man that knows, that has been there, and is still there watching the people of Bikini cope and recover from the terrible atomic/nuclear bomb blasts. He has the facts of history, the insight into how it affected the island people, all combined with personal stories and the local culture and legends. I've lived in Micronesia for about twelve years and learned so much new about the Republic of the Marshall Islands. If one has an interest about how our country deals with other peoples, this book will give an idea about how sometimes we play the international game. Very nice work, with facts and figures. I liked it. Buy it!

The book is fine but you sent it to my cousin in Los Angeles and I haven't received it from him yet! I had previously sent him a book ordered through Amazon. I am sure you will think this is my fault, but I do not agree. I said to send it to the same address as the card holder who is me. I give Amazon an F for this one. Jack Derby

It is generally accepted that the dropping of two Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki brought WW2 to and end. Had the Japanese not surrendered, however, there was no third bomb to be dropped. Whilst the explosions happened just as they were supposed to happen, this new dreadful science was very new and, in a post war-torn world had to be tested and refined. No western power, however, was prepared to have such weaponry tested anywhere near their own country - not even within range of distant fall-out.

For this reason, one of the world's remotest islands in the southern Pacific was eventually chosen. In the summer of 1946 the United States detonated two 21 kiloton bombs code-named Able and Baker. These were the fourth and fifth such bombs ever exploded. Another bomb was also set to be detonated but this was cancelled after the fallout from Baker created far more radiological contamination than had been expected.

In order to conduct such tests, the United States had, in the first instance, to forcibly remove the indigenous population of the Bikini Islands. How powerful is one nation that it is able (apparently quite legally) to remove another nation from it's land so that it can practise with it's big bombs.

This book is the story of those Bikini Islanders and their life-long struggle to regain their homeland. Yes, many have now come home, but it will be a long time before they can even hope to resume a traditional existence. It is more likely that that will never happen.

The Bikini islanders were removed from their homes "for the good of mankind," personally, I think this book should be read for the same reason.

NM

This book was an eye opener. It makes you wonder why this event that happened so many years ago in the middle of the Pacific has been buried for so long. This is not a cut and dry history, this book is a very readable journey through a culture that is unique. The author lets us know who he is, so it enables the reader to understand the person who is doing the interviews. That was a nice and unexpected touch. I found the book to be thought provoking and would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in studying the history of the Pacific.

I found my teenaged daughter reading this book one day, so when she was finished I picked it up...

This is a story so worth reading. The author's life at first seemed hopelessly entangled with his subject's to a point that I thought the book would eventually read like a one-sided diatribe. I was very, very pleased with how he presented the Bikinian's story, however, and would highly recommend this small but important piece of Pacific history to anyone who wants to know how an indigenous people can be so horribly abused by a super power.

Astounding material.

I found an electronic copy of Formosa Betrayed on the internet ... and read it through the wee hours of night, after putting my kids to bed, for four days until I finished the book. It is captivating and masterfully written; the truth told with authority by a former American vice consular to Taiwan who was there to witness the atrocities of the Chiang Kai Shek regime right after WWII. I felt a sense of relief after reading this book for some reason. Telling and documenting the truth about the "Taiwan experience" post-WWII is dangerous, but had to be done by someone who was raised up for just that task. Thanks Mr. Kerr for being there and for writing this piece of Taiwan's history confirming Taiwan's status as separate from China. From now on I'll sleep soundly as a Taiwanese American knowing that the truth has been revealed and any one can read it, if they dare.

I saw the content on the WEB. Is it true that KMT owned the copy right of this book after it was published and it is never printed since the first edition? My parents would not get me in trouble by talking about the "228" incident.

KMT has a lot of ways to suppress people's political functions. I remember that I need to submit a Letter of Assurance from the third party prior to get into the university admittance. The letter stated he or she guarantee my loyal to the "Country" and I do not participate the Chinese Communist. Otherwise he or she will be punished the same degree as me. Can you believe it? It was in 1968.

I remember my classmates disappeared before a city mayor election. The anti-KMT candidate was elected. These pro-anti-KMT candidate classmates never come back. Ten years later this anti-KMT candidate joined KMT and be nominated as the mayor of Kaohsiung. At that time KMT change the rule so that they can appointed the mayor without election.

I hope Mr. Kerr's book can be printed again one day.

This book tells the truth and what really happened in Taiwan when KMT occupied Taiwan. It helps not only all Taiwanese but also people around the world to realize how Taiwanese have been suffering from KMT's dictatorship. Unfortunately, KMT still exists in this country. I very much hope that this book will be printed again so that it can be available to everyone who wants to understand the true history of Taiwan.

Am not too crazy with the paternalistic tone of the writing--an intimation of "whiteman's burden" almost. But aside from this seemingly carping criticism, Lt. Kerr is an excellent chronicler of the lamentable saga which we Taiwanese have come to know as the "228 Incident."

As a 1978 born young Taiwanese.....I never know the bloody incident of 228. As I recall my childhood memory I always heard my grandpop discuss this events quitely with his close friend. However..every time when I try to enter his room to listen their discussion, my grandpop always told me"such discussion is too dangerous for you". I never understand why my grandpop forbided me to listen their discussion...After I finished this book I understand my grandpop's pain and anguish.

I've read and re-read this fabulous work by Chuck Mache. I'm a real estate professional with a lot of experience in sales and the "why we do the things we do" part of life and let me tell you...he has "nailed" this one. This well written story not only cleary identifies the four kinds of sales people but offers some brilliant advice on what to do once you know where you are. I've always believed...in order to get anywhere you need to know where you are and where you want to go! This book will show you the "where you are" and offer suggestions on the where you may want to go. A great read and a "must add" to any salesperson's library!

Chuck Mache simplifies the complexities of salesperson personality and behavior. This direct approach provides tremendous insight for any salesperson looking to maximize their potential. Any sales manager working to get the most from a team will also gain valuable knowledge.

Mache's entertaining and engaging style makes his book easy to read and imparts new and interesting insight to help anyone achieve personal and professional goals.

I have been in sales, sales management and customer service for 20 years. This book says it all...but in a very different and unique way. It's something you can't describe, you have to experience it. Anyone who has been in the sales profession will find themselves in this book. They will have an undeniable, physical reaction to the truths the author lays out when they read about their "type". If "know thyself" is the supreme command, then this is the book that will help you get there. Thank you!

This is a excellent book - regardless of whether you are in sales or not. The author offers valuable insight into the hidden "trigger=points" to moving forward with your job, career or life. It is a fast read too.

was consulted by Warriors and Kings whom pilgrimaged from all over the world to find the secret to success. He answered each seeker's question with the phrase, "Know thyself." This book compares to the sage in that explicit understanding of your character will help you identify strong/weak points in your selling strategy. Furthermore, advice on how to move beyond the plateau phase is given in such detail that you will know explicitly which steps to take and what danger areas to be cautious of. Everyone has vulnerabilities; this book identifies those soft spots and gives pertinent advice on making permanent, life-changing corrections. If you are just starting out in the field, I especially recommend the read - you will identify thoroughly whether or not you should pursue a career in sales or not. It's not for everyone, you know!

Read this for school. It was funny, sad, interesting. I would tell a friend to read it.

This is one of the most touching and interesting books I've read....I have this book at the top of my list! It contains the action of baseball (from the point of view of a young boy) with the struggles of Cuban life. I would recommend this book to young teens, and/or those interested in baseball.

Free Baseball By: Sue Corbett

Free Baseball was I warm story about I Cuba boy who escaped. Felix, the boy, was the main character in this great story. Felix was a boy whose dad was a Cuba baseball star, and dreamed about nothing but baseball. Sue Corbett wrote this story well, and I really treasured it.
One part I liked was the part where Felix had just escaped on the bus. He ran away from his "evil" babysitter and was named the new ball boy of the opposing team. Felix slides in a small compartment and hides till the bus stops. Felix realizes it was foolish to do it because it got hot and un-cozy.
The next part I really liked is when he met the team mascot who was a dog named Miracle. Miracle was really important to the team because he was the only reason fans came to the games. He would run around the bases when one of the players hit a homerun. He also lived right in the stadium and could catch fly balls.
The last part was when Felix met a Cuban named Diaz. Diaz didn't speak much English but understood what people were talking about. Felix and Diaz became kind of best friends while Felix was a run away. Diaz was known as the team slugger and was one of the newer players. Diaz also said he met Felix's dad.
In conclusion Free Baseball was an about a boy named Felix who ran away from home during a baseball game. Felix was soon known to be the ball boy while he traveled with the team. He met a man named Diaz and met a "miracle" of a dog on his journey. Free Baseball was one of the best books I ever read.

D. Williams

She read it to us at school, and it was really great. It made our teacher cry. I loved it.

Sue Corbett's middle-grade book Free Baseball is the story of Felix, an eleven-year-old Cuban-American who stows away on a minor league team bus and steps in for the new bat boy who never showed up for work. It's sort of a Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler-kids-hiding-overnight-in-the-museum for the sports set. Typically, I have a hard time swallowing such fantasies as realistic, and thus my enjoyment of these kind of stories is always muted. But as charming or as impossible as the idea of living in a ballpark and working behind the scenes at a professional baseball game might be, there is so much more to this story that such issues are quickly left behind.

At the heart of this story are the diplomatic issues between America and Cuba, and the social turmoil those politics leave in their wake. Felix and his mother were "boat-people," Cuban immigrants who took a secret, overcrowded, and ultimately perilous boat ride to seek refuge in America. They left behind Felix's father, a star outfielder on the Cuban National Team, thinking he would be able to defect and join them during the team's travels. But it's been years now - Felix was an infant during the night-crossing - and he despairs that his father will never be able to join them.

The book then becomes something of a father quest - always a good pairing with baseball (see Field of Dreams, et al.) - as well as an exploration of Felix's strained relationship with his mother and his world. Yet despite settling into these well-worn spots in the outfield, Free Baseball stays on its toes and keeps the reader there too, managing to be pleasingly predictable and surprising at the same time. It's an atypical baseball book for this age group - it's not about winning a big game with a clutch hit, but instead about finding one's home in the dugout, and one's family in the stands. A story about that oddly redemptive power of a simple yet multi-faceted game, and the many ways in which it can touch all those who come into contact with it.

Highly recommended for all readers, but particularly those who have already tasted the magic of baseball.

Find a copy of this book if you are seperated or divorced. It is a powerful book with a wonderful message.

Find a Fresh Start retreat you can attend also. You will not be disapointed.

I bought this book so I could get some emotional help as I go through my current divorce..... I have had it for a couple weeks now and a near 6 year marriage ended 2 months ago..... If anyone is in any type of situation like this,, I recommend this book.. Questions such as: How did you know when the relationship was 'really' over? Who all are you angry at right now? What did your spouse do? What have you done to contribute to the current situation? How have you tried to keep the relationship together even when you knew it was over....... basically, questions that make you admit the truth to yourself so you can heal and grow from this and go on to enjoy your life... During the lonely days and nights, and times I don't want to answer the phone, this book is a Godsend!

My own divorce hit me like an earthquake: my whole world shook apart and then collapsed. I was left to raise two sons on my own.

I found this book soon after the divorce and was immediately comforted by the well-organized approach to the problems I was facing. This book helped me structure my life and gradually, get back on track.

Well-written, very practical, this book takes you step-by-step through the major things you are already dealing with --- or soon will be.

Barbara Sheldon, M.S.W.
Single Mom with two sons
I also highly recommend: Moving Forward After Divorce: Practical Steps to * Healing Your Hurts * Finding Fresh Perspective * Managing Your New Life

Let's face it: divorce often catches us by surprise, and it always changes many things about our daily life. More than just the loss of a partner, we find ourselves confronting brand-new challenges and dealing with things we never expected. For some of us, it's just too much: we can't handle it.

This author (not the radio host Jim Burns) is a minister who himself went through the experience of divorce. Out of that experience he gathered some of the most useful ideas and successful strategies that helped him and have helped others also. The result is a highly readable book.

You'll find good help here, especially if you're struggling to keep things together and trying to figure out what your priorities should be. Well-written and helpful.

Dr. David Frisbie
The Center for Marriage & Family Studies
Author of Moving Forward After Divorce: Practical Steps to * Healing Your Hurts * Finding Fresh Perspective * Managing Your New Life

This book has helped me through one of the most difficult times in my life. Things that made me feel like I was going crazy, I realized are just part of the proccess. I realize now that I will get through this and I am not going crazy.

This is a gr8t book! I read it 2 years ago when i was in grade 4..............It is about a German family that moves to Canada in the 1930's and they have a daughter named Anna........(I think she is handicapt)
It is a wonderful book and i sooo recomend it!

I thought that this book was fantastic. Jean Little really brought me into the story. I thought that Jean Little was the perfect author for this book b/c she really got into the mind of each character. I loved this story, and if you're looking for a book, this is the one!

I liked this story when I first read it because I was able to relate to the main character Anna. My family always teased me about me being clumsy and in a way Anna and I had the same thoughts. Its really a good book because Anna makes small miracles in herself.

A wonderful young person's novel by Jean Little, about a family emigrating from pre-Nazi Germany and moving to Canada. The plot involves the efforts of the youngest child, Anna, whose poor vision and clumsiness has made her something of an outcast, to make a place for herself in her new home and new school. A very important part of the story is Anna's struggle to make a special Christmas present. Not just a Christmas story as such, as the plot takes place over the span of half a year or so, but a really nice evocation of Old-World holiday traditions, a Canadian town in the last years of the Depression, and a gimlet-eyed accuracy in describing family dynamics...

When I went to my public library a couple of days ago, I never imagined that I would come across two of the best books ever written by a very talented author. 'From Anna' and 'Listen for the Singing' touched me deeply, in a way that no other book has had the ability to do. Although it's language is simple and the style is nothing too out of the ordinary, Jean Little was able to use easy words in a very good way.

The last time 'From Anna' was borrowed was early 1997. Most of us would most probably never take a second glance at the book -- that is, if we judged a book by it's cover. However, if one takes the time to read deeper and look beyond the cover, they will find that they have stumbled across an extraordinary book.

The story starts off with a young 9-year-old Anna Solden, nicknamed 'Awkward Anna' by her older siblings. Anna is indeed very clumsy and klutzy, hence the nickname. When she hears her family is moving from German to Canada, Anna is devastated. She can't learn German; how will she ever cope with English?! But shortly after her arrival in Canada, Thanks to Dr Franz Schumacher and his discovery that Anna has a severe vision disability, Anna receives a pair of glasses, which bring forth a world she never knew -- a world where words and letters aren't masses of grey blur, a world where numbers stay on the page and where the everything is clear and bright.

Anna is sent to a special sight-saving class in order to repair the damage done to her eyes and salvage as much of the remaining ones. There, she learns things about herself -- she CAN have friends, she IS skilled and most of all, she has confidence. Her friends and teacher, Miss Williams, see a whole new Anna devloping as the year draws to a end. A new Anna very different from the old one. And with their help and support, she finally learns to confront her family with secrets that they never knew.

A truly touching and moving story with a very fitting ending. Get this book, enjoy it and read the second one -- 'Listen for the Singing', which is just as good, if not better! A definite book I would recommend with two thumbs up!