Companies Books

This is a wonderful, hilarious, moving account of how Dr. Vertosick progressed(or regressed?) from a mere mortal of a junior medical student to a god of Neurosurgery. It is filled with comedy and tragedy--both of which are chronicled by the author with uncompromising honesty and compassion. A great book for the non-medically-inclined reader!

The book starts out a little slow, but it does pick some speed. This is a narration of the life of a young (and naïve) neurosurgeon in residency. Frank Vertosick shares some profound experiences in this unsparing book, which will be particularly useful to those who want to know what residency entails - it's challenging and interesting points.

Among Vertosick's stories is one about a young man taken into the hospital with the then-unknown disease of AIDS. He became the first person reported to that particular health department with the strange new illness. We are also told heart-wrenching stories of human struggle, like the story of Shirley, who dies after numerous hours of fighting a damaged aorta and brain. There is also a touching story of Andy, who happens to have "trisomy 21" (Down syndrome), and is also deaf, blind, mute, and has a brain hemorrhage.

The book is quite shocking in some parts, and educational too. Where you imagine a triumphant ending, the unexpected (and sad) happens. It's a book of triumphant stories, and disappointing ones. The stories all move at a decent, likable pace. The book leaves you with the feeling that physicians are in fact very human as Vertosick tells the story of Charles, who has an uneventful aneurismal tear while in his hands. Not all is victory as a neurosurgeon. A surgeon often has to deal with death and mistakes.

Some parts were fictionalized to enhance the story, but still a good book nonetheless. Enlightening.

The author has an edgy, sleep-deprived, wisecrack-a-minute style that makes me glad some states, at least, have reduced the number of hours per week a medical resident must work, from one hundred to eighty. Neurosurgery is a very unforgiving craft, and not all of the stories in this book have a happy ending. Neurosurgeons must tackle some pretty hopeless cases, and the human brain is a very unforgiving operating theatre.

Nevertheless, "When the Air Hits Your Brain" is an unputdownable read. I've been through it twice now---once during a night where I couldn't sleep anyway. If you do intend to sleep, don't read it right before going to bed.

Here are the author's five rules for neurosurgery interns:

1. "You ain't never the same when the air hits your brain."
2. "The only minor operation is one that someone else is doing."
3. "If the patient isn't dead, you can always make him worse if you try hard enough."
4. "One look at the patient is better than a thousand phone calls from the nurse."
5. "Operating on the wrong patient or doing the wrong side of the body makes for a very bad day--always ask the patient what side their pain is on, which leg hurts, which hand is numb."

Emotionally, Dr. Vertosick's worst rotation was to the local Children's Hospital. A child who was born with an inoperable brain tumor is the focus of the chapter entitled "Rebecca."

A baby's brain is very hard to operate on: "At six weeks of age, the unmyelinated brain is thick soup which can be inadvertently vacuumed away by operative suctions. Moreover, nerves the thickness of pencil lead in adults are little more than a spider's web in a baby."

Dr. Vertosick doesn't spend the whole book wisecracking. He ends the chapter on Rebecca: "I am not particularly religious. In fact, the birth of children bearing cancers I find difficult to reconcile with a merciful God. Nevertheless, there must be someplace where Rebecca now laughs in the bright sunshine, finally free of her ventilator and gastrostomy."

Read how the author strays into the 'inferno of overconfidence' as a chief resident, and comes "perilously close to emotional incineration." Follow him into the operating room as a patient's brain oozes through his fingers, where he is squirted in the eye by an AIDS patient's spinal fluid, and where he cures a woman who was misdiagnosed as an Alzheimer's patient when what she really had was a brain tumor.

I'm in the process of donating all of my books to the library that I know I won't read again. "When the Air Hits Your Brain" is not one of the donations.

Neurosurgeon Frank Vertsoick Jr.'s memoir opens with the five rules enumerated on his first day of a six year residency and never forgotten:
"Rule number one. You ain't never the same when the air hits your brain....It was built for performance, not for easy servicing.
"Rule number two: The only minor operation is one that someone else is doing.
"Rule number three. If the patient isn't dead, you can always make him worse if you try hard enough.
"Rule four: One look at the patient is better than a thousand phone calls from a nurse.
"Rule five: Operating on the wrong patient or doing the wrong side of the body makes for a very bad day."

These pretty much sum up the tone and gravity of Vertosick's rivetting, harrowing and touching book. The son of a steel worker, Vertosick came to neurosurgery almost by accident. His memoir focuses primarily on the years of training from medical student through chief resident.

Vertosick's first anecdote, from his first operating room observation, will have readers grabbing their throats - literally - in shock. His mentor, Gary (who becomes a familiar chain smoking, fast-talking irreverent character) picks up a drill. Vertosick asks how it knows when to stop before plunging through the skull into the brain and is told it has an automatic clutch mechanism. Only the mechanism fails. Those who continue reading once their heart rates return to normal will be hooked.

In an arrogant profession, Vertosick is an appealing narrator. He can also write. His descriptions of hospital routine and crisis, pecking orders and interdisciplinary rivalries are frenetic and often hilarious.

But his portraits of individual patients bring them to poignant life and often death. There are happy endings - the young, virile accident victim whose progressive paralysis indicated spinal damage, but who was saved by a risky diagnosis and fast surgery. But there are many others - the retarded man whose aneurysm became something worse through a slip of the knife,or the pregnant woman with a brain tumor who refused to abort her baby and therefore refused treatment in medicine's litigous atmosphere.

But Vertosick's memoir is not just a string of anecdotes. It's a portrait of his profession and its effect on a doctor's psyche. He first tasted "the intoxicant of power" after botching a routine procedure on a veteran and being thanked for it. "On the street, this would not be called a medical procedure but assault and battery - with witnesses, no less!"

There's the exhiliration of saving life. One of those was a man pronounced brain dead and delivered as an organ donor. Thanks to Vertosick and an observant junior, the man walked out of the hospital a week later and lived another two years.

While Vertosick's subject is inherently fascinating, it's the author's ability to convey his exuberance, fear, anguish and joy that leave the reader hoping he'll trade scalpel for word processor again.

This stands out in the field of medical literature. By definition, there are a very select number of people who could have written this book. Firstly, the number of brain surgeons is strictly limited (duh) for reasons that become apparent as the book progresses. Secondly, and most importantly, I think only a small minority of them can be as bloody good writers as Vertosick.

The book conveys pathos, humour and a dramatic shift in mindset experienced by our author as he is initiated into neurosurgery...from intern to surgical psychopath. This journey takes him several years and a number of lifetimes to complete. The lifetimes are those of the patients and their relatives that he (and we) are priviledged to be invited to share. Naturally, not all the stories have a happy ending and whilst it is clear that Vertosick cares, so, you will find, do you.

As a fiber artist, I am very interested in the history of fiber. Elizabeth Barber's "Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years" is fantastic, both as a history of the use of fibers and as a history of working women. I learned a great deal about women's role in society from her research, and it makes me proud to be a modern woman working with fiber, just as my ancestors did. Highly recommended!

Anyone interested in so-called gender studies, textiles, prehistory, or just in regular people ought to read this book. The authoress, in incredibly simple language (she can't REALLY be an academic, can she?), tells the story of women and the textile work that has (pre-) historically been theirs. Bringing the insight that only a practicing weaver or spinner could have to the dusty world of archeology, she sweeps the reader into the homes of real people. Lots of metaphors, but honestly, it's that kind of book: rich. I only wish I could read it again for the first time.

I ran across this book almost by accident. I was feeling rather glum one day, and I asked my wife to recommend a book for me - something that was out of the ordinary and would cheer me up. She recommended "Women's Work". I was a little skeptical that it would appeal to a techie guy like myself, but soon I was absorbed in Elizabeth Wayland Barber's storytelling.

"Women's Work" tells the story of textiles in human history. In nearly every society, spinning, weaving, and sewing have been done almost exclusively by women, so the history of textiles is also a history of women's work - or one important part of it. That's still reflected in our language, for example, when we refer to the "distaff side" - a distaff being a stick used to hold fiber for spinning.

Wayland Barber tells her story with with wit and clarity. And more than that, she tells the story of the story - that is, she traces not only what we know about textiles in ancient times, but describes how we know it. So, this is not only a fine history, but it's a fine, readable treatise on historiography as well.

I can warmly recommend this book to anyone interested in textiles, or women's history, or how history is written, or who has the blues and just wants to read a darn good book.

Interesting history of some parts of women's work. I enjoyed it very much. Whether you are interested in fabric or not, I think you'll enjoy this book. It is scholarly but still a good read that keeps your interest.

I bought this book on the recomendation of my spinning instructor. I was expecting the documentation of early spinning and weaving techniques, and the discussion of preserved textiles. I wasnt expecting to be inspired to go out and buy a copy of the Iliad and the Odyssey to read about the textile and history references that she brings up! I had no idea that Greek mythologies mention items of clothing that have been found in the area and dated to pre-Greco times....and were stil identifiable items of clothing in the last century.
Basically this book is a textile and history junkies best fix.
If you are a re-creationist,(such as the SCA) or particpating in Lving History demonstrations, you will definately want this book for its discussions of documented cloth finds,
If you like this book, you may also enjoy reading "Salt, a World History" as they mention several of the same places, and historical finds.

I just finished reading this book for the second time. At least one reviewer has complained of the Adkins writing style but I could not disagree more. I'm a very busy person and would not waste my time reading any book twice unless it was exceptional, and this book is just that.

The writing is clear and easy to follow, refreshingly honest and frankly the account is intensely interesting. Yes. there is a typo or two but you'll be way too involved in the amazing first hand account of A.Z. Adkins to notice. My grandfather was an infantry first lieutenant who saw similar duty and this book really helped me to understand a lot about his service.

These men withstood so much hardship one can not read this and not have a tremendous amount of respect and appreciation for what these men gave to us and the world.

Thank you A.Z. Adkins. For the book and more importantly for enduring incredible hardships and giving us the gift of freedom.

Andy Adkins Jr. was a Second Lieutenant and served in Company H, 80th Infantry Division during World War II: his regiment landed at Normandy in 1944 and fought they way on foot across France and into Germany. If you want a riveting, hard-hitting memoir which recreates the moment of a soldier's experience, the title says it all: YOU CAN'T GET MUCH CLOSER THAN THIS: COMBAT WITH COMPANY H, 317TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 80TH DIVISION. First-person memories of war experience assume a 'you are there' atmosphere as the author speaks with comrades and experiences battles, rough conditions, and struggles.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This is interesting first person account of World War Two from the perspective of a soldier from my area of Florida! That alone made the book a pleasant surprise. But besides that, I found this book a well written account of a young man taken from college to fight with the 80th Infantry division.

The book reads like a great war story rather than a war-time biography or diary. It's a quick, informative, read that does not overwhelm the reader with details. You really don't have to be a WWII historian to really enjoy this fine book.

What I think is unusual about the book is it mentions cities not normally mentioned in the history of other units and events not commonly written about. For example, the author goes into great detail regarding the use of motors in close action with the infantry. The fact the author received an absentee ballot for an election, voted and mailed it back home (that's a first in over 300 WWII history books I've read).

It also has an excellent short history of the 80th Infantry Division, including cities and counties it "visited" along with attached units and other statistics.

My uncle, Harry Goldsborough, served in CO. F, 2nd Battalion, and I had heard a few stories from my Mother about her brother's experiences in World War Two. The stories were few and and unpleasant, and I gather that he did not speak much of the war. The reading from this book gave a great insight to where my uncle was during his time in the 80th and what he probably went through. I found the reading very easy and it made me proud of his service to his country.

"You Can't Get Much Closer Than This: Combat with Company H, 317th Infantry Regiment, 80th Division" by Andrew Z. Adkins Jr. and A.Z.A. III represents a non-homogenized non-sterilized look at the Second World War from foxhole level. Nearly everything in this book comes from A.Z. Adkins Jr's wartime journal, and thus presents a view of the war from one individual's perspective. If you're looking for a 'bigger picture' tied into this story (somehow this reviewer thought that because A.Z. Adkins III brought his fathers journal to life he might provide some 'filler' to tie together items - no such luck). The book can be broken into four basic parts (not the chapters of the book though) representing four chronological periods that fall naturally along lines of major events in the ETO. The first period is the Normandy/bocage fighting period, the second is the Breakout, pursuit and initial West Wall (Siegfried Line) action, the third is the Battle of the Bulge and following action leading up to the Rhine crossing, and the forth is the Rhine crossing to V-E day. Of all these sections the third is by far the best in terms of visceral impact and readability. The other three sections unfortunately suffer from a dull prose that is only infrequently livened by an engaging story or writing style. Fortunately, Adkins and Adkins do not candy coat combat and in presenting an un-sanitized version of events do give the reader some less common in the genre. Still this positive does not sufficiently outweigh the negative of style (not to mention the numerous typos and other editorial issues).

As "You Can't Get Much Closer Than This" is one mans story of the Second World War with little of the 'bigger picture' woven in it is hard to review (positively or negatively) the historical value of the book, rather it seems appropriate to review it from the standpoint of whether it is a good read or not. Regarding this latter criteria this reviewer would have to break with the praise given in nearly all other reviews and say that this is a good 3.5 star read at best. The book is short enough to get through quickly, readers will get a truer picture of war than in most 'memoirs', but the reading will not always be easy or fully engaging and enjoyable. 3.5 Stars.

In some ways reading one of these two-page chapters everyday seems tedious if your really doing some soul searching about what is being taught to you...still, I think its very helpful.

If you're wanting to be uplifted, buy this book and read a part of it each day. Dr. Beckwith is such a beautifully positive person and his intention to see that in each one of us is obvious in his writings and teachings.
This is a great little book to have with you at all times and to share its insights with others.

One Day She'll Darken: The Mysterious Beginnings of Fauna Hodel
Rev. Michael Beckwith..is the most powerful teacher of them all...at least in this decade...I call him a brother from another planet...a visionary of light..to read his teachings...to hear his spoken word...to listen to his sermons...moves me like none other...he is the wind beneath our wings...those of us..who are blessed to have sat in his church..are all so thankful for his teachings... his work is a WOW factor at the highest level.

This book is for those who respond to positive suggestions and are open to New Age philosophy with just as much affirmation of faith in a deity. The suggestion is to read the affirmations and its analysis, sit with it for a time each day, with the promise that at the end of 40 days something will have shifted in the reader's thinking.
I believe that this method is worth pursuing and have found it beneficial in improving my perceptions of how I see the world, how I nurture my relationships, in how I regard myself.
After reading it the first time I've decided to give it another round to reinforce its upbeat message.

Michael Beckwith has created a MUST HAVE book of spiritual inspiration and practice. These daily meditations are an absolute feast for the soul. Deceptively simple, this small book is filled with big ideas that, when put into daily practice, are PROFOUNDLY transformational. I have given this book to a number of people and I quote from it often. Beckwith is masterful in his use of language and the high vibration of this man's spirit leaps off the page and into your heart. Get this book and use it! The perfect gift for anyone of any spiritual persuasion.

This is an interesting book. It's a good mix for the existentialist history fan. Simone de Beauvoir did a great job of capturing the moods of the various time periods she wrote about. I'm looking forward to reading some of her other books.

There's never enough time in a day to accomplish all that you would like to do...unless, perhaps, you knew had eternity to do whatever floats your boat. Imagine a wizened beggar offering you a dusty old bottle filled with cloudy green liquid and telling you it's the "elixir of immortality" (p.84)...do you dare drink it?

In All Men Are Mortal, Simone de Beauvoir weaves philosophy and history within a fantastic tale of one man's journey into immortality. First you meet Regina, a petty, vain, self-centered, young actress, who desires immortality. When she meets the odd stranger Raymond Fosca in Rouen, she decides to bring him home with her to Paris to "bring him back to his senses," as her boyfriend Roger tells another friend. (p. 18) When Fosca reveals to her he is immortal, she wants to cling to him, hoping to somehow benefit from his immortality.

She alone wants to exist for Fosca, despite Roger's admonition that "it's better to be loved by someone who's mortal, but who only loves you." (p. 39). Fosca knows better; he has already loved--more than once. He leaves her and Paris, but Regina finds him again. Why won't he return, she asks? She entreats him to tell his story to her to help her understand his "curse", and thus she (and you!) is propelled backwards and forwards into Fosca's immortal life.

There is so much history in this story that I was compelled to look up certain historical figures such as Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and Martin Luther, whom I'm only vaguely familiar with from jr. high history. It was then that I realized de Beauvoir had to have meticulously researched A LOT of history in order to seamlessly weave Fosca into medieval times through the 20th century...amazing!

Through Fosca, you see how others view him as an immortal, and yet you see how his character becomes numb, having accomplished just about everything a man can do in life--knowing he doesn't have a deadline to meet. He makes seemingly rash (selfish) decisions as well as thoughtful ones (thinking of others), through the centuries. For sure, he has a very adventurous life--but at what cost?

Only late night hours forced me to stop reading--otherwise, this was hard to put down. It kept me engaged with Fosca's thoughts and emotions...I thoroughly enjoyed it!

the Realm of Existentialism...

In the middle of a drought?
If it's yellow, let it mellow.
If it's brown, flush it down.

but, if it's a murky green and comes in a dusty old bottle from ancient Egypt, whose keeper is a crusty old street beggar being marched off to his death (to decrease the population of the city of Coroma because there is not enough to feed women, children and the old -- all are sacrificed in this book) -- well, that's the "Immortality Potion" in Simone de Beauvoir's All Men are Mortal -- and, there is only enough for One!

Would you drink it?

Fosca does!

The book begins in the present day, with Regina, an actress (blond, generous, ambitious, scared of death) who is not going to live forever (being a mere mortal, et al), but would like to be remembered...and, thus, live forever. early in the book, Regina discovers Fosca, who convinces her (by slitting his throat from ear-to-ear -- and then magically healing before she can faint) that he is immortal. hmmm, I guess that would work for me.

What can one do with so much time?

a) become a conquer -- crush everything, take all the booty

b) become a political conquer -- crush some things, take some booty "I decided to change my methods. Renouncing military parades, pitched battles and useless campaigns, I put all my efforts into weakening the enemy republics by practicing cunning politics." When you have "forever" on your side, most republics are enemy republics.

c) ho-hum (bored after so many years of fighting and collecting the same old booty) -- lead your armies up to the intended target and potential booty, and then just walk away without striking? Why? because suddenly, one is faced with the absurdity of it all, and enveloped with nausea.

d) Have a son; give him everything; protect him from all things harmful -- only to have him exercise his free-will and die in battle...doing what he most wanted to do -- see "a)" above.

e) Wait a minute...if one is immortal and there are obviously no gods, all things are possible -- How about one ruler for the entire planet, forever -- but through the use of mere mortals?

...and, this is only the first half of Simone de Beauvoir's (exquisitely crafted existential tale) All Men Are Mortal!

Never a dull moment! Beautifully translated. Historically, well researched and finely tuned. One scenario seamlessly fades into the next as one traverses Fosca's adventures of Immortality. This book reeks with basic existential themes. --Katharena Eiermann, 2007, the Realm of Existentialism -- Presidential Hopeful

All Men Are Mortal by Simone de Beauvoir

An amazing book. It tells the tale of Fosca who is cursed with immortality. Only in reading his tale do you fully understand and appreciate that because life is fleeting it is perfect. To outlive all those you've ever loved, as Fosca does, would be torture.
A must read.

In teaching undergraduates Existentialism, I found this book to be a wonderful addition to Sartre's _Being and Nothingness_, Buber's _I and Thou_ and Marcuse's _One-Dimensional Man._ In the novel, especially in the Prologue, De Beauvoir hits all the right chords and themes--the uneasy duality and unity of being-for-self and being-for Others; the necessity and contingency of facticity; the surpassing power of transcendence. Students seem to 'rest their eyes' from the abstract power of dialectic in Sartre and Marcuse on the very concrete descriptions that de Beauvoir offers. Following the novel with her _Ethics of Ambiguity_ only served to ground students further in the character of existentialism and its necessary outpouring into a finite, meaningful, ethical life. A good companion to this piece would be John Russon's _Human Experience_, especially the chapter he has on Memory and how we deposit our memories into the things of our experience. With that in mind, even ordinary passages of the novel, like the one in the Prologue where Annie makes Fosca pancakes and Regina wants them too, despite herself, take on much more meaning. For whom is the absolute? For the one who eats pancakes, the one for whom pancakes matter even when she doesn't want to want them.

What an excellent cookbook. And it makes a wonderful gift. The recipes are wonderful and the artistry in the book is delightful! I personally use this and have given several as gifts. Practical recipes. It is fun just to sit down and read it!

Autumn is my favorite season and this could well be one of my favorite cookbooks. As with any Susan Branch book, the illustrations are delightful. The recipes are great, too (and not only for the autumn season).

This is a book that will lift your spirits on a gloomy day.

Susan Branch has the knack of making the ordinary truly extraordinary. Forget Nigella, she is truly the first domestic goddess. This book oozes charm and comfort, I can smell the fermenting orange and gold leaves and hear the drizzle lightly pattering away on the front porch whilst I'm warm and cosy with my recipes indoors. Such is the power of this book, as I live in a country that doesn't even have an Autumn to speak of! The recipes are lovely but they are almost secondary to the feelings and creativity this book inspires with it's beautiful rustic drawings and charming thoughts in Susan's familiar swirling script. A delight as always.

I admit, autumn is my favorite time of year. The cooler weather, just perfect for sweaters. . . the leaves of crimson, copper and gold. . . the sweet-tart taste of an apple pie fresh from the oven. . . . Susan Branch does a beautiful job of capturing the essence of autumn through her stories, recipes, decorating ideas, and charming illustrations. This is a book to be savored, and it makes a lovely gift as well. Here's hoping that Susan creates books on spring and winter as well!

I thoroughly enjoyed this edition of Susan Branch's popular Heart of the Home series. I am planning to give this to my daughter-in-law to be to help her start her own family memories. Not only are the recipes good, but I enjoy as much the memories Susan shares with her readers. The recipes are clear to follow and the serving suggestions go a long way in making a lovely presentation. Thanks, Susan!

Baxter's "Explore the Book" is one of the most excellent surveys of scripture available. Dr. Baxter's comments are warm, devotional, and practical. However, his suggestion of a possible mid-tribulational rapture (instead of pre-tribulational) concerns me, as does his hyper-dispensational view that Israel was offered the Kingdom a second time in the book of Acts. The Bible clearly teaches that Israel will not receive the Kingdom until the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ and the establishment of his literal, physical Millenial Reign at the end of the Great Tribulation period. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone desiring a deeper understanding of the Bible.

Explore the Book is an excellent source for Bible study. It is extremely detailed, but readable. Baxter's style is scholarly, yet his descriptions are easily understood by readers of all levels of understanding of the Word.

I recommend it highly.

If I had to give up everything but my Bible, this work would be on my top three "to keep" list. It is a wealth of information. Seldom do I preach, teach or approach any Biblical sermon or topic without consulting Baxter.

Baxter takes each book of the Bible and analyzes it like a masterful painting. His interpretative method of dissection holds the Scriptures in their high place, and wonderfully unveils the very plan and purposes of God woven throughout them. It is a magnum opus of Biblical exposition.

From lay Sunday School teacher to seminarian, _Explore The Book_ provides great utility. It is among the most practical and useful tools on my bookshelf.

It is actually a three volume set in one, and is a bargain when you consider the price against its utility.

Explore the Book by J. Sidlow Baxter is an absolute phenomenon. This book is to be compared with C-4. It is powerful and explosive!! Baxter does a superior job in analyzing the Holy Scriptures and presenting the facts so that the average lay person may fully grasp pertinent spiritual knowledge. I particularly appreciate how Baxter provides the historical account of the Bible. It helps the reader to understand the original scene and setting, which further assists in our relating the Bible to our modern culture. We do not possess the Bible but we possess a translation of the Bible and Baxter delivers a solid and accurate supplement to our social and cultural understanding. Explore the Book is a must read for everyone that is involved in some kind of ministry. From historical analysis to "type teaching", Baxter's writing clearly packs an awesome punch! I highly recommend that every library of Christian literature save an open slot for Explore the Book. Kudos!

Baxter's Explore the Book can be likened to a treasure map. The Bible is full of gems, a veritable (and verifiable) treasure trove of insight, information, encouragement, and direction, all given under the inspiration of God. At times, though, the underlying message can seem hard to find, or to fully understand when it is discovered. This is where the value of Explore the Book comes in-it is the map to help the reader discover the treasure of God's Word in its fullness.

Explore the Book is actually a complete Bible survey course in one (rather large but comprehensive) volume. Each book of the Bible is given an overview including analysis, a synopsis, and the special features of each. More importantly, however, are the practical applications of the meaning and of the message in each book of the Bible.

Even readers without any background in Bible study will find Explore the Book greatly interesting and helpful, as will those more experienced students of Scripture (including pastors and teachers). This book leads the reader/student to a deeper awareness and appreciation of the grand themes of the Word of God, from Genesis through Revelation.

I am not a parent thus, this book allows me an insight into full time parenthood. I was attracted to this book not because it preaches parental duties, rather, I was intrigued by what a child could teach me about life- the title of the edition that I have does not mention trout fishing nor jelly toast. Before I commenced reading this book, I already have preconceived ideas about what these teachings are. Got some of these correct while missing some. One that struck me intensely was the depiction of the elder child wanting to kick a dead squirrel. How real and how many times we want to do the same but never cos' it is not the honorable thing to do, so we think. But kids are more intuitive and unpolluted by the adult notion of what's right and what's wrong. They just do what come to their mind. The search for a good school will strike a chord with any parent struggling to decide which school is best for his/ her child.

If you feel you aren't capable of dealing with the stories Marc brings up in this book, think twice about bringing a child into this world. People register their dogs, doctor's should pass this book out when they talk to woman about having children.

Great book. I too, miss Casey and Owen.

This book is wonderful beyond words. I read it, then my husband read it. We both laughed (I cried) and agreed that it was, indeed, one of the best books we have ever read (and we read quite a bit). Anyone who has children should read this and keep a copy on hand. We have purchased at least five copies and hand them out to friends who are expecting, grandparents, relatives, etc... The writing is great and the subject matter endearing.

Marc Parent knows what it's all about: the small things. Maple syrup and cowboy boots. Autumn leaves and Play Doh. The ironic afternoon on that ordinary Wednesday with the ceaselessly crying baby, the gap-toothed kindergartner, chocolate milk dribbled on the good sofa, no-you-can't-have-another-cookie. And silently pleading for five quiet minutes to write one more paragraph...one more page...daddy will be right there. Although the work at home option is idealized in current society, "Believing It All: What my Children Taught Me About Trout Fishing, Jelly Toast, and Life" provides an accurate yet optimistic viewpoint, observing children with their uncomplicated lives, simple pleasures exchanged all too soon, and the commitment needed to juggle work/family in the same location. A memoir more interested in the everyday nothing that constitutes a life of something, it's surprisingly worth a read for the 20-something childless as well as the harried soccer Mom (or Dad) who can relate entirely too well. Stroller walks, afternoon naps, and tying shoes. The novelty of all the small things which so quickly pass away, yielding to yellow school buses and the Nintendo blur. Laugh, cry, remember, anticipate, and perhaps most of all, face your brood with renewed mirth after an hour of peace and quiet reading alone on that milk-stained sofa.

As a part-time stay-at-home dad, I greatly enjoyed reading "Believing It All". It did take me awhile mostly because I didn't want it to end (also due to frequent diaper changes, nose wiping, sprinkler running cleanup, etc. ) Many of the challenges Marc and Susan faced (and are currently facing) during their two boy's early years will be familiar to parents of young children, but above this I would say this book is a must read for anyone who has children, who is thinking about having children, and who cares about children in any way. This book, I believe, charts a course for a new way of interacting with children and it's the best book I've read in a long time. Keep up the good work, Marc!

He has done it again. I love this man. I can relate to him so much. He has given me the desire to change my life.

Pray it Forward: Spiritual Growth Meditations

Pray it Forward: Daily Meditations

I've come across this Jewel of a book after reading "The Greatest Salesman in the World" This little handbook of rules to live by is the only set of rules you will ever need to lead a wonderful life. I laughed and cried while reading because his writings ring so true. How fortunate of me to have come across such a wonderful little book that can transform anyone's life for the better. Read it, enjoy it, apply it to your life and enjoy all that life has to offer you.

Og Mandino is the greatest inspirational writer of our time! This book is just another example of what a fine human being he was! I just hope there's someone out there to continue his legacy. A really great read!

Illustrative with many of his inspiring and life changing stories, Og Mandino tells us in this book, that "we have forgotten one of the basic facts of life. When we were given dominion over this world, we were also given dominion over ourselves. We are our own navigators. It was never God's intention to chart a map for each of us." "Life is a game" he also says, "it's spiritual, mysterious and precious." But in order to play the game you have to know the rules.
Seventeen rules (to be exact) to live by in order to lead a better way to live.
This book can easily be read in one afternoon. As you start the book you will be invited by the author to sit down and relax in his company as he takes on the role of a racconteur, as only Og Mandino does best.

I have read everyone of Og Mandinos Books and all I can say is that he writes with brilliance, clarity, enthusiasm, and spirit. You can never go wrong with any of his books. He points out the path to success and motivates the spirit within to achieve all that we as human beings are capable. He helped me to tap into my innate genuis and create a life of prosperity and creativity. If you havent raed his books, start now and your journey of the spirit will begin. He was a born writer and even after his passing continues to have a great influence on many people old and young. He truly lived a purposeful and divine life. Go buy all his books and enjoy the growth and enlightenment. After that Buy my Book " Your daily Walk with the Great Minds of the Past and Present". Enjoy and rememeber you are capable of great things in your life.

With the backdrop of the emerging black middle-class in segregated Washington, D.C., during World War II, author Brad Snyder tells the compelling story of two baseball clubs and the push to integrate one professional league.

There is Homestead Grays founder Cum Posey, who is looking to relocate his franchise from Pittsburgh before the start of the 1940 season. And there is Clark Griffith, owner of the pathetic Washington Senators, who can briefly shuffle aside his racism for a business deal that will bring a new revenue stream to his bank account when the team is playing away from Griffith Stadium.

This initial tenuous partnership delivered a surprise to Griffith; the Grays exemplary play on the field found them outdrawing the cellar-dwelling Senators and galvanizing a new generation of baseball fans. That success - even with onerous stadium leases common when NLB teams played in facilities used by Major League Baseball clubs - helped propel the integration of MLB in 1947.

The era is also seen through legendary sportswriters Sam Lacy & Wendell Smith, Buck Leonard - the greatest pro first baseman - and in the offices of MLB, especially the Senators.

Griffith - who certainly could have worked out some type of agreement with the Grays for players to bolster the Senators before the Dodgers signed Robinson - was only a pioneer in segregation, integrating his team seven years after Robinson's debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers and ultimately fleeing Washington, D.C., relocating his team to the whiter Minneapolis-St. Paul market.

With the success of Robinson came the slow disintegration of NLB - the league that was truly integrated on the field, in the stands and in the front offices - as MLB teams raided the club rosters for established stars and began scouting & signing younger players to contracts.

Snyder has brought this forgotten period beyond the shadows of the simplistic retelling of the past that plagues all levels American history.

Let me be clear, this is a great book, rather than just a very good one. In nine chapters, plus an introduction and conclusion, Washington, D.C., based attorney turned writer has told the powerful and sometimes provocative story of how the Homestead Grays moved to Washington, D.C., and set the stage for the breaking down of the color line in Major League Baseball (MLB). In this important book Brad Snyder moves beyond the singular actions of Branch Rickey's Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson, which most people are familiar with, to explore the broader implications of race relations in baseball during the 1940s.

In telling this story, "Beyond the Shadow of the Senators" is filled with heroes and villains. The most significant hero is unquestionably Sam Lacy, a black writer with the "Washington Tribune," a weekly oriented toward D.C.'s large African American community, who consistently called for the desegregation of MLB. Also heroic are the great stars of the Negro Leagues, especially Buck Leonard, Satchel Paige, and Josh Gibson, all of whom came to Washington to play before large crowds in the nation's capital. They demonstrated through their exploits the quality of talent in the Negro leagues, especially when juxtaposed against the hapless play of the Washington Senators of the American League. The villains include Clark Griffith, the financially strapped owner of the Senators whose willingness to rent Griffith Stadium to the Grays proved lucrative, and Grays owner Cumberland Posey who shifted his team from the Pittsburgh area to Washington to cater to the large middle-class African American community in Washington. Both Griffith and Posey had every reason to keep the segregated system intact because of the money they made. Moreover, Griffith was a blatant racist who integrated reluctantly and eventually moved the Senators from Washington to Minneapolis-St. Paul because, as he said in 1978, "you've got good, hardworking white people here" (p. 289).

Ranging broadly from social history to baseball and back, Snyder captures the essence of the history of the Senators, the Grays, and wartime Washington's racial situation. It is a story of love and hate at the same time, as well as the quest for dignity of the minority population in a divided city. "Beyond the Shadow of the Senators" is a powerful book. Enjoy.

Brad is an excellent researcher and writer. This book is not only enjoyable but educational. I met Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe and Lester Lockett, two former Negro League players, a few years ago and their stories started my interest. Brad fed that interest beautifully. I look forward to Brad's next book on Curt Flood and the reserve clause. His attention to detail is consistent with his legal background.

Tim Moreland, PhD
Salisbury, NC

"Beyond the Shadow of the Senators'' is a must read for any serious student of baseball history. The author put a massive amount of research into this engaging account, of which I knew nothing even though I grew up in Washington not long after these events took place. This is an outstanding work in every regard. I have never met the author and I am not an African-American (not that anybody should care); I am just a fan of baseball and its history. If you are, too: Read this book.

This is a great, and true-to-life (i.e., "complex") story about the institution of 'Negro' League baseball and the various parties who profited and railed against it.

Key people that are introduced and brought to life are:
Buck Leonard, Satchel Paige, and Josh Gibson -- three of the greatest ballplayers who ever lived;
Clark Griffith -- the pioneering, penurious and controlling owner of the Washington Senators;
Sam Lacy -- the ahead-of-his-time, DC-native who tirelessly advocated for the integration of Major League Baseball; as well as
Cum(berland) Posey -- the shrewd owner of the Homestead Grays -- the dominant team of the loosely confederated Negro Leagues during the late 30's and 40's.

Tangential to this story are:
the decimation of the post 1933 Senators, mostly due to finances and an inadequate ballpark;
the relative prosperity of Washington DC during the years of the depression and WWII and the partial equality of African-American government workers that led to a vibrant culture and ability to spend on entertainment;
the move by Posey and his "partner" (many of the Negro League baseball teams were financed by numbers entreprenuers) to Washington from their Pittsburgh home and the welcome of their rental payments and gate pctgs. by Clark Griffith;
Judge Landis' death, the increasing awareness of America's incongruity in its fight for freedom and democracy in Europe while maintaining a virtual apartheid culture at home; and
the greed/opportunity of baseball owners to find the best talent at the lowest price which ultimately led to Rickey's "great experiment");

This book also fleshes out the background and conflict around Jackie Robinson, who was rightly judged to be a great man and the right vehicle for Rickey's efforst, and the shared opinions that he was a good, but not all-time great Negro baseball player. [Check out how well a 42-yr old Satchel Paige pitched for the World Championship Indians in 1948.]

The shifts in attitude between "separate but equal" and complete integration by the various parties reveal primarily self-interest. Judged by the standards of our time, I share many others' great respect for Sam Lacy and his tireless, moral advocacy and feel sorry for the Negro League baseball owners who were mostly left with nothing as they rarely had enforceable contracts that protected their relationship with their players.

Clark Griffith was an "innovator" in attracting inexpensive talent from Cuba. Many of these players represented themselves well on the ballfield but would only be acceptable if they were of "Spanish" descent.

Utterly inconceivable now, but the norm for over 60 years (since Cap Anson helped institute the "gentleman's agreement" against employment of African Americans in the early 1880's) was to allow a Major or Minor League ballclup to employ pretty much anyone (Swedes, Germans, Irish, Italians, Jews, etc.) anyone, except African-Americans.

It has often been discussed that without Jackie Robinson (& the parts played by Branch Rickey, Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese, Ben Chapman, etc.) the 1954 "Brown vs. Board of Education" decision would not have happened as quickly.

This book provides a wonderful companion story to the integration of major league baseball which, in my opinion, is one of the most significant stories of 20th Century United States.