United States Books

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This book proves beyond a doubt that Lisa Williams is the "real deal". In her trademark personal tone that makes you feel like you know her, Lisa recalls her abilities coming to the fore during her childhood. She has found a unique way to use her gift to help others - amazing! If I were a TV programming exec, I'd create a format for Lisa to showcase her innate talent. Merv Griffin was way ahead of the curve on this one!

This is a wonderful book, I really enjoyed it. It reads like a novel and there is even a wonderful romance in it. It is not about the spiritual realm but about the life of this remarkable woman.

Her insight into her gift and the effect unseen forces have upon us is captivating. I like her spunk and I agree with most of her beliefs. I read the book and do feel that it will have a positive affect on whosoever reads it. If they read it with an open mind.

Whatever Lisa does in this life surely we are blessed to have her input into the spirit realm. I truly wish to see my loved ones again and to find that in the darkest place I was never alone. As a christian I have no trouble believing that God uses many people and ways to reveal Himself.

A very good read.

I really enjoyed reading about Lisa. She is an amazing person and very down to earth. Got to see her in person in May and enjoyed that a lot. Would love to have a reading with her.

An easy read and a delightful self written story of a young woman born with the gift of a medium maturing and following in the footsteps of her grandmother who was a well known medium in England.
T. S. in Decatur, GA

After reading this book and then seeing Lisa in Nashville on July 19th (and finding out yesterday that no one other than country-music legend Johnny Cash came through at that event, held at the Ryman Auditorium where he and June Carter Cash, who also came through that night along with his first wife, had performed countless times- his daughter was in the audience and got read, but no one there at that time, including Lisa, knew who they were during the reading!!!), I can say that Lisa is the real thing when it comes to psychic mediums. She is such a bright light, full of love and healing for those with open minds and hearts, I highly recommend this book, her website, and most certainly seeing her in person. My husband and I drove 3 hours to see her, and he WAS a skeptic- until his mother, her mother and his two great-aunts came through. Plus, he is a HUGE Johnny Cash fan, and I couldn't wait to tell him what I had learned from reading Lisa's blog, that she found out what family she had been reading for after the show, during the book-signing meet-and-hug. She was oblivious as the rest of us during the reading and was truly star-struck to find out what a legend had honored us with his presence that night. I just love her and want to assure the rest of you out there who hold Lisa dear that she said another tv show is on the way, a "daily show", network and details to be announced (watch her website!!!).

Now, get the book and find out for yourself. Enjoy reading with an open mind and open heart and life just might hold some surprise gifts for you, too! Blessings, SS

The Little House series are great read aloud books.

Our daughter is five and this series is perfectly age appropriate, even though an older child would enjoy them equally as well. For younger ones (three or so), there is a great picture book series called "My first little house books," or something like that. One of these is a story based of a chapter in this book and is called "Christmas in the Big Woods."

These CD's are great for long trips in the car. The narrator's voice is wonderful. The adults will find themselves enjoying listening themselves.

"One the Banks of Plum Creek" is the best of the series. It is the one where Mary and Laura go to school and where the character of Nellie Olson is introduced. Her brand of spoiled rotten meanness is nothing short of tantalizing to a five year old. Also, there are the wonderful Christmas chapters.

Just excellent, all around. I highly recommend the books to read alound and the CD's.

Whether you have read the Little House books or have never heard of them, this book on tape is wonderful for everyone from small children to adults. The narrator who reads it does an amazing job of capturing the childhood wonderment and emotions Laura was trying to convey. It is also so interesting to hear the way families lived back in the 1800's. I could listen to this book on tape over and over again.

Book review
I did my report on the book called On the Banks of Plum Creek.
The author of this novel is Laura Ingalls Wilders. It is also historical fiction.
This story is about a family that is very close. There is baby Carrie the littlest, the middle child was Laura but her nick name was Little Half Pint, and the oldest is named Mary. Mary was such a little lady she always did what her mother told her to do. But Laura was the rebel in the family she was always getting dirty or getting into trouble. But Carrie is too little to have a background. Pa traded his horses and bunny for a dugout from Mr. Nelson. There was a creek close to the house and they played there often but they must never go into the deep waters with out Pa or Ma (Laura learned that lesson fast).
I loved this book because I love the time period it was set in and I have read many stories by the same author like Little House in the Big Woods. It would suit some one who loves Family stories and the time period and his farm world it is more like a fun book to read but it is Historical fiction as well.

Laura Ingalls is now eight-years-old, her sister Mary is nine, and Carrie is still just a tiny tot. While they are all still quite young, they are expected to help out with the chores around the house - from sweeping to dusting, cooking and setting the table. But this year, the girls are in a strange new place. Looking to settle in an area where a school and church are close by, and the Ingalls' have a chance to grow a wonderful crop that will provide quite a profit, the family heads to Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Traveling by covered wagon, the family, along with all of their belongings, travels all the way through Indian Territory, across Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa, stopping at their destination in Minnesota. There, they are surrounded by Norwegian's who speak very little English. However, they are good neighbors who assist them in times of trouble. Trading their horses for a home located under the ground, Laura's family begins to call Minnesota their home. And, before long, Pa has built a lovely home by the banks of Plum Creek. He believes that his wheat crop will provide enough funds to pay off their debts when the time comes. But when locusts invade in cloud-like swarms, eating everything in their sight, the family must endure hardships that were unexpected.

But things are not all bad. Having never attended school before, Laura and Mary are finally near enough a schoolhouse where they can attend daily lessons that help them develop reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. It is at this particular school where the two older Ingalls girls are exposed to children - both male and female - who are close to their age. Some of whom title Mary and Laura "country girls." But the label does not affect how the two sisters view themselves, or their family; and only gives them the courage to befriend various girls who love to spend time with them. It is at school, however, that Laura encounters the spoiled, yet oh-so-pretty, Nellie Oleson, who goes out of her way to give both Laura and Mary a hard time. But Laura isn't having any of it, and resolves to get even with the vicious Nellie, even if it upsets her Ma and Pa. Luckily, with Ms. Beadle - the schoolteacher - around, Laura and Mary have the confidence to stand up for themselves, and receive the education that their Ma always wanted them to have; while getting the socialization they deserve. But even attending school doesn't excuse them from having to assist their family when the going gets tough.

Up until last year, I had been a diehard fan of the LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE TV series, but had never had the opportunity to delve into the wonderful tales told by Laura Ingalls Wilder herself. Upon reading the introduction novel, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, I quickly fell in love with the Ingalls family all over again; and, since then, they have taken up residence in my heart, and kept me fascinated with the various adventures they experienced throughout their lives. Laura is such a lively, brave, fun-loving character; whose ambition, kindness, and, oft-times, naughtiness, make her appealing from start to finish. Her relationship with her family is hard to resist, as she manages to please and displease them on a daily basis, all to the jovial laughter of her father. I believe that Pa (Charles) is one of the most important characters in the series, as he is such a kind, loyal man; who rarely scolds, and spends his downtime entertaining his family with music from his fiddle, and stories that leave you chuckling. The family, as a whole, are the type of people you would absolutely love to have the chance to know. They are kind to strangers, helpful to neighbors, and both Ma and Pa are two of the most selfless people in literature. The information regarding Rocky Mountain locusts was both interesting, and frightening; but truly provides a wonderful history lesson for the young reader. While the introduction of the devilish Nellie Oleson provides quite a bit of humor, as she and Laura trade insults with one another at almost every meeting between the two. Ingalls did a marvelous job of penning such a cheerful addition to the series; and, thus far, ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK has become my favorite LITTLE HOUSE book yet. A can't-miss addition to the series!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK -- Who could forget the plague of grasshoppers, or spoiled Nellie's encounter with the crab, or Pa's sojourn in the blizzard, among other adventures?

We -- my three homeschooled grandchildren and I -- are going through the Laura Ingalls Wilder series of books for the second time. We read them aloud during story time, and love every minute. These are books written about an American pioneer family in the 1800s with a strong moral compass. In an unsentimental style, the author writes simply of the day-to-day life she experienced firsthand growing up. As the title of this review suggests, a central theme, not only of this book, but the entire series, is that "Pa loves Ma, and Ma loves Pa, and all's right with the world," including in the face of all kinds of adversity and opportunity alike.

I enrich this time for my grandchildren by stopping occasionally to explain and discuss what we are reading about, be it an unusual word usage, a custom no longer practiced, how to do something by hand, historical facts... We have even stopped to do some research and measure out the height of a bear. Our family tradition is that the eldest grandchild (now 11) reads the last page of these books. Otherwise, I usually do the reading. We also try to get started right away on the next book in the series, the same day as we finish the one before, so as not to lose our momentum.

After going through the series the first time, we discovered (almost by accident at the local library) several other series of books, written by other authors, about Laura's great-grandmother Martha in Scotland, her grandmother Charlotte in Boston, and her mother Caroline in Wisconsin, so we decided to start over with the first of those books and carry on through. There is also a series about Laura's daughter Rose which we have not gotten to yet.

Reading through the other series in order has been time well invested. Like Laura, we have strong family roots in Scotland. We have four generations of our family living within close proximity, so my grandchildren know my father, their beloved great-grandfather, quite well, and this series helps them gain a feel of family and historical continuity, generation to generation. (Check for related book series under: Martha Years, Charlotte Years, Caroline Years, Rose Years).

I am investing in and building our own set of all these books in hardcover, having told my grandchildren that I plan to be around to read them to *their* grandchildren!

In a world saturated with stories overcoming life challenges, Remember This Titan delivers a message unlike any I have read.
Steve Sullivan's ability to capture the essence of Coach Bill Yoast while weaving in an out of the life narrative is remarkable. He has cleverly captured in words, the essence of a man who made it his life's commitment to make a difference and inspire. Sullivan has beautifully portrayed with drama, insight and humor, the life of a man whose unwavering commitment to others enabled them to prosper- all became better, some became great. Many went on to positively impact on other's lives and for this, Sullivan's book is a brilliant reminder that the `Domino Effect' can be a powerful force.
Although Coach Bill Yoast is in the twilight of his journey, Remember This Titan and the wisdom it delivers is a legacy that will live forever.

A friend sent me the book as gift. She said it would change my life. She was right. It took me on a glorious trip. In a world filled with deceit, fear, anger and lost people Remember This Titan shows how one man can make a differance. Remember This Titan is a story that delivers integrity and courage in abundance. Coach Bill Yoast is now my hero. Remember This Titan is triumph and should be required reading for anyone looking to navigate life with a sense of purpose. Five Stars is not enough.

This is a great motivational and uplifting story. A must read for teens and parents alike!!

"Remember This Titan" is an excellent story of an American hero. In a time when personal glory is mainstream, Bill Yoast was not only an inspiration to a community but to the nation as well. Absorbing every word of a simply beautiful story of a no-nonsense man, I learned that, "In navigating life, the best lessons are learned when the riding gets rough". Not only do I believe in the philosophy of life according to Coach Yoast but our entire youth organization and metro area are looking forward to having Mr. Sullivan and Coach Yoast motivate our young men for our 2006 football season. I look forward to meeting Coach Bill Yoast and Steve Sullivan in August, (www.greenmountainfootball.org) and showing them that the TITAN theory exists in Colorado. Steve Sullivan along with Bill Yoast are truly the cornerstone of INSPIRATION.

Remember This Titan, is a wonderful accounting of Bill Yoast's life, ups and downs, the expected and the unexpected. It is the story of a man who LIVED decency long before it was fashionable. The success of the team, both on the field and in their interpersonal relationships, was nurtured by the presence of this fine teacher, leader and coach. In a time when schools go out of their way to emphasize that character counts, this is a fine, enjoyable book to share with the children/students in your life. There are so many valuable lessons, from Mary's impact on Coach Yoast to the profound influence of Raymond Tetfeller on Yoast's young life. This book is beautifully written. It flows with astonishing honesty from humor to heart-wrenching pain. Sullivan has an obvious knowledge, understanding and respect for Coach Yoast. As if all of the above isn't enough, there are action plans and lists of invaluable facts in the back. Remember This Titan is a great read which has had a lasting impact on me. p.s. I had a student at the end of the year say, "Hey, Ms. Stewart are YOU reading a football book, cool!" Enjoy.

After reading this I somehow felt changed. Written so well that you feel her emotions immensely throughout the book. I didn't want to put it down.

When Boken Glass Floats tells the story of a young girl and her experiences and life as she lives in Cambodia with the Khmer Rouge. It is very emotional as she weaves the story of her family in the labor camps and then the periods spent in the refugee camps in Cambodia and Thailand. I recommend it as a five star book.

A great book. A very sad account of a young girl that reflect the experiences of million Cambodian refugees. Also showed what perseverance and setting goals can achieve. If Miss Him can survive and succeed, so should everyone.
Highly recommend this book.

When Broken Glass Floats is the author's journey to find the magic of a world lost as a result of the Khmer Rouge. This book, as a personal account of the Khmer Rouge regime, is also my personal journey as a reader and a Khmer person. Through this magical journey, my own forgotten memories are awakened and many traditional beliefs that I have pushed to the back of my mind resurface.

I was too young to have memories of the Killing Fields, but I have heard enough stories to feel connected to it. There were gaps missing in my memory and this book filled those gaps. When Broken Glass Floats is poetic and touching, a book rooted in the author's desire to let the world know about the tragic death of her family. It begins when her memories are awakened as a result of her work as an interpreter and interviewer for the Khmer Adolescent Project, studying post-traumatic stress disorder among Cambodian survivors. This is a story of triumph, survival, and hope written from the Khmer soul of a Cambodian-American woman.

When Broken Glass Floats is a book with two moving and powerful purposes: one, as a therapeutic tool for the author, and, two, as a reminder of an event that should never have occurred. The author describes her book as a way "to use the power of words to caution the world, and in the process to heal myself" (p. 23). The process of writing the book became a trek to the Himalayas, "a search to recapture the long-lost magic in [her] life" (p. 23). My travels have taken me to the Himalayas. I have been seeking magic for my own healing like the author of When Broken Glass Floats. The process of reading her book and other autobiographies has provided much healing. I recommend this book for everyone who is interested in this subject, but in particular to Cambodian-Americans, because this book can take you on a journey into yourself, your soul, memories, and past.

This was an entirely good read. One of the amazing things I kept realizing as I read is Chanrithy Him has condensed a number of harrowing years of into just ~300 pages, so the reader only hears about some of her experiences - there's probably much more that didn't make it to the pages of this memoir. Also, Him's story is only one out of myriad others . . . thousands of thousands of Cambodian people who could tell a story even more devastating than Him's.

When Broken Glass Floats kept me interested from cover to cover, and I enjoyed Him's writing style. It's likely I can't say anything positive that hasn't already been said, so I'll pick out a couple of things I wonder if other readers noticed.

For one, the black and white family photos included in the book did not resemble the images I had of disease-stricken, starving children Him described. For instance - granted he is wearing a shirt in the photos, none of the pictures show Map (Him's youngest sibling) with a protruding belly - although towards the end of the book Him tells her readers Map fails to lose this effect of starvation even after his diet improves. Similarly, the photo of Ra on her wedding day shows a young woman who looks healthy (nice complexion, full cheeks, hair in an up-do, clean floral shirt), so I couldn't help but feel confused because this is far from how Him described her physically weak, skinny sister who was barely recognize at times. I realize the photo was taken during better times, but do people so sick and hungry recover to that degree so quickly? Also, the memoir chronicles countless dizzying days, months, and years of walking, working, and barely surviving from severe dehydration, starvation, infection, diarrhea, disease, and depression; personal belongings (books, valuables, etc.) were stolen, taken by the Khmer Rouge, and lost along the way. Under those conditions, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of doubt as I read about the photos Him had "managed to keep safe during the Khmer Rouge time" (p. 330) and the "cream lace blouse from Phnom Penh, which she (Ra) managed to keep safe during the Khmer Rouge time" (p.286). Given the circumstances described, this just didn't seem plausible. But who knows . . . not a major problem for me, it just caught my attention - as did the typographical errors I found from time to time.

Great book . . . would have enjoyed a bit more of a history lesson. If that's what you're seeking you might look elsewhere, because this is a tale focused on a very strong and intelligent young girl's survival.

This is an excellent book. It is written in a warm and caring manner which is easy to understand. It is full of information not just for anyone dealing with a dementia patient, but for anybody who is caring for another person, (or who may think at some point they will). It covers subjects which apply to the caring of anyone who is ill and/or elderly, even if it is not dementia. I would recommend this book to anyone, before they are faced with the illness. I wish I'd read it sooner, but better late than never. Absolutely a great book, it should be in every library. I plan to buy 2 copies for my library, I will definitely NOT donate mine. I can't say enough good things about this book.

This book, now in its 4th edition, is absolutely one of the finest books that has been written regarding Alzheimer's Disease and the process of care giving. Full of detail about the disease, this book also takes it a step further, providing very practical information on care giving, making a home / care giving setting a safe place, and, frankly, providing suggestions for periodic care giving to the care giver. Throughout the several editions, I have come to recommend, loan, give, patients and care givers this book perhaps 50 times or more, and, every time I hear the same thing - "what a helpful, fantastic book!". Published by Johns Hopkins and holding a 95% 5 star rating on Amazon, it's unbeatable. it's 600 pages long. that might, at first blush, seem like a lot to read. none of us who give care to others can set aside 10 to 60 hours (depending on your reading speed) right away to read it all and made sense of it all. Take your time. It's not a race to get through it - it's a race to understand the contents - take your time and begin to put into practice an additional suggestion each day. This book is a labor of love and is worth the price, used, new, and way more (oh no - don't tell Johns Hopkins that or they'll start charging us a lot more!!). Best of luck, and be sure to find for yourself a support group in your community or on-line.

Absolutely the definitive book for anyone dealing with dementia, alzheimers, etc. Great to give to all family members. Very thorough and easy reading.

My mother has been diagnosed with dementia, probably Alzheimer's, and I have been seeking information to help me understand and deal with her deteriorating mental capabilities. This book provided great examples of what to expect, what others have gone through, and how to deal with some of the more difficult issues. It was recommended to me by a geriatric case manager, and I highly recommend it to others.

I appreciate what the authors put together in this book - it has a ton of useful info and has helped me in understanding (and thus adding alittle patience) to what is happening with several senior members of my family.

Not all the info is relevant to my needs, but that's the point, not everyone has the same issues to deal with.

Thanks!

I was thumbing through some books at my local library, when I came across the book Ceremony Of The Innocent by Taylor Caldwell, and I could remember reading that this was Stevie Nicks favorite book, so I decided to give it a try, and I am glad I did, because it turned me on to a wonderful author named Taylor Caldwell. Captain and The Kings is my second book of Taylors to read, and I also enjoyed it as well. I am now on the look out for other Taylor Caldwell books.

I have not received this book at this time. I hope someone will contact me about this. I have e-mailed back I have not received it. Thank you.
Bobby Thompson

Enjoyed this book and bought a copy to send to my mother an avid reader.

One of many wonderful books Taylor Caldwell wrote. This one makes you wonder who's really in charge of things.

If I could recommend only one book, it would be Taylor Caldwell's "Captains and the Kings." Here are three reasons.

Caldwell's fascinating tale is filled with ironic, powerful, and unique insight into human nature and behavior. She will entice you into turning page after page without rest, until you reach the end of her story. Then you'll sit wondering if you really read all that, tempted to go back to read it again. Craftsmanship and story-weaving earns "Captains and the Kings" a place among the world's ten best books.

Caldwell writes historical fiction with intimate knowledge and perception. Her readers often wonder if she actually lived through the times she depicts with her pen. It's been said that she believed that herself; many of her other books tend to encourage this idea. "Captains and the Kings" offers a vivid and unsettling view of an earlier and much different America, in a time that was more free and open than our modern age, but also more dangerous and a great deal more heartless. If you've always wondered what the term "nitty gritty" means, read this novel! So saying, I boost the book into my top-five list!

Finally, this book has defined my experience with personal computers, the Internet, and Reality (tm) itself! After purchasing an Amiga 1000 almost twenty years ago, I found my way onto a BBS that feaured FidoNet forums. I began reading and posting on the "Issues" board. One poster commented cryptically that "Taylor Caldwell's 'Captains and the Kings' exposes how the Council on Foreign Relations rules the world." I was driven (as if by an invisible hand) to the public library, seeking out Taylor Caldwell's book. I found a captivating, often dark story that gripped my interest in sinuous coils as its weaving, bobbing head rose up to mess with my memes. With her right hand, Caldwell uses her suburb writer's skill to dazzle and entertain, but the whole time, her Left hand is busy imparting knowledge and understanding of how things really work in this world. She administers her synergistic potion in just the right strength, proportion, and rhythm to assure that most of us who might never otherwise read about a "Conspiracy" lap this up like mother's milk. During the ensuing decades, I used the 'Net to verify what I'd read; and I learned a whole lot more.

In retrospect, speaking as someone who has "earned a Ph.D. in Conspiracy Theory," it's necessary to add a small disclaimer: Caldwell does not tell all. There are things she could not or would not divulge. But don't fret! If you've had your eyes on the news the past few years - and especially the last few weeks - you'll certainly discern the missing part. The late Sufi, Idries Shah, claimed there are times when long-hidden knowledge suddenly becomes available to one and all. We are living through such a time!

Summarizing, Captains and the Kings is a remarkably well-written and captivating piece of historical fiction that will carry you back to an earlier and intriguing America at the same time it fuels you with subtle insight and knowledge and kick starts your thinking machine, proving once and for all that willful ignorance is the only real sin.

I visited Amazon this evening to buy a used copy of this book for a workplace friend. So I dedicate this review of Taylor Caldwell's "Captains and the Kings" to Ernestine.

I'm a mother of a toddler and expecting my second baby at Christmastime. I was blessed with a beautiful (for a hospital) birth with my son and hope that I'll have the same experience with this baby -- but I know from experience that I may have to fight for it. I may have to argue with the nurse who wants me to lie on my back, I may have to tell the doctor that I do NOT want an episiotomy, and I may have to kick out the residents buzzing around.

Why do women who want a natural, hands-off birth (without induction, without epidurals, without C-sections) have to fight so hard for one in a hospital setting?

"Pushed" is a very well-researched, readable look at how we got to this point. Block talks to mothers, midwives, doulas and doctors and, I think, really presents all sides of this issue.

I particularly appreciated her interviews with doctors who were sympathetic to moms who want VBACs or vaginal breech deliveries but unable to offer them because of insurance liability reasons. (If I were a doctor, I wouldn't want to risk losing my home or my kids' college fund so that someone else could have a VBAC, honestly.) This is an issue that I think gets the short shrift in many books and articles on modern birth -- it's not that doctors are necessarily trying to manage birth so that they can get to the tee times or make a few extra bucks from a C-section. Many of them want to help mothers have their ideal births but just can't take the risk, from a legal standpoint.

I do wish that Block had presented more solutions -- ideas for solving the current problem weren't really addressed -- and had also taken more of a look at why the insurance industry seems so reluctant to cover doulas, midwives and birth centers, when they usually result in a substantial savings. (My first birth was in a hospital, and my second will be as well, because we don't have the almost $4,000 to pay out of pocket for the local birth center.) She does mention that some moms have hospital births because they can't afford the out-of-pocket expenses of a homebirth or birth center birth, so it seems like it would have been a small jump to investigate why that is.

Now, here's my one complaint: In the final chapter, "Rights," Block took a very obvious pro-abortion-rights stance that I thought was out of place in the book and could likely offend a good number of her readers. (Many of the "crunchy" moms I know are pro-life.) Not to get into an abortion debate here, but I don't know why we can't assert that a fetus (particularly a full term one) has rights, as well as a mother -- especially in light of all the evidence Block presents that VBACs, vaginal breech births, etc. AREN'T dangerous to the baby; it doesn't seem like an either-or argument to me. At any rate, the "fetal rights" cases that Block addresses feel crammed in and not at all relevant to the rest of the book, from my perspective. Not to mention, ending the book discussing abortion, after spending the entire thing talking about what's best for mothers and best for babies, was extremely jarring.

Overall, though, this was a great read and definitely a must for any pregnant woman or anyone at all who's interested in why American women are giving birth the way they are right now.

This book is so needed. Women need to know what is happening in hospitals concerning births. Knowledge is the key. I got involved in the natural childbirth movement a couple of years ago. I overheard two businessmen calmly discussing a scheduled c-section. It went like this, "no problems with the meeting. My wife has scheduled the c-section for 3 pm on Thursday." They might as well have been discussing a golf game. Something inside me snapped. This was so wrong on such a fundamental level. I was not a mother and not even married at the time, but I set out to find out as much as I could about this epidempic and it is an epidempic. We fight for so many rights, why not the right to give birth? This book is enlightening, informative, and much needed.

Pushed was very informative and gave you SO much information about maternity care then and now. It also gave insight as to how to prep myself and how to be an informed consumer as to the type of maternity care that I would like to have. This book encourages women to take back birth and be informed instead of blindly trusting it to "the experts". I would HIGHLY recommend anyone who is considering going into the OB/GYN field and to any women who can get pregnant. This is fantastic! Once I started I couldn't put it down!

I had a completely complication-free pregnancy and planned on a natural birth. Like so many of the women detailed in this book, I ended up with a c-section because of fears of macrosomia (big baby). At my 40 week appointment, when I had not yet started dilating, the OB decided the baby was getting too big and I needed a c-section. When I protested, be brought in two colleagues and the three of them went through every possible complication for vaginal delivery of a large baby: shoulder dystosia, cerebral palsy, even stillbirth (yes, they sat there and told me if I didn't get a c-section it wouldn't be there fault if I had a stillbirth). I felt completely bullied and powerless and had the c-section. My daughter was a health 9 lb 12 oz, but I had terrible problems recovery from surgery, awful breastfeeding problems (my milk took over a week to come in), and postpartum depression that made bonding with my baby and, well, everything in life, difficulty. I still believe I could have had a vaginal birth. And now I'll likely never be able to have a VBAC, since so few hospitals and doctors allow them, unless I go the home birth route. This book showed me I was not alone. And while I don't have conclusive statistics, I can say that among my two sisters-in-law and three friends who were pregnant when I was, all six of us -- yes, all six -- had c-sections either for macrosomia or "failure to progress." And these were all healthy, normal pregnancies. Truly scary.

Sixteen years after my own "failure to progress" emergency C-section, Jennifer Block brought it all back in minutes. Intervention leading to intervention was the story of my first son's birth. My second positive pregnancy test jumped straight from joy into abject fear. Fear is a good motivator sometimes--our last two were born at home with two certified (and illegal at the time) midwives. Their beginnings aren't muddled in with my own trauma. The sad fact is, it's all thought of as so "normal" that most women today don't know what they've lost.

This book should be mandatory reading-- I agree with the previous reviewer--America needs a revolution in it's birth practices. I plan on helping start it by giving this book to every woman I know thinking about becoming pregnant. Thanks to Jennifer for all the hours spent researching this material. It is sorely needed.

This exhaustive biography of John D. Rockefeller fully explains a misunderstood man. Ron Chernow has caught the essence of the man. Mr. Rockefeller was neither entirely good nor was he the Robber Baron as depicted by Ida Tarbell. He was a man of contradictions . He was deeply religious, however in the business world he would squash his business competition like a bug.
When you think of Rockefeller you think of Oil as in "Standard Oil". However, as Chernow points out it was Mr. Rockefeller's logistical distribution system which made Standard Oil the titan of the Oil Industry. It was J.D.'s controlling of the Railroads and later the Pipelines which led to his huge monopoly in the Oil Industry.
This book explains his development of oil cartels and interlocking directorates. As he grew older he became ever so more eccentric and increasingly philantropical. He was indeed both the good cop and the bad cop.
This is an excellent book. It is well worth the reading of 676 pages. But who's counting!! In the end you"ll find the essence of a true businessman who was misunderstood.

Truly a great book from a masterful writer. Some criticisms are apt: Chernow, for obvious reasons, relies heavily on the Inglis interview with Rockefeller. Why not? What better primary source than the words from the reclusive oil Titan himself? Also, Chernow has been criticized as being a bit--but only a bit-- soft on Rockefeller. Almost all biographers begin to identify with their subjects. To some extent Chernow falls into this trap; one cannot spend years researching another human being without beginning to see things from the subject's perspective. Those small quibbles aside, what a great book! Perhaps we can never really know another human being but Chernow gives us key insights into the character of Rockefeller. As Chernow writes in his Introduction, all other biographies on Rockefeller soon revert to the oft told story of the History of Standard Oil, as if the man and the company were one in the same, and Rockefeller seems to disappear from his own biography. But Chernow gives us the man and presents an interesting thesis: the key to Rockefeller was that he was his parents' son. This means that John D. Rockefeller contained the roguish aspects of his father William Avery Rockefeller (a shameless flim-flam man) and the virtuous aspects of his long suffering, pious mother Eliza. It also explains other qualities, e.g., the fetish for secrecy. John D. grew up in a home where his father openly lived with his mistress alongside the wife Eliza. Later William Avery would take a second wife and live as a bigamist. All the while, Eliza bore stoically the humiliation. Hence, John D. grew up to become very, very quiet about his family and its scandals. Doubtless, he heard the whispers and soon he developed a deep distrust of the "crowd." "Let the world wag," was a favorite phrase. He developed a thick skin and learned to be a stoic like his mother. He made it a point for people not to know his personal life or his business. The shattered sensibility of the youth lingered into manhood. The mania for secrecy followed.
The quote from Betrand Russell that begins the books is telling: Rockefeller is among the men who created the modern world. With $4 a gallon gas, and energy needs growing, we still live with his legacy today.

I have not read the work of a biographer who has the proficiency for presenting as comprehensive an account of another's life as Chernow has given with Titan. There are sections of this narrative that are so detailed that had Rockefeller's life not been over a century ago, one might be inclined to consider Chernow had been along side him during his pursuits. Chernow has conducted extensive research that is exemplified in every chapter of this enthralling biography.

John D Rockefeller has been known by many personas, both positive and negative; billionaire, tycoon, industrialist, predator, and philanthropist. No matter what one's view of him, all generally agree that his business acumen was surpassed by no one in history. Chernow provides a masterful account of Rockefeller's years from his meager beginnings with an unscrupulous father to his near unstoppable empire that forced adversaries to join or be crushed in its wake. Chernow has provided readers with an abundance of pertinent quotations directly from Rockefeller leaving one well equipped to gauge the true mindset of the man.

Many biographies will rate high merely on the appealing nature of the subject. Titan is based on one of history's most intriguing business men combined with an account that is so well written and detailed it is difficult to fully convey in a simple review. I strongly suggest this book as essential reading to anyone with an interest in business biography.

I was very impressed with the skill of Ron Chernow when I read "Alexander Hamilton". After such an impressive work I decided that I would take on "Titan" which deals with the life of John D. Rockefeller. Chernow did not disappoint, and in some ways this may be the better of the biographies.

"Titan" illuminates Rockefeller duplicity as a pious man that showed no quarter in his business dealings. Chernow does an outstanding job (in my opinion) of painting the faults of Rockefeller's business tenacity with overwhelming kindness of charitable dealing. Chernow also illustrates many examples of Rockefeller's frugalness - such as cutting firewood in 12" increments (instead of 14") in order to save resources.... This was from a man that Forbes Magazine rated as the richest EVER!

I have heard complaints that the opening 60 pages reads too slowly, and overly focuses on the life of Rockefeller's (very) eccentric father. However, I find that while tedious, this is an important aspect of how this affected Rockefeller and guided him away from the world of irrational emotion.... My recommendation... bull your way through!

Chernow is not H.W Brands and the writing is relatively devoid of humor. When deciding to read "Titan" approach it as a scholarly selection and do not expect it to be fast paced. In my opinion you will not be disappointed!

No other man in America has ever been as wealthy as John D. Rockefeller, Sr. he could have bought and sold Bill Gates three or four times. He is a very complicated man, you'd have to be the self made wealthiest man in American History. This book gives a fascinating portrait of a man who could be ruthless, but who was incredibly philathropic, the first of the great philanthropists, he didnt give away his entire fortune like his contemporary Carneige, but then again Carneige had no children and Rockefeller was so much wealthier he probably gave away as much money. The book is fair to Rockefeller, neither making him a saint nor a cypher. Rockefeller lived a long life and he instilled in his equally famous son, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. a real since of philanthropy. The Rockefeller family is still very wealthy, no family in American history has ever been richer, but they have also been more philanthropic than any family in history, they gave away more than 90 percent of their wealth, since its apex. Rockefeller was a singular American, and his story is the story of the American Dream stretched to unfathonable extremes, good and bad. This is a very good book, well researched and quite impressive considering the illusive subject.

Listening to this tape, I was surprised by how much of it really had a timeless quality. The book was set back a ways (there's a way to find out exactly when, having to do with a character's age and the print date of a book, but I've forgotten...) and there were clues to the fact that it was not a contemporary novel - the political setting and the level of technology - but the characters really could have been plucked out of any time period. And this made it very enjoyable to listen to because I could picture Mrs. Pollifax and it really was easy to like her and root for her. Though I figured out where the microfilm went about, oh, two tapes into the six, there was enough story around the central mystery to keep me interested. I would definitely recommend it as a wonderful book to listen to (or read, I'm sure). I believe I will try a few of the other Mrs. Pollifax books...

I bought this for my mom, who lives in Yuma, Arizona and hasn't a lot to do in 110 degree heat in the summer. She loved it, said it was a great, fun read, and that's enough for me.

I thought this might be cheesy. It was fantastic! After having loved Ian Fleming, this was a great substitute. I look foward to reading the rest of the series.

Bored and in excellent health for a woman who is retired with nothing more to look forward to than her gardening meetings, Mrs. Pollifax decides that there are only two choices in her life. Take one giant step off the roof of her building in New Brunswick, New Jersey or pursue a dream that she has had since childhood. With the decision made she boards a bus for Langley, Virginia and decides to be a spy for the CIA. Taking place during the cold war, Emily Pollifax is sent to Mexico to retrieve important documents, that doesn't seem difficult until she is forced to outsmart Red Chinese military men with nothing more than a pocketknife and a Christmas tree. This woman could definitely give MacGyver and Forrest Gump a run for their money.

This is the second Mrs. Pollifax book I have now finished and I adore them. The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax is a delight in her adventures and this one is full of thrilling adventures. I am now hooked and will be reading every Mrs. Pollifax book there is. They are thoroughly enjoyable...