California Books

Lonely Vigil is an absolute page turner from beginning to end. Walter Lord did a fine job putting together the story of the many coastwatchers in the Solomon Islands. There are many first person accounts of incidences on all the major islands. I especially liked the chapter on Donald Kennedy and his native guerilla army and their incredible exploits against the Japanese. Why a movie hasn't been made about this guy I don't know. The book covers a number of different coastwatchers and holds the readers attention very well. The photos and maps are a big plus as well. It's to bad that most people in the US don't know more about these brave and resourceful men. During this period of WW2 the issue was still in doubt and the coastwatchers played a tremendous role in turning this around. It would have been a priviledge to serve with and know these men and the brave Solomon Islanders who risked everything by standing by them. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book

A few hundred coastwatchers of the Solomon Islands, mostly Australians, played a crucial role in winning World War II in the Pacific. These men -- including one family and one woman missionary -- were mostly planters, officials, and missionaries who had been living in the Solomon islands before World War II and who remained in place in 1942 and 1943, often behind Japanese lines. They set up their cumbersome radios on mountain tops and reported the movements of Japanese aircraft and ships to the embattled Americans on Guadalcanal.

In the early days of the Guadalcanal campaign it was the laconic radio reports -- "forty bombers heading yours" is an example -- of the coastwatchers who gave the American marines almost two hours notice of Japanese bombers heading their way. This enabled the ragtag "Cactus Air Force" to get into the air and swoop down on the Japanese planes when they arrived. Without the coastwatchers the vital battle for Guadalcanal might have been lost. Later the coastwatchers also became rescuers of downed US pilots and sailers, notably of a young naval lieutenant named John F. Kennedy whose PT Boat was sunk. Perhaps the most remarkable story in the book is that of Jacob Vouza, an island native who was shot, bayoneted, and left for dead by the Japanese but survived to report the advance of a Japanese batallion readying an attack on the Americans.

Author Walter Lord tells in "Lonely Vigil" what had been the untold story of the coastwatchers. Much of the book is compiled from interviews with about 100 participants. It's a fascinating and exotic tale of unconventional warriors, heroes, and colorful characters that should be on the reading list of essential World War II books.

Smallchief

This book documents the history of the Coastwatchers, a little-known intelligence corps operating in the South Pacific during World War II. As war loomed on the horizon early in the 1940s, it became apparent to Australian Naval Intelligence that it would be useful to post observers on key strategic islands off the coast of Australia and New Guinea who could report movements of enemy ships and other military activities. The Coastwatchers, as this team came to be called, were commanded by an Australian officer named Eric Feldt. The men who filled these positions were of varied backgrounds, from military officers to missionaries and British colonial officials, and even an American who managed to get transferred from his regular unit. On each of the key islands in the Solomons, the Coastwatchers established lookout points high in the mountain jungles, from where they could radio in to headquarters their counts of ships and incoming planes. By Lord's account, these reports were vital in the air battles in the Solomons, since they gave warnings to the Allies of incipient attacks, enabling them to prepare and stage effective counter-maneuvers. The Coastwatchers also assisted in the evacuation of Western refugees, both colonists and missionaries. One of their other important tasks was to locate Allied personnel whose planes or ships had been downed and help them make their way back to friendly territory. Indeed, it was a Coastwatcher who found the men of PT 109 and assisted Kennedy and his men in their odyssey back to their units. The book is illustrated with several sections of black-and-white vintage photographs. At the end of the book are a list of contributors and interviewees and an index.

A few hundred coastwatchers of the Solomon Islands, mostly Australians, played a crucial role in winning World War II in the Pacific. These men -- including one family and one woman missionary -- were mostly planters, officials, and missionaries who had been living in the Solomon islands before World War II and who remained in place in 1942 and 1943, often behind Japanese lines. They set up their cumbersome radios on mountain tops and reported the movements of Japanese aircraft and ships to the embattled Americans on Guadalcanal.

In the early days of the Guadalcanal campaign it was the laconic radio reports -- "forty bombers heading yours" is an example -- of the coastwatchers who gave the American marines almost two hours notice of Japanese bombers heading their way. This enabled the ragtag "Cactus Air Force" to get into the air and swoop down on the Japanese planes when they arrived. Without the coastwatchers the vital battle for Guadalcanal might have been lost. Later the coastwatchers also became rescuers of downed US pilots and sailers, notably of a young naval lieutenant named John F. Kennedy whose PT Boat was sunk. Perhaps the most remarkable story in the book is that of Jacob Vouza, an island native who was shot, bayoneted, and left for dead by the Japanese but survived to report the advance of a Japanese batallion readying an attack on the Americans.

Author Walter Lord tells in "Lonely Vigil" what had been the untold story of the coastwatchers. Much of the book is compiled from interviews with about 100 participants. It's a fascinating and exotic tale of unconventional warriors, heroes, and colorful characters that should be on the reading list of essential World War II books.

Smallchief

This book documents the history of the Coastwatchers, a little-known intelligence corps operating in the South Pacific during World War II. As war loomed on the horizon early in the 1940s, it became apparent to Australian Naval Intelligence that it would be useful to post observers on key strategic islands off the coast of Australia and New Guinea who could report movements of enemy ships and other military activities. The Coastwatchers, as this team came to be called, were commanded by an Australian officer named Eric Feldt. The men who filled these positions were of varied backgrounds, from military officers to missionaries and British colonial officials, and even an American who managed to get transferred from his regular unit. On each of the key islands in the Solomons, the Coastwatchers established lookout points high in the mountain jungles, from where they could radio in to headquarters their counts of ships and incoming planes. By Lord's account, these reports were vital in the air battles in the Solomons, since they gave warnings to the Allies of incipient attacks, enabling them to prepare and stage effective counter-maneuvers. The Coastwatchers also assisted in the evacuation of Western refugees, both colonists and missionaries. One of their other important tasks was to locate Allied personnel whose planes or ships had been downed and help them make their way back to friendly territory. Indeed, it was a Coastwatcher who found the men of PT 109 and assisted Kennedy and his men in their odyssey back to their units. The book is illustrated with several sections of black-and-white vintage photographs. At the end of the book are a list of contributors and interviewees and an index.

Lord collected this material some 20 years after the war by traveling through the islands and conducting extensive interviews with the Coastwatchers, Solomon Island residents, veterans, and missionaries who had worked with or been rescued by the Coastwatchers. Instead of presenting the material in one long continuous saga, Lord's approach is to describe the events island by island and station by station. For the sake of completeness, he tries to weave in the names of every person who played a role in each incident. As a result, there is not a lot of cohesion to tie the story together. As a reader, I frequently found myself taking note of a person's name and story since Lord made it seem important for the big picture, only to find that the person was never mentioned again. The book is very much the story of individual people, whose contributions to the war effort might have gone untold if it weren't for the painstaking research that Lord undertook. While I am in no position to judge the accuracy of Lord's account, I note that in my copy of the book, which came from the collection of a public library, there are several marginal notes correcting names and ranks, and units of people mentioned in the text.

Always enjoy his show that is shot somewhere in wine country in northern CA. I wish I had a kitchen like that and or a house and land but always enjoy his food and show and the book has many of those recipes and many are not hard just comes down to prepping as he does and making it easier to have great food without going crazy!

I bought this book because I saw it at my daughter-in-laws and the recipes looked interesting. I have not been disappointed. Just made the zablione with fruit the other night and got raves.

One killer recipe after another in this book. Outstanding suggestions and photos, remarkable results. Not always very simple cooking, but simple directions made easy to understand. Wine recommendations come with recipe selections too, very complete and tasty!

We are serious foodies and particularly love all regional Italian cooking. Admit we are bit skeptical of Italian American recipes but after watching MC on TV (finally got a Food Channel on satellite here in Australia) decided to invest in the book. It is brilliant - every recipes tried has scored a "do again" and the pantry items are great. Even a beginner can follow the recipes and experienced cooks will appreciate the layers of flavour that MC is always talking about. Buy this book - you won't be sorry! Off to buy his latest now....

I've grown to love Michael Chiarello's recipes. In the Goldilocks challenge between making a dish "too simple" or "too much work," time after time Chiarello manages to find the spot that's exactly right. His recipes don't promise instant gratification, in the semi-homemade 30-minute style that's become popular recently. But he's also aware that you have something else to do with your day besides cooking dinner.

Chiarello's background is Italian, so a lot of recipes in this book display that influence -- quite a bit of pasta, for example, and a tendency to use olive oil where others might choose butter. But you'd do better to think of it as Napa-meets-Italian, as his recipes aren't the sort of food that you'll find at the traditional restaurant with a red-checked tablecloth and a candle stuck in a bottle of Chianti. The book lives up to its promise of "casual cooking."

Chiarello encourages you to create a pantry of ingredients that you can call upon whenever needed, and I completely agree with that "good cooking in not much time" philosophy. At first, it might sound as though you need to cook three things just to have the ingredients for a single dish, but the pantry section helps you create items that, later, you'll be able to grab out of the freezer or your spice shelf and put into an "instant" meal. For example, we first made his awesome winter panzanella, which uses homemade croutons in addition to butternut squash and brussels sprouts. The croutons are easy enough -- assuming that you already made his bagna cauda butter. (It's basically anchovies, parsley, and garlic mixed with two sticks of softened butter.) But two days after the salad, we made clams and linguine with more of the bagna cauda butter, and *that* came together in less time than it took to boil the noodles. I still have a half cup of the bagna cauda butter in the freezer, just waiting for a day when I feel like more than a slab-of-steak.

The pantry chapter is 30 pages long (including lots of beautiful photos; this is a great eye-candy cookbook), which includes everything from spiced walnuts to a fennel spice mix. The other chapters are appetizers; eggs & sandwiches; soups & salads; pasta; rice, beans & polenta; fish & shellfish; meat & poultry; vegetables; and sweet things. If you want a collection of fine Italian baking, you'll have to buy another book in addition to this one (you notice I'm assuming you'll buy this in any case), as his dessert choices are on the no-big-deal side of Thursday dinner rather than a big blowout feast. Panna cotta, perhaps, or dried fruit compote with Sambuca.

Many of the recipes are extremely simple, in that "perfect roast chicken" way (his uses rosemary and lemon -- and it came out great) but he isn't afraid to provide a recipes for a sauce that needs to cook for hours. He usually includes menu advice (i.e. serve this with roast pork), and some kind of cook's notes, such as the tip that soaking red onion briefly in sherry vinegar will mellow the raw onion taste.

A fine cookbook. Recommended.

Having served as a Lead B-17 Radar Navigator/Bombardier (Pathfinder) in the same outfit as Captain Alling, it brought back many memories of my tour in the 34th Bomb Group. I too served in the 4th Squadron on the Knockout Dropper, piloted by Jim Sain who was mentioned in this book. Many of the experiences of the author were similar to mine and I participated in several of the same missions. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in getting an exciting description of serving in a lead plane on many missions.

A matter of fact account of U.S. airraids over Germany in WWII. Not told with bravado or hyperbole, but just plain gripping accounts of hair-raising, almost suicidal bombing runs. You get a feel for conditions in the B-17, and the fear and trepidation the pilot (book's author) and his crew experienced, with the flight back to the States at the end of the European theatre one of the most nerve-wracking. I highly recommend this account, which is just one of several devoted to this part of the war.

Having been reading various WWII books this fall and winter, I rate this as one of the best. If you have any interest in what it was like to fight (and luckily survive) the US air war bombing offensive, grab this book today. You will not be disappointed.

A couple of days ago while I was in the middle of this book I mentioned I was reading it to a fellow across the table from me. He said: 'I flew in B-17's during the war.' He went on to say that he had been the radioman/dorsal gunner. I said something about the guys in this book flying 27 missions. He said that he had only flown seven.

I couldn't help but think that this was kind of puny compared to what these guys did. But then he went on.

On his seventh mission, somewhere over occupied France they were attacked and he was hit. Back in England he was hospitalized and told that it would be unlikely that he would ever walk again. He was still in the hospital when the plane went out on its 9th mission and didn't return.

I said that this sounded pretty rough.

'Everybody had it pretty rough in those days.'

This kind of 'aw shucks' attitude, from my lunch mate to the author of this book is why they are called 'The Greatest Generation.' Even though they would never admit it.

This is the story of one plane, one crew. It's told in a matter of fact way. Perhaps this is the only way that such a story can be told. Mr. Alling waited a lot of years to tell the story. Perhaps that too is the only way. Perhaps the time and the distance are necessary to get a realistic view. Thank you Mr. Alling for sharing the story.

Captain Chuck Alling masterfully recounts his experiences as pilot of the 34th Bomb Group's lead B17G bomber during the last two years of WW2. "A Mighty Fortress" should be required reading for every military officer and is a "must read" for anyone interested in the Mighty Eighth Army Air Force's operations against the Third Reich. As a retired officer and military historian myself, I believe "A Mighty Fortress" is most probably the most inspirational book about WW2 ever written.

Lorrieann Russell researched her personal family tree all the way back to 1600 Scotland and discovered a character with nothing more than a footnote by his name. With this little spark of inspiration, she wove a fascinating tale of fiction laced with reality surrounding William Fylbrigge, the adopted son of Edward, Duke of Stonehaven. Most of the action of the story takes place in the village of Stonehaven, near the city of Aberdeen, in the early 1600's. The book opens with William about to marry the duke's daughter. The grisly witch trials of Europe are still ruining lives in isolated towns such as Stonehaven. As an up and coming young lord, William seeks to lead the town's rulers out of the madness and into the light. The plot thickens....

My Brother's Keeper is not just your average first novel. It is a true spellbinder of exquisite dialog and fascinating characters. The author takes the reader down the halls and through the kitchen of Drumoak Castle, while speaking personally with the castle staff along the way. You root for the intelligent kitchen staff who have been enlightened by their associations with William. You will never forget the character called the little mouse by the residents of Drumoak. The villains are somewhat predictable, but threatening nonetheless. The black-hooded, arrogant, self-righteous witch hunters will get under your skin as you realize their similarity to our current neocon theocracy.

Try to ignore the typos: they are the single bit of negativity you will find in this review. The proofreader is no longer working on Ms. Russell's books, so don't let this issue stop you from buying In the Wake of Ashes. The reviews of the sequel seem to be at least as glowing as the ones for this first book by a new author.

My Brother's Keeper deserves whatever accolades you wish to throw at it. This is an outstanding first novel by a new author. Yes, I know the book is six years old, but this is a good time to start reading. You don't have very long to get through the 1100 pages of My Brother's Keeper and In the Wake of Ashes before the third book comes out!

The characters in this book are so well drawn, you almost feel as if you know Will and Ian and Laurel and Mehlyndia as well as you know your family. Very few books have the distinction of drawing me so far into the plot and causing me to so love the characters that I actually cried while reading it. This book has such a distinction. It provides a chilling picture of the times, but it is not without William's hope for an improved world. Highly recommended!

"When I open a book, I am no longer of this time. I want to read a book into which I can become totally absorbed. This process was immediate with My Brother's Keeper. Historical writings (fiction or research) are my passion, and Miss Russell did an outstanding job, allowing me to experience the depth of her complex characters, the brutality of "Churchianity" in this historical period, and to appreciate the power of the human struggle against such adverse conditions. Her descriptive talents allowed me to envision the torments, suffering, fears, and reality of William Fylbrigge without the graphic horror of it all. One's imagination is always more powerful. I must believe that, in the long run, right will always prevail. I could not put this one down!!! Have the sequel, In the Wake of Ashes, readily available.

I have closed my eyes and relieved this story many times. Her words stimulate you to feel, to hear, to smell, to see, and to taste. Put the time aside and experience historical fiction at its finest.

Lorrieann Russell wrote a compassionate and exciting book about medieval England. She captured not only the history of the period but the flavor as well! Russell's words take you to the castles and the events as if you are there watching it as it unfolds.

Her grasp of these people is wonderfully rich and true. You picture each and every person she writes about. Russell uses not only the rich history, but also the color of that period. Her book is rich in pathoes and humor, terror and joy. She brings the reader along with her on her roller coaster ride through the pages, and like the roller coaster, the ride is much too short.

The book leaves the reader begging for more! The last chapter with its diary-like entries make you wanting more. This book is a must for those that love this period in time. It makes for a wonderful summer's reading and I recommend it to anyone! Like all great books and fine meals, it leaves you begging for more...

Take a trip to early 1600's Scotland via the mind of Lorrieann Russell. Meet William Fylbrigge, heir to the Duke of Stonehaven. Remember the difficult past that he has experienced through his flashbacks; and adventure along with the strong, capable man that he has become. While reading this novel, you will get to know each character intimately, as they are completely "fleshed out." Ms. Russell does not hesitate to describe each character's strong and weak points so that the reader feels that they are dealing with true flesh and blood people. No one is too good to be true, yet there are certain characters that will win your heart and stay in your mind forever. The descriptions in this novel will employ all of your senses. You will see the beauty of Drumoak, smell the horrors of a prison, taste Elinor's delicious recipes, hear the horses in hot pursuit of their masters' prey, feel the joy as William and Mehlyndia are reunited and prepare for their wedding; and truly experience pain, both emotional and physical, as you delve further into William's life. Be sure to set aside some time to take this journey with Ms. Russell because once you begin, you won't want it to end - even when you've reached the last page!

The images in this book are great and truly inspiring. The panoramic format really adds to the impression. Mangelsen has shot the images around the globe from Alaska to the desert in Africa.

What a beautiful display of God's wonderful creation! The books great, but there are two pages that are smudged. However, I can live with the smudging for the price I paid.

...this is the one. Tom Mangelsen was named by American Photo as one of the "100 Most Important People in Photography" and this book shows why. His work is not what one would usually expect in nature photography. He breaks through a genre that has become something of a cliche and surprises the viewer/reader with a broad, holisitic look at nature that astonishes and moves. This is my favorite book on nature, ever.

This book makes a great gift. It's big and beautiful and unusual, and the photography is spectacular. The book is bound at the top for optimal viewing of the panoramic scenery. Mangelsen is a genius with a sophisticated eye for composition, color, depth... The text is wonderful, explaining the story behind the photographs. This is the consummate coffee table book. It lives on our coffee table and everyone who sits on the couch instantly becomes mesmerized with the beauty of each page.

I was a fan of Mangelsen's photos before I bought the book, but wow! Page after page of excellent photos. it's the coffee table book that is rarely ever on the coffee table because people are oohing and ahhing over the wonderful content

The newest WriteGirl book is a collection of work done by the mentors and young girls that participate in this wonderful non-profit program. The poems especially are truly expressive and creative. The book is a great gift for any young aspiring writer, poet or creative individual. There are also helpful exercises for writing your own short stories and poems, etc.

I love all of my WriteGirl books.

Los Angeles teenage girls and their women writing mentors speak their minds on family, community, and society. Wow--these personal essays, story snippets, and poems ring fiercely true. A great read! Also, this book contains wonderful writing experiments for the reader to try. I tried them and loved them. What a terrific gift! Great to give to young girls, women, or anyone who wants to know what young girls and women are thinking!

Honest, evocative, inspiring pieces from a group of female Los Angeles teens and their mentors. Stories and poems that jump off each page, grab you by the shoulders, and say, "Listen up!" A gift.

This collection of poetry and stories is absolutely a wonderful addition to any coffee table or bookcase, and a wonderful gift for any young woman. Younger writers juxtapose their more experienced counterparts, engaging the reader in a journey of beginnings, ends, learning anew and rediscovering familiar themes and subjects. Anyone interested in the exploration writing provides will absolutely love this collection!!

WriteGirl is a great organization that brings forth incredibly smart, funny, dramatic, original, heartwrenching work from young writers. Their anthologies are a great glimpse into what's on the minds of creative women and girls in Los Angeles and beyond.

This book is the most intriguing book I have read in outlining a truly strategic system for running a business. You can call it wisdom or experience, but I assure you most business people will enjoy the read and relate to many of the topics. Illustrations are concise and creative and are designed to help visualize the concepts.

A definite winner and must read!

This book takes a very practical approach at describing the impact of market conditions on corporate strategies and provides a framework for how to deal with what you can't control - your market conditions.
The examples are crisp and clear and the methodology is practical and proven out over years of consulting practice.

The authors have picked one of the key aspects of a company's strategy toolkit. Strategic or market planning should give a company the ability to respond to changes in the market (e.g. customers, competition and technology). But my actual experience in strategy consulting and then marketing strategy for a large corporation has been somewhat different. Several times companies' response to analyzing market changes starts by looking out but quickly turns more and more internal. The result is usually "more of the same" strategy with some incremental refinements - of course all this is backed by impressive financial and other quantitative analysis. 2 things become a casualty in such a process - the willingness to strain outside of comfort zones and "see" what is happening. And the ability to tap your own employees (and customers and other stakeholders) who are the closest to the change and may have a good feel for what's coming! In my view marketing/product/strategy functions should develop a joint mechanism to see, evaluate and act upon the key developments in their expanse of the market.

That is exactly what this book provides. The book is easy to read and structured well, essentially taking the reader through a clear 7 step process on how to anticipate and respond to changes. The Appendix at the end that details the "Strategic Eye Exam" serves as a useful starting questionnaire.

The book will be a very good read for those who believe that the world around them changes quickly and want to develop a BU or company wide process to learn, evaluate and act on those changes, including the ability to discard the red herrings.

Highly recommended!

Day and Schoemaker have written a fascinating book on how to increase one's vigilance, all wrapped up in a larger tale of Darwinian ophthalmology. It's a book of the times. Read repeatedly, learn, and inwardly digest. You will be amply rewarded.

A decent book, I found the information to be useful and beneficial especially since I work at a firm that has little, if any "peripheral vision".

A fast and easy read that can actually significantly help both growing and mature organizations.

In Play Of Consciousness: A Spiritual Autobiography, Swami Muktananda vividly and candidly describes his spiritual initiation which awakened the hidden power known as Kundalini Shakti and the astonishing process of inner transformation that followed. Muktananda reveals many mysteries describing the rigors of spiritual practice and the mystical, metaphysical alchemy of the awakened Kundalini. He offers inspiration for all those seeking the ultimate personal and metaphysical freedom that is spiritual enlightenment. Play Of Consciousness is recommended reading for students of eastern philosophies, yoga, metaphysical studies, and personal spiritual enlightenment.

I first read this book in the `70's. It knocked my socks off. I recently recommended it to someone and thought, "Hmm. Maybe I should read it again." It blew my socks off again. Play of Consciousness is the spiritual autobiography of Sw. Muktananda, an Indian meditation master who died in 1982. In POC, he breaks Hindu tradition by talking about his experiences. He does this for one reason: To serve and guide his students. This is a handbook for meditators, in many ways a survival manual. Muktananda had many of the experiences recounted here -- some of which were terrifying-- without knowing what they were. Here, he lets his students know what to expect in advanced meditation. The book is written in sections. The book opens with a tightly written and comprehensive guide to Hinduism and kundalini yoga. Muktananda lays out the turf-- quoting many major Indian saints and scriptures. This alone is worth buying. The second part describes his spiritual experiences, his sadhana. If you ever thought that meditation was a passive, dopey thing popularized in California, this will change your mind. Muktananda's experiences were big. Explosive. Gorgeous. They read like sci-fi, but you have the sense of their utter authenticity. The final section explains what Muktananda wants from his students. How he sees the universe, and how a good yogi/yogini should live. This is a masterpiece in mystical writing. POC is not an easy read. First, it may induce culture shock. This is not a Western book. It was translated from Hindi or one of the Indian languages and written by an older man, a Hindu monk. The language sounds it-- flowery, exquisite, complex, and somewhat antiquated. Muktananda talks about gurus and disciples. The word "guru" has been maligned in the West. For thousands of years, Indian people have had gurus the way that we have accountants. "Guru" means "teacher", with the root meaning, "bringer of light, taker of darkness." The guru's function. POC is a hard read for another reason: Muktananda's experience roars through it. If you do not know what devotion and love are by the end of this book, there's no hope. His energy permeates POC. You may find yourself nodding off or falling into meditation. You may only be able to read a page to two at a time. That's fine. Just keep reading.

Truly this is the greatest work of liter- ature of any kind I have ever been exposed to. The immense power of Swami Muktananda's state of realization seems to have infused each word with an amazing spiritual force, so that I can usually only read a paragraph or two before I have to put the book down and revel in the presence of his Shakti (spiritual energy). If I were to be left on a deserted island, I often reflect, I would only need this book with me to be completely happy for all time. This is not really a book, it is a doorway God has opened into the mystical realm of His Presence. I have heard of people reading it, and becoming immediately transformed beyond measure...

Orginally published and edited undr the title GURU in the 1970's , this work must be on any seeker into Eastern wisdom. this work plus Autoboigraphy of a Yogi, and the Gita are must reads. We are given a detailed look inot the world of Kashmir Shaivism and the potential of that mysterous force barely known to psycholiogists called Kundalini. The only danger in the presentation is that it may casue the reader to seek out a teacher to place full dependency upon and we have learned well from the past thirty years that this can be a great error as most teachers are subjected to human flaws such as rock star syndrome READ THIS BOOK

A must read for anyone seeking spirituality. It changed my view on life and took my meditation to a new level. Startling secrets, which I have not seen anywhere else, were revealed.

that follows the Tauchman family on an exuberant bildungsroman full of hammer-your-knee-off funny tour de force comedy. A great read for any family looking to strengthen the bond experienced only through world travel.

Wow- What a wild ride!!! I'd like to come back as a Tauchman in my future life... Here is a man and his family dreaming a seemingly impossible adventure and making it a reality. And all the while maintaining a composure that his teen-age kids will still hang out with him- anywhere in the world! A riveting, well-told story coupled with a wild sense of adventure. Bravo!

I haven't seen or talked to Roger in probably 15+ years back on Kenneth Ave. and was very pleased to know that he wrote this book! Roger was of those "older" Tauchman boys (older than me anyway) that I sort of idolized with their wit and athletic abilities. I am almost finished reading Ramble On, which I read exclusively on the train to work. It is very entertaining, educational and sometimes very colorful (bullfights & French hotels). I hate to admit that his teenage children write better than me! I still have to look up some words that Alex used..
A must read for any wannabe worldwide traveler - these guys are the real thing! Nice job, Roger and family.
It was good catching up with you Roger, even though it was a one-way dialogue.

Ever dream of taking your family on a trip around the world ? If
yes, then Ramble On by Roger Tauchman may be the book for you.

Easy to read, it is filled with useful information and is written in a highly entertaining style. Try it' You will like it.

What a great experience to share in! This family takes you through their highs and lows through the pages of this entertaining book. I was tickled as they trompted through jungles and across deserts -- with each of them having a perspective.
Super book!

This book was great! I shared the stories with some of my students. It is so nice to hear the nice things people do.

This book does not need a long review. It is simply about the very best of what human beings are capable of doing. Random Acts of Kindness is simply the most important book I have ever read. -- Sam Yulish, author of WHERE HAVE ALL THE HIPPIES GONE? and THE HESITANT PSYCHIC.

Basically this is a wonderful idea for a book. The world does need more kindness. And Kindness , being kind to others not only makes us better people it also enriches our lives and gives them meaning. To give is often the greatest form of helping oneself possible.
Nonetheless I could have wished some of the stories here were more 'tough and complicated ' stories. I also could have wished that there was more deep thought about kindness. For kindness too has its qualification in the Jewish wisdom, " He who is kind to the cruel will end up being cruel to the kind"
Kindness is important.We should all be kind as we can. But there is a time and place for everything.

"Imagine what would happen if there were an outbreak of
kindness in the world," notes Daphne Rose Kingma in the foreword
to RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS by the editors of Conari
Press . . . you'd bring "delight and goodness
to yourself and others."

Methinks that could well be possible; i.e., if everybody took
the time to read this short but oh-so-powerful book . . . it is
packed with practical ideas that can be applied to work
situations, such as the following:

I had a client who owed me a good deal of money.
Eventually she stopped seeing me, but each month
I would send her a bill and receive no response.
Finally I wrote to her and said, "I don't know what
difficulty has befallen you that you are unable to pay
me, but whenever it is, I'm writing to tell you your debt
is forgiven in full. My only request is that at some point
in your life, when your circumstances have changed, you
will pass this favor on to someone else."

By the same token, there were perhaps an equal number
of things that could be utilized if you wanted to make
your home life more enjoyable, including this one:

There was a time in my life when everything was working
so smoothly, I found myself sitting at home one Saturday
with all my work done, all my household chores completed:
dishes washed, laundry folded and put away, house dusted,
grocery shopping completed, and that delicious feeling of
having nothing to do. Then I thought about a friend from
work who was a single mother of two small children and
never seemed to have the time for anything. I jumped into
my car, drove over to her house, walked in and said, "Put
me to work." At first she didn't really believe it, but we ended
up having a great time, cleaning like mad, taking time out to
feed and play with the kids, and then diving back into the
chores.

I also liked the quotes sprinkled throughout the book . . . what
caught my attention was the fact that many had not been
seen by me previously, including:

* Do every act of your life as if it were your last.--Marcus Aurelius;

* I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community,
and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever
I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the
harder I work, the more I live. Life is no "brief candle" to me.
It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a
moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible
before handing it on to future generations.--George Bernard Shaw; and

The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live.--Joan
Borysenko.

Lastly, I appreciated the thought-provoking suggestions presented
throughout RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS . . . among the ones
that caught my attention were these:

* As you go about your day, why not pick up the trash you find on
your sidewalk?

* Buy a big box of donuts or chocolates for the office next to yours
Or the kids who hang out on the street corner. Or the UPS person
or the mail carrier.

* If you have an infirmed person living near you, offer to do the grocery
shopping for him or her.

In 1982, California peace activist Ann Herbert wrote on a placemat at a restuarant "Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty." A fellow diner was impressed by these words, and wrote them down. Gradually they spread and inspired conversation and thought. This international bestseller greatly accelerated the process. Today there is a World Kindness Movement and many organizations spreading the concept of kindness throughout our country.

Bestselling author Dapne Rose Kingma writes the forward, and there is an introduction by Dr. Dawna Markova. But about 63 others participated in stories and ideas for this book. It is a group project than transcends anyone author.

The concept of random of kindness is an antidote to the concept of random acts of violence. Random of kindess are far more common than random acts of violence, and the more they are encouraged, the more they should dominate.

Random acts of kindness can be both as simple as talking to strangers, as inconspicuous as allowing people in a hurry to get ahead of you in line, as generous as doing unsolicited chores for people in need, as philanthropic as paying for a stranger's dinner or sending books to a sick child.

Random acts of kindness can be as fulfilling as climbing a tree after a runaway child, and then leading the child down, or as planting a tree that others will enjoy decades letter. They can be forbearance in the case of a minor traffic accident or of a personal debt. They can be meaningful advice given, compassion and empathy shared. They can be tips given in appreciation of the server instead of the value of the service. They can be the willingness to let others act on misunderstandings despite some element of personal sacrifice by the actor.

The endless examples of the ways people can treat others with random kindness are well sampled in this book. So are inspirational quotes.

Pennsylvania founder William Penn says "If there is any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do, let me do it now, and not dter or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again." Martin Luther King describes the concept of agape as "understanding, create redemptive goodwill toward all men...and overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. When you rise to love on this level, you love all men not because you like them, not because their ways appeal to you, but you love them because God loves them."

The Dalai Lama says "My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." Jesus says "If you bring forth what is inside of you, what you bring forth will save you. If you don't bring forth what is inside of you, what you don't bring forth will destroy you."

Herman Melville says "We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among these fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects." William James says "I am done with great things and big plans, great institutions and big success. I am for those tiny, invisible loving human forces that work from individual to individual, creeping through the crannies of the world like so many rootlets, or like the capillary oozing of water, which, if given time, will rend the hardest moments of pride."

M.C. Richards says "Compassion is an alternate perception." Albert Einstein says "A human being is part of the whole that we call the universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest--a kind of optical illusion of conscioiusness. The illusion is a prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for only the few people nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living beings and all of nature."

So having demonstrated the relevance and the vitality of the random acts of kindness philosophy to both everyday situations and to the thoughts of the world's greatest humanitarians, the authors praise part of the beauty of the concept of random acts of kindness as "the turnaround from the ugliest and most frightening of all phrases: random acts of violence....It's so easy to fear. It's so easy to create an almost palpable reality out of our imagined teerror. Random acts of kindness ring pure and true to that fear, as life-confirming revolutionary acts."

"Kindness," the authors say, "is soft and bubtle. It permeates everything it comes in contact with, remains as a permanent reminder of what could and should be."

At some level, this is a book of great idealism. At another level, it is a book of great pragmatism. A world of kind people is a world that values all people and gives all people the great gift of a friendly and supportive environment.

This reviewer can think of no one who would not beneift from reading this book. At a practical, everyday level it is an invaluable guide to building up communities of hope, trust, friendship, and love. It seeks not a Utopia on Earth, but communities around the globe worthy of the best aspirations of our most profound and visionary insprirational leaders and the day to day lives of our nicest and kindest people.