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It doesn't matter how many home runs Berry Bond's or anyone of this aera of Baseball, what Hank AAron endured and the racial hatred he went through only proves that he is the BEST. These modern day players could not survive what he and others went through.

I've been a fan from age seven, which is where I was in life when Henry hit number 715. His recounting of his life in baseball is captivating and highly educational.

Mr Aaron is one of the most skilled players in baseball history, and his telling of his story explains that he is much more than that. Mr Aaron is a man of dignity and class, his success through clouds of racist hate provides a shining example of what a man can be under extreme circumstances. Thank you Henry, for your marvelous career in baseball, and for your open, honest sharing of the story.

"I Had A Hammer" is a wonderfully written autobiography about the struggles and the triumphs of one Henry(aka Hank) "The Hammer" Aaron, the career home run record holder, and one of the last of the "Negro League" players to make it big. Aaron describes his upbringing in Mobile well, and shows us the different levels of racism in the Deep South. The book reveals that Aaron fought against segregation in the minor leagues, helping to end "white-only" minor league teams, and shows us Aaron's love affair with the city of Milwaukee and it's long-gone Braves team, and the tense relationship between Aaron and Atlanta, which had the first Deep South major league team. This is recommended for lovers of baseball as well as those who want to know more about civil rights heroes. Atlanta is not cast in a good light in this book, but Aaron harbors little bitterness towards the city or the racism and death threats he had to endure while trying to break Babe Ruth's record.

The athletic proficiency of Hank Aaron is probably the greatest in the history of baseball if not all sports. He is a man of dignity, grace and the stuff legends are made of. This is an endearing and absorbing biography. This biography has captivated the legend of the man for me. It is well written with true fervor and endearment. One of the best.

In this baseball season where my favorite team is floundering in the cellar, and every good story(compelling divisional races) is counterbalanced by the bad (steroids), I have been trying to maintain interest by re-reading some baseball books that I have read over the years. After re-reading "I Had A Hammer", I remember why it remains one of the best biographies/autobiographies that I have ever read.

The sports genre in books is much harder than one would think to keep up interest in. There are very few gems in any sporting subject; mostly it's very mediocre to terribly vapid. Usually a fan becomes disappointed in their sports "heroes" when they read a biography about them, because the writing can be so bad. Fortunately, for a ballplayer as great as Hank Aaron, the work lives up to the character and legend of the man.

Mr. Aaron does a splendid job of taking the reader through his life in Alabama, his discovering the game of baseball, and - of course - his remarkable career. His writing style provides enough description to allow the reader to get a true mental "picture" of what his life was like without getting bogged down in minutiae. Throughout the book, I had the feeling like I really was there watching his career unfold.

Of course, that brings us to the real core - and most important part - of his life story. That is, what Mr. Aaron experienced as he neared and eclipsed Babe Ruth's home run record. Most celebrities or sports figures would relate this in that sensational, "woe-is-me", tabloid-tell-all sort of way. Not Mr. Aaron. He shares many of the truly hateful and despicable letters he received from people across the nation who saw the idea of an African-American breaking the record of a white man as egregious. Mr. Aaron relates how this inundation of hate mail affected him, but he manages to avoid expressing any hate towards the senders of those letters. One obviously gets the sense that Mr. Aaron steeled himself against those attacks with grace and dignity, allowing himself to still play the game the way it was supposed to be played, and to do it with class and personal enjoyment.

It is striking to return to Mr. Aaron's autobiography after the events in baseball over the past decade. We as a fan base in general express outrage over the strike, the steroids (and questions about those players that broke records), outrageous salaries, and the like. It seems to always elicit a response demanding a return to the "innocence" of baseball seasons and players gone by. However, Mr. Aaron's experience demonstrates that there was controversy in almost every era of the game. In his case, it was a despicable form of racial hatred expressed by a very vocal minority in this country.

Again, "I Had A Hammer" stands out as one of the great books in the sports genre, and stands out as one of my favorite biographies/autobiographies. I rate it the full five stars, and encourage readers of all interests to give this one their attention.

This book is essential for any english or elemtary school teacher. I teach social studies and found many ideas within it informative and relevant. The book is written in an approachable way, filled with mini-lessons and examples of her own students writting. An easy read and needed guide for great practice within the classroom. I highly recomend this.

You can let students have choices about what to write and still have formal guidelines, unlike what the other reviewer/teacher wrote. Nancie Atwell's book is based on years of her own first-hand experiences in the classroom, and, as someone who assigns and reads well over 1000 formal essays per school year to over 200 students, I'll listen to Atwell's advice before some burned out teacher's rantings about the need to drill, drill, drill.

Atwell's research and dedication to the true teaching of literacy in classrooms of all levels has changed my philosophy of teaching forever. Those who judge her approach without attempting to understand it, are only missing out on an innovative and fresh approach to how English should be taught.

In my own classroom of tenth graders, I have gone from yawns and glazed eyes to students who leave my classroom at the end of the school year saying "I could write for pages and pages about how you've helped me become a better writer." I still address grammar, literature, "5 paragraph" essay writing, and the dreaded (and overrated)state tests. Instead of being students who force themselves to read and write for a grade, they are readers and writers who are proud of the accomplishments they produce in literacy.

I recommend this book to anyone who is serious about changing the way literacy is taught in our schools, and creating not only engaged students, but people who love to read and write.

I bought two copies of this book from Amazon, for myself and my class aide, on the strength of the other teachers' recommendations here. The book is as good as the most enthusiastic reviewers say it is, but it is seriously flawed, and to some degree self-contradictory, because it talks too much. As good as are the author's approaches, she doesn't really need 484 pages, plus numerous appendices, to get the message across. In fact, she buries the message in verbosity.

Note that other reviewers found the book easy to read. But if you are already convinced that you want to refresh your approach to teaching reading and writing, you may grow impatient with the overabundance of anecdotes, homilies and elaboration.

Teachers know there is no itemized recipe for teaching, but a book on teaching writing could at least demonstrate the virtue of being concise. Mrs. Atwell should read her own quotes and not "cloud the issues with jargon in place of simple, direct prose...." (p. 16). (This is one of numerous quotes of Donald Graves, who returns the favor by endorsing her book in an exemplary brief foreword).

As one who likes quoting great writings in every chapter, the author could have used and applied the Hellenistic Demos: "I will be moderate in all I attempt and do Nothing to Excess."

Summary: it's just too much of a good thing. I'm going to spring for the workbook (Lessons that Change Writers) and generate even more royalties for the author, in the hopes it is more to the point.

A book that helped inspire me to become a teacher. Some other reviewers may not find it totally "practical" for them to adopt, but anyone with common sense would know that you take what works best for you from as many legitimate resources as possible and adapt.

I did not want this book to end! It is a fascinating, fair, well-written book about all of the Kennedy women, their men, and the lives they led. I gained new insight, especially, into Kathleen Kennedy, Rosemary Kennedy, and matriarhc, Rose.

"For the most part Rose grandchildren observed and respected and obeyed her, tiptoeing around her life as if she were an exquisite piece of porcelain. She had led such a decorous life, blocking out the untoward, the ugly, and the unacceptable, that her eyes no longer saw the darker colours of the spectrum. "Pat drank a bottle of wine in the morning," Rose was told. "That's impossible" Rose replied, Pat doesn't drink"

I was glad that I read this book because it has helped me to understand so much more about this so much talked about family. In Mr. Leaner's book we get to know about the Kennedy women's personal thoughts and the correct stories of the daughters and daughters-in-law. Mr.Leamer has given us indept portraits of these women and my favourite is Rose Kennedy the Matriarch of the family. For Rose was a woman so strong and who suffered great disloyalty by her husband which she took all gracefully all for the sake of her family and what she supposed the public expected of them. She was a stern Catholic and gain her strength through her prayer and trust in God.
Also portrayed are Joan Kennedy; Ted wife who had a problem with alcohol. Jackie Kennedy Onnassis; the President's wife who remarried after the President's death to a Greek tycoon. Pat Lawford; married to a Hollywood star and spent most of her time in Los Angeles. Eunice Shriver, who was always working for the handicapped and underprivileged and was one of the Kennedys with great patience and common sense. Ethel Kennedy, Robert Kennedy's widow and Jean Smith.
The Kennedys pushed their tragedies to the inner recesses of their minds.They refused to let others see the negative side of their lives, and carried their problems and burdens inwardly taking pains not to show their broken hearts. To some this might seem pretentious, but they honestly had their reasons. After all they were special in the eyes of America.
Whenever tragedy struck it was not unusual for them to suddenly get physical by taking walks, riding, swimming and any form of exercise. Rosemary the eldest daughter who was mentally retarded was isolated from the public eye and sent to Wisconsin where she was looked after by those of the Sacred Order. This book has helped me to understand so much more about the choices they made and the reason they made them, though tragedy seem to follow them everywhere.

Mr. Leamer has pulled out all the stops in the brilliantly written book, and I would not hesitate to read anything by him in the future. Bravo! Bravo! Heather Marshall 04/04/04

This book arrived in good condition and in a timely manner just like the seller promised! A++

I found this book about the Kennedy family women a very interesting read. The only problem with it is that it is so long. At over 900 pages Mr. Leamer could have written three books and had them in instalments about one pericular Kennedy family women instead of tying to write so much about so many interesting people.

This book relates details of the lives of the many Kennedy women, from Bridget Murphy Kennedy, born in Ireland, through Caroline Kennedy, John F. Kennedy's daughter. Leamer describes the rise of the Kennedy family from the hard luck tales of newly-arrived Irish immigrants through the dynasty years in Hyannisport. While the book presents many of the historical events of the lives of political Kennedys, the viewpoint is always that of the women, and how these events affected their lives. We hear about the Kennedy women's efforts in John's political campaigns, or how the stress of campaigning contributed to Jacqueline's miscarriages. Leamer includes both women born as Kennedys and women who became Kennedys by marriage. Much of the book, however, focuses on two women who married into the Kennedy family, Rose Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The book is also about the family structure of the Kennedy's and portrays some of the sinister aspects of Joseph Kennedy as well as the positive traits.

Many times I've heard the Kennedy family referred to as a "dynasty". However, it has never been clear to me why an American family would be called a dynasty. In this book, Leamer describes why this group of people is more than simply a family. He describes the relations between Joseph Kennedy's children, and how Joseph and Rose's parenting style contributed both to their children's closeness and competitiveness, and how their own aspirations were realized in the accomplishments of their children. He also relates the difficulties that Jacqueline had as an outsider in establishing a position in the family. The book provides a unique viewpoint on the political events of the 1950s and 1960s whose legacy continues to permeate our society.

Estoy atravezando una crisis en mi relacion el cual me ha hecho sentir culpable al mismo tiempo que me han culpado de todo lo que ha pasado. Pero este libro me ha demostrado que no es asi. Ahora siento una gran paz interior. Me ha hecho entender que nada de esto esta en mis manos, y que solo tengo que esperar a que el huracan pase y vuelva de nuevo la calma.

Helps free us mentally from the past. I started reading it and it's so true what has been past from our ancestors (grandparents, to our parents) affect our success in life and how we cope with our problems because of those believes.

I recommend it to anyone that it's feeling tied up in life, one who is fearful or anxious. It's a great book for those who are willing to be open minded, and wants to receive the best. One who wants to move up in life and enjoy it while forgiving those who we have held captive in our insecurities and gruges.

Must read and give as a gift. It's food for the mind, and easy to read.

It is a good book about how you should act in your life. How our parents are doing what their parent do with them. It is good to read and try to put in practice.... It is dificult when you put in practice, but remember practice make the master!!

No words to describe the amazing content of this book.
A must! It changed my life.

Compre este libro por curiosidad por que lo vi en Jamba juice pero la curiosidad a sido fantastica. No solo es una guia pero mas una reflecion a las cosas que sabemos y no queremos enfrentar. Me a ayudado en mi relacion con parejar, hijos y hermandos. Despuesto compre 6 copias mas para regalar a mis queridos. Por que amor es de dos no de uno. Miedo es de dos no de uno. Si no crees en un dios cree en la reflecion del humano oh ciencia de la sabiduria.

This is an excellent book. It really shows you how being a Christian makes sense.

Mr. Colson gives an excellent argument on his experience with the Watergate scandal. He illustrates how if Jesus Christ were just a scandal, then Christianity would have caved-in with the apostles and the first believers long ago.

Neat book.

It is a must for christian reader. Very moving and crystal clear message of what constitute Christian message.

Inspirational writer, Chuck Colson, delivers a heartfelt and moving book about loving God. He refers to R.C. Sprouls "Holiness of God" dvd series, which is a class I'm taking at my church right now. I couldn't put the book down & read it in two days.

This is a wonderful book whether you are Christian or not. It really depicts what Loving God really is. This book has helped me make my decision for Christ. There are many stories inside that really depicts the foundations for loving God. Chuck Colson has incorporated many wonderful testimonies that truly depicts how wonderful this God is.

I appreciate Colson's heart and where he has been in his life. This book is chock-full of stories of his life and ways we can learn to love God. There were a few chapters that seemed to bog down, but overall it's a good read and worth the time.

Good for you Crystal for losing 167 pounds. I don't blame you for writing about it either, something this dramatic needs to be shared. What I really liked about this book was that it did not pressure the reader into losing weight. Diets these days are very stick: don't eat this, you must eat this, that and nothing else. Crystal shows us that you can lose weight your own way and it's up to you to set the pace.

I would like to give this book 3 1/2 stars but there aren't any 1/2's so I have written it. I really enjoyed her story and how she worked thru her struggles. It was a little unorganized but still enjoyable.

I,JUST PURCHASED CRYSTAL'S BOOK ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO,AND I LOVED IT.I CAN'T WAIT TO GET STARTED,USING HER SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS
I'M PRAYING EVERYDAY THAT THE LORD WIL GIVE ME THE STRENGTH AND THE CURAGE TO SUCEED.
I HAVE NOT BEEN TOO SUCESSFUL IN THE PAST.
CRYSTA IF YOU READ THIS,GIRLFRIEND,PLEASE KEEP ME IN YOUR PRAYERS
I KNOW I CAN DO THIS.
LOOK FOR THOS BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES,IN THE FUTURE.
LADY DI.

This book allows one to understand that the challenges of temptation for those struggling with weight loss is normal.

Some people kick themselves for backsliding on the diet trail. But this is verifivation that you still can continue and get over those mental humps.

This is chrystals everyday challenges that gets her through the storm. She begins to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I admire her because she experimented and found a method that was good for her. She teaches that there is no "blueprint" available for everyone.

If this book taught me anything it was the power of jeeping a journal. It will help you see where the problem lies and how to get through; and it will enable you to identify what is causing you to stifle your plans. It may be mental, physical or spiritual.

I use this book strictly for motivation. It's nice to read the words of someone who has been there.

I'd like to see her now! I hope she has kept up the good work.

"The Me I Knew I Could Be" is Crystal Phillips' journey from 292 lb (size 26) to 138 lb (size 6). I believe Crystal's obesity and binge eating would probably fall into the worst case category so I couldn't identify with Crystal's struggles, but I was inspired by her committed plan to lose weight. Apparently, the 292 lb was a result of her continuous binge eating (4 steaks, entire peach cobbler, and much more in one setting) causes my emotional issues (anxiety induced by grandfather, death of her brother, volatile marriage, and insecurity) she refused to deal with. Instead of just waking up one morning stating "I'm going to lose weight", Crystal learns the real reason she binged and began to deal with it. She uses typical weight loss techniques that can be found in any book, but what sets this story apart is her true story (complete with journal entries) that describes how she worked through the emotional problems to stop the emotional eating. At times, Crystal discusses how she came to a crossroad had to make the decision on whether or not to emotionally eat - sometimes she did, most times she didn't. When she did emotionally eat, she didn't give up but got refocused. Never does she say she's cured of binge-eating but offers ways to prevent to urge, i.e., after a big family gathering give leftovers away or only buy the smallest portion of a snack item. Her story is very honest.

Included in this book: recipes, before-after photos from her workshop participants, several exercises, and much more. The one unique item I found is the contents for a Survival Kit - a bag packed with healthy food and water that prevented Crystal from stopping at fast food restaurants.

I wanted to read this book for a number of years. For whatever reason, I was unable to purchase it. I read parts of it on line. It is meditation in words. There are few scriptures that have effected me so deeply.

This is an outstanding piece of academic work. The translator has done an excellent job helping the reader through the tremendous repetition of the Pali canon and has provided valuable indices, tables, pronunciation guides and introduction. It probably is not a work for beginners, but once you have some foundation and understanding of the Pali canon, this volume is one of three you must have.

the realistic theravadan buddhism . this is a very big book and you cannot finish it in a month ...-to enjoy this book you must intuitivly understand the spirit of buddhism .mahayana buddhism has supermen complex
they run before learning to walk .before you begin trying save the world save yourself .

I have spent this past summer studying at the monastery where Bhikkhu Bodhi resides. In my daily contact with him, listening to his lectures, and having one-on-one discussions about Buddhism, I must say that he is one of the most influential and authoritative figures on the Dharma.

This translation is top notch and very readable. I do suggest that one go on the web to find a reading guide to the suttas as they were arranged for ease of memorization by the monks and nuns, not in the logical order of the content.

This Nikaya (division of the Pali Canon) is coming straight from the source of the Dharma: the Buddha himself. If one has mastered the basics of Buddhism doctrine, then this book may be a suitable next step. Beginners may want to seek out other sources to give them a foundation first.

With Metta

-Here's another five-star vote for an excellent translation showing care and faithfulness. The Introduction is itself a wonderful introduction to Buddhist thought and concepts, and the footnotes and index are commendable. The author often advises the reader when some controversy exists in translation and how this was resolved. Reading such a fine translation can add tremendous depth to your practice, help refine your compassion and wisdom, and give you an irreplaceable understanding of Buddhism.
-Although many good modern authors have published books with their own interpretations of Buddhist teachings, nothing can speak to you like the originals (this is also a good way to think for yourself).
-The individual suttas are just about right for reading one per day (even one sutta per week would be a good goal). You can easily finish the book in less than a year, and have enough time left over to read the Introduction as well.
-This is an excellent work of scholarship and IMHO would be a useful addition to the library of anyone interested in Buddhism.

The New England Soup Factory cookbook is fantastic. I tried the Split Pea soup and it was so delicious - restaurant quality. I was so excited to serve it to my husband. He loved it! The recipes are easy to follow. I even resurrected my immersion blender. I highly recommend this book.

This was a great book, not for the waistline, but certainly for the tastebuds.

I love the recipes in this book...The clam chowder is fantistic with a different flavor of tarragon. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Great reading and even better cooking. If you are an afcianado of cold soup's this is your cookbook. Interesting and inventive.

I haven't tried many of the recipes in the book yet, but so far so good! I picked the book based on all the other positive reviews, and from what I have seen so far they are very accurate. Almost all the recipes in the book look very appealing and I suspect the ones that don't appeal to me probably would to someone else (we all have our favorite or less then favorite ingredients!) The ones I have tried are delicious and I have a long list of other ones to try. I just finished making the spinach, feta cheese, and toasted pine nut soup. I was actually making it to have around the house for lunches this week but I tasted a bit when I finished and I'm just going to have to have it for dinner now! Yum! So far I have found everything very easy to make and the ingredients are easy to find with out a hassle at the grocery store. Its also been easy to make small changes to the recipes to make a few of them a little healthier. (I'm trying to do the Mediterranean diet thing, whole grains, lots of veggies, light on the meat, heavy creams, etc.) For example the soup I just made called for cream. I ended up just leaving it out because it was already a great texture and very tasty already. But I think the recipe would have been great with the cream or with half or whatever. Anyhow, if you like soup this one is worth buying!

Is it ever a wonder that Max Lucado is truly anointed by the Lord to touch your heart? In 'No Wonder They Call Him the Savior: Chronicles from the Cross', Lucado gets to the heart of the matter. Even to his Irish friend, Ian who had been there and done that. Tired of religion and theology. When everything else seems empty. What really mattered? He wanted treasure. The answer: The Cross.

As it is written, from Paul in I Corithians, chapter 15.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures....

From the Cross comes Words spoken in the Lord's final acts. The words come from Luke, chapter 23. He spoke to all of us through time. He saw each one of us. From His suffering, His pain and His shame to our sickness, our sin and our doubt. His cry, "Father, forgive them." [Luke 23:34] was enough. To all the Bernhard Goetz's who lash out in anger for injustice. There is justice. To the criminal who died on the Cross next to the Savior there is hope. For those finding a way out there is pardon and forgiveness. To the solider or missionary who leaves loved ones behind. For Love is built NOT on passion and romance but on mission and sacrifice. That eternity is closer than any Good-bye, but in reality 'see you soon.' To all the Judith Bucknell's who cry in loneliness. He reached out from the Cross to your lonely heart. It was Jesus in his hour of abandonment, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' [Matthew 27:46]. When no one else loves you. He is going to love you. He always has. He was fulfilling prophecy. When you're tired and thrist. He knows that, too. God became flesh and dwelt with us to know everything we have ever done with compassion He carried it with Him to the Cross.

The witnesses who were there and saw the miracle of salvation. Even those who ran away. There was a great price paid. He sacrified His life. We all know what had happened that day. The message is in our tears. No education, maturity or religion can separate us from His passion. From the Cross' wisdom comes the open arms of undying Love and a place to come home to. Only that wisdom lies NOT as men sees it, but in Faith in the Power of God. The evidence in an empty tomb. So what does really matter to you? I'd say a living God in the flesh, making the most important decision in your life, to spread the news 'in an information age, NOT regeneration.' In Jesus' words, 'Will you tell them?' 'Will you tell them I came back and that I'm coming back again.' Will you?

NOTE: Contains a Study Guide at the end for each chapter for further study plus added notes. To Max, May God continually Bless you as you Bless us with your gift. In the Love of Jesus.

Anything Max Lucado write is an understanding of the Bible that helps a person to find it easily understandable. He makes it easy for people to read and under Jesus a lot better and plus his bible study at the end of the book makes it easier to share the knowledge with a friend

Is it ever a wonder that Max Lucado is truly anointed by the Lord to touch your heart? In 'No Wonder They Call Him the Savior: Chronicles from the Cross', Lucado gets to the heart of the matter. Even to his Irish friend, Ian who had been there and done that. Tired of religion and theology. When everything else seems empty. What really mattered? He wanted treasure. The answer: The Cross.

As it is written, from Paul in I Corithians, chapter 15.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures....

From the Cross comes Words spoken in the Lord's final acts. The words come from Luke, chapter 23. He spoke to all of us through time. He saw each one of us. From His suffering, His pain and His shame to our sickness, our sin and our doubt. His cry, "Father, forgive them." [Luke 23:34] was enough. To all the Bernhard Goetz's who lash out in anger for injustice. There is justice. To the criminal who died on the Cross next to the Savior there is hope. For those finding a way out there is pardon and forgiveness. To the solider or missionary who leaves loved ones behind. For Love is built NOT on passion and romance but on mission and sacrifice. That eternity is closer than any Good-bye, but in reality 'see you soon.' To all the Judith Bucknell's who cry in loneliness. He reached out from the Cross to your lonely heart. It was Jesus in his hour of abandonment, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' [Matthew 27:46]. When no one else loves you. He is going to love you. He always has. He was fulfilling prophecy. When you're tired and thrist. He knows that, too. God became flesh and dwelt with us to know everything we have ever done with compassion He carried it with Him to the Cross.

The witnesses who were there and saw the miracle of salvation. Even those who ran away. There was a great price paid. He sacrified His life. We all know what had happened that day. The message is in our tears. No education, maturity or religion can separate us from His passion. From the Cross' wisdom comes the open arms of undying Love and a place to come home to. Only that wisdom lies NOT as men sees it, but in Faith in the Power of God. The evidence in an empty tomb. So what does really matter to you? I'd say a living God in the flesh, making the most important decision in your life, to spread the news 'in an information age, NOT regeneration.' In Jesus' words, 'Will you tell them?' 'Will you tell them I came back and that I'm coming back again.' Will you?

NOTE: Contains a Study Guide at the end for each chapter for further study plus added notes. To Max, May God continually Bless you as you Bless us with your gift. In the Love of Jesus.

"Any serious study of the Christian claim is, at its essence, a study of the cross. To accept or reject Christ without careful examination of Calvary is like deciding on a car without looking at the engine."

As "pain pervades the dusty planet," we can at times wonder how our suffering can better us as human beings. We feel alone roaming down here while God seems far above, safe in his heavenly paradise.

This is where Jesus Christ appears. In his suffering, we can see God at his most human. When the consistency of life IS inconsistency, there is someone who understands.

Jesus died for people instead of taking revenge. He didn't retaliate even when he was facing death. He takes our sin on his shoulders and becomes the "death slayer."

Max Lucado is really writing to people who have broken hearts and who can find a lonely person simply by looking in the mirror. The land of promise is for those who endure the pain and suffering and are reborn.

I loved the story he tells about the puppy and how he explains guilt and forgiveness. He brings a human element to spiritual concepts. He also explains how we can't get rid of guilt ourselves, we really do need a savior.

A beautiful look at Christ, the Cross and why we need God.

~The Rebecca Review

Max Lucado has done a marvelous thing by blessing humanity with his portrayal of the Cross of Jesus Christ. In his own unique style of writing, the author takes you on a vivid journey of discovery as you see the Cross, and the characters who "surround" it, from a new light. Max Lucado has such a powerful ability to express himself in words. Tears filled my eyes as I was touched, transformed, and impacted by my Saviour through this book. You will be truly blessed!

Scared for your life in the midst of a civil war. Then put into a Sudanese refugee camp, disconnected from your father but left with your terrified mother and siblings. After a while, you are reunited with your father, and your entire family is together. Then in America, where you must start over in an alien place, where you get most of your possessions from dumpsters. This was the childhood experience that Mawi Asgedom underwent.
The book "Of Beetles & Angels" shows the extraordinary experiences throughout Mawi Asgedom's young life, which led him to America and to graduate from Harvard University. His amazing story shows the hardships, as well as the joyful occasions, as he discovers American culture and starts an American life. I thoroughly enjoyed his book and believe that I caught a glimpse at just how hard his childhood was.
The chapters within the book are separated into different stories and times of Mawi's life. This way, the reader truly gets to see how wonderful and cruel our country can be to those who are starting over in a new place, and how Mawi and his family start in a new and foreign place. The book also shows Mawi's experiences viewing racism, biased brutality, and what it is like to be noticeably different from most others around you. " Most of our classmates treated us nicely, others ignored us, and the rest -- well, we could only wish that they would ignore us. We may not have understood their words, but we always understood the meaning behind their laughter. `African boodie-scratcher! Scratch that boodie!' `Black donkey! You're so ugly!' `Why don't you go back to Africa where you came from?' We were just two, and they were often many. But they had grown up in a wealthy American suburb, and we had grown up in a Sudanese refugee camp. We were accustomed to fighting almost daily, using sticks, stones, wood chips, and whatever else we could get our hands on. So it was usually no contest, especially when the two of us double-teamed them, as we had done so many times in Sudan. The cruelty of brutal beatings and the name calling left Mawi and his older brother scared and unsure about their new found home America.
Mawi Asgedom's parents dreamed that their children would do well in school. The primary values that they taught their kids were that education was most important, knowledge was power, and that if all of the children within their family studied hard, they could earn scholarships and become smart and powerful leaders within their new country. Mawi kept his parents' values close and fulfilled them all. "I graduated from Harvard one year ago and have since thought much about my parents' dream. By earning my scholarship and graduating, I have fulfilled it. But along the way, I have found greater value in other dreams. And while Harvard University taught me well, my true education has come from less-likely sources. As I look back to the angels, the Charlenes and the Beth Raneys; as I look back to God's servants, dressed as beggrs and as beetles; as I look back to my inspirations, to the Mamas and Tewoldes, I see true guidance staring back at me. True power comes from focusing on what we can give, not what we can take." Mawi learned so much throughout his life and not only made his parents' dreams come true, but also made his own dreams come true.
This book, with all of its extraordinary detail and description, probably cannot entirely summarize all of the struggles, hardships, and rewards Mawi and his family endured from their journey to America and once in America. However, throughout the pages and dialogue of the story "Of Beetles & Angels", the book does an exceptional job of showing how unique Mawi Asgedom's life was as a child. I absolutely recommend this book.

Beginning in 2001 I worked with two refugee families from Liberia. I wish I had read this book first, because it would have helped me to understand better the sorts of things these families might have experienced before they arrived in our country. While experiences of war, persecution and homelessness vary among people arriving in the USA, the feeling of confusion (even when you speak English, like 'my' families did) and dependence mixed with utter relief of finally getting here seem to be common among all. "My" families knew basic things, but our housing, food and school systems were totally overwhelming even for these educated people. And the police, which we're taught to depend upon, strike fear into every refugee I've ever met. Most of them have had bad experiences with police.
So when I read this book I could relate to some things, I cried over others, and I put others in the back of my mind to remember for when I'm working again with refugee immigrants, especially in these days of heated debates about immigrants.
Personally I think this book should be a must-read in every high school curriculum and for every teacher, not only because it's such a compelling story, but it helps us to see others through another lens and it is ultimately a story of hope.
From a strictly literature point of view there are better books out there, but this one tugs at the heart. And it's also a fast read if you want it to be.

Of Beetles and Angles is the remarkable non-fiction account of Mawi Asgedom's jouney as an African war refugee to America and the obstacles that he and his family had to overcome. In his own words he describes his inspiring transformation into a man with traditional values and principles mixed in with the demands of everyday life in a new society. Influenced by his older brother and father, Mawi sets out to experience the American dream and more importantly, look upon each and every person as angels sent to test the will of our hearts.

This book told me one thing: everyone can be an angel. No matter in what form, that thing could be an angel.
From this story, a boy named Mawi was a refugee. His homeland had been involved in a war. His father decided the family would flee to Amerikha, as they called it. It was a place of peace, which was something that didnt exist in Eritrea, their homeland.
Many perils were made in America. Mawi needed to go to school, with his brothers and sister. He survived through prejudice and violence at school. His dream was to be welcomed with a scholarship into a special university. He worked very hard to achieve his goal.
How did it happen? Just read the book and find out!

I won't take a lot of space stating what the book is about. Just get it and read it, everyone from middle school through adults. You'll be glad you did.