Social Studies Books

Though I be straight, I adored this book. It's truly laugh-out-loud funny - and thought-provoking as well. Highly recommended!

I cannot believe how hysterically funny this book is. Other books have made me smile, but this one actually made me laugh out loud while reading it at home alone. Congratulations Mr. Perry, you managed a first. Come back to DC for a visit. I'd love to meet you.

The book does tend to lose it at the end a bit. It's still funny, but only brought a smile rather than hearty guffaws. That flaw isn't serious enough to cost it a star.

Mr. Perry manages some absolutely fabulous zingers (there, I said fabulous) and I don't think there is anyone who wouldn't find them funny. He even dares to say what we're all thinking about those guys standing around in the local leather bar. Going to the Eagle will have a whole new meaning for me now. And this book will pop up in my mind the next time I'm walking up Fifth Ave toward Saks.

Mr. Perry is the bear equivalent of Michael Thomas Ford, but funnier. You go, gurl!

An engaging and enormously funny series of essays that kept me laughing out loud. Rarely does a book keep its steam as it moves from story to story, but Perry's book is like a table full of Christmas cookies--each one special and unique yet equally exciting and scrumptious. I'm not an easy laugher, but this book brightened my days and made me smile hours later. A must have!

I just finished this book yesturday and though that it was the most flabulous read i have had in ages. Don't think that the book just caters to the "Gay" perspective, its a fun hetero read as well. The comical Joel Perry humored me greatly throughout the book, with his funny anecdotes, petpeeves, and biographical stories. It's not only a great buy but a great read too. DOn't miss this book the next time you are browsing through the Gay and lesbian section. And if your hetero, try taking a look you might find something that aspires to you. Enjoy!

I cannot believe how hysterically funny this book is. Other books have made me smile, but this one actually made me laugh out loud while reading it at home alone. Congratulations Mr. Perry, you managed a first. Come back to DC for a visit. I'd love to meet you.

The book does tend to lose it at the end a bit. It's still funny, but only brought a smile rather than hearty guffaws. That flaw isn't serious enough to cost it a star.

Mr. Perry manages some absolutely fabulous zingers (there, I said fabulous) and I don't think there is anyone who wouldn't find them funny. He even dares to say what we're all thinking about those guys standing around in the local leather bar. Going to the Eagle will have a whole new meaning for me now. And this book will pop up in my mind the next time I'm walking up Fifth Ave toward Saks.

Mr. Perry is the bear equivalent of Michael Thomas Ford, but funnier. You go, gurl!

This second edition has many of the numbers updated which reflects the most current demographics being taken into account. Specific research includes data released during 2007. The new appendix makes the demographic situation of American Jewry even more clear. The book continues to be a great call for action. I recommend Getting Our Groove Back as a manifesto for Rabbis, Synagogue Presidents or anyone interested in the vitality of American Jews. Kudos to Mr. Shay for his candor and commitment to such important issues we face for the future of American Jewry and as it affects our children and future generations.

This book is a fantastic call to action. Mr. Shay has clearly done his research and used his qualified experiences and level-headedness to lay out convincing and practical solutions to the crisis that faces American Jewry. His dedication to American Jewry is refreshing and his optimism is inspiring. Because Mr. Shay writes to the point, the book is not dense and can easily be read by any individual regardless of education or religious experience. As a 23 year old recent college graduate, I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in seeing the amazing tradition, culture, and religion that has helped shape the lives of great Americans continue to shape the lives of others in the future.

Written by Scott A. Shay, Chair of UJA-Federation of New York's Commission on Jewish Identity and Renewal, Getting Our Groove Back: How to Energize American Jewry is a straight-on look at the numerous obstacles confronting American Jewry today. Chapters question whether Hebrew schools can ever be made to effectively transmit Jewish identity, why Jews are giving less to Jewish causes and what can be done about it, to the modern erosion. of the American Jewish population due to intermarriages without conversion and declining overall birthrates. "In my view, if we accept zero population growth as desirable - which not all people do - Jews should be exempt from this concern. Contrary to other populations across the world that have grown exponentially, the Jewish population has declined in the past fifty years. Jews still have a great deal of catching up to do, whether it be to restore the population lost during the Holocaust or simply to reach numbers proportionate to the level of population growth internationally and in America." Getting Our Groove Back also stresses that the state of Israel is utterly important to the Jewish identity, and encourages trips to Israel for all Jewish teenagers. A hardcore guide to strengthening the cultural identity and influence of the Jewish tradition among American Jews of all branches of Judaism.

Scott Shay's book, Getting our Groove Back: How To Energize American Jewry, is masterful. Mr Shay has applied his keen, scientific, problem-solving mind to important issues facing Judaism.
Jewish community problems are discussed with reference to today's best sociological research. Mr. Shay presents thoughtful, forward-thinking answers to help the Jewish community solve its issues.
Practical solutions are Scott Shay's contribution to the Jewish community.
Anybody who is serious about improvement and change within Judaism must read this thought-provoking, creative book.

I was intrigued by a review in the Jewish Week and devoured the book. I've since bought copies for the Rabbi and President of my Conservative Synagogue... bought more copies to give to our Seder guests.. Shay brings a thoroughly refreshing perspective on both the problems confronting American Jewry as well as possible solutions. He is totally non-partisan or denominational. His only agenda is securing the future of American Jewry. He's critical of Orthodoxy for assuming that if they are successful they can save us on their own. Shays shows they don't have the critical mass. He's critical of Reform for patrilinear decent and the havoc it creates.. and he's critical of Conservative Judaism for loosing it's position as the largest denomination... if they are loosing members... we all lose. You don't have to buy all his solutions.. but they will certainly make you think. Get the book. Read it. Get copies for agents of change and let's energize American Jewry!

"Here is a beautifully and clearly structured book which gives the reader insight into some aspects of handwriting analysis. It is both instructive and entertaining. For each personality trait Peter Dennis gives a positive and a negative meaning, a truly wise approach reminding us that we can use every one of our faculties either for good or for evil." Edith Leslie, Certified Graphologist

"Here is a beautifully and clearly structured book which gives the reader insight into some aspects of handwriting analysis. It is both instructive and entertaining. For each personality trait Peter Dennis gives a positive and a negative meaning, a truly wise approach reminding us that we can use every one of our faculties either for good or for evil." Edith Leslie, Certified Graphologist

The new chapters in this third edition make this an invaluable resource to the beginning Graphologist as well as to the seasoned analyst. As well, this book will appeal to parents and
teachers who are genuinely interested in helping their children to learn and develop. It will help
those who are looking for meaningful relationships. And, it will help anyone interested in knowing about their level of emotional intelligence. A fascinating and practical book, and very easy to follow. Elaine Charal, Graphologist and Master Graphoanalyst, and owner of Positive Strokes.

This book is a great introduction to Handwriting Analysis and chapter 10, on the subject of 65 different signs of potential danger and dishonesty, is well worth the price of the whole book.

I can't say enough about this book. Being very basic, it is terrific as a guide to my beginner course. It is clear and concise, and very easy for non-handwriting analysts to understand. In addition, it covers different subjects such as compatibility in relationships, children and how we can help them learn and develop, as well as learning about our emotional intelligence. Included in this book are many traits that are defined in our personality. It's a book that I keep going back to as I attempt to learn more about the human personality. Very fascinating. Donna Browning, President of the Ontario Chapter of the International Graphoanalysis Society.

For anyone who is new to Hinduism this is a great introduction to Sri Hanuman; perfect for children and adults. My book arrived today and I stood at the table in the post office, read the entire book cover to cover and could not help but get misty eyed.

The illustrations are simply gorgeous. The lessons taught are even more beautiful; among them "There is no such thing as large or small when it comes to acts of love." also "Rama nodded and said: "All of these were gifts that you were given long ago. You have followed your heart and found these gifts inside of you.""

This book is a must-have for every person who is even the least bit spiritual and one that I will read again and again for a long time to come.

Its a good book but a bit lenghty. I bought it for my 5yr old daughter, she does like to read it but you can tell that after a while she loses focus or does not understand what is happening.
Given the choice again I would still buy this book but may for her when she is 7yr.

I had ordered this for a gift for a young nephew, but think I may just read it to him and keep it for myself until he's old enough to appreciate the beautiful paintings that illustrate this ancient tale. It's a wonderful introduction to Hanuman, the most devoted of servants. Text and illustrations mesh perfectly, and there is so much life and movement, not to mention gorgeous color! High praise to everyone involved.

This is a children's rendition of the later portion of the Ramayana, pertaining specifically to Hanuman's role in freeing Sita from Ravana, her abductor. It has great moral lessons while still being an adventure. There is some violence that a very small child might find scary (we see soneone with a spear through him) and it's definitely a military motif, but given that Rama's identity is as a warrior that is appropriate. A great adventure with attractive illustrations!

This book has an amazing story and amazing pictures. It's great~

This is a must read. A fascinating, gripping story filled with life lessons. The Nakatanis are honoring their children with their display of brutal honesty and courage!
As a parent of a gay child, as someone who also grew up in Hawaii, the emotions of the Nakatanis are not unlike emotions that many parents in small town America might feel when their children disclose their sexual orientation. Although the American public's awareness of the diversity of sexuality is increasing rapidly, unfortunately, that knowledge is not widespread.

Can anyone describe this book in just one word? I know I definitely can't! I'm a psychology student and we used Honor Thy Children in the human sexuality class as a secondary text. Reading it was one of the most difficult yet most rewarding experiences in my life. It is as wonderful as Tuesdays With Morrie, another book of the same genre, incredibly touching and had me laughing uncontrollably at some moments and crying with wrenching sobs the next. This book is incredible and reaches to everyone who has ever lived through a death of a loved one, familial problems or questions about sexual orientation. I feel honoured to have the opportunity to meet the Nakatani's in the next few weeks and share our thoughts.

This story hit home for me. We like to believe we are so accepting in this society and that we always do what is best for our children. This story takes place in very recent history. The familiarity of the setting was profound for me.I graduated the same year as Guy Nakatani and went to the neighboring high school. A lot of my friends say they knew him. I didn't . Even in 1986, in San Jose, it was not acceptable to be gay. Most of us didn't discuss it, if we did we made fun of people. Looking back, I can see that a lot of mistakes were made out of ignorance. As a new parent myself, my heart will always be with Jane and Al. I was so proud of this family for sharing their story with all of us who needed to hear it. And an extra thanks to Molly Fumia for bringing it to us.

I first picked up this book almost by accident at a bargin bookstore in the mall one day

I read the cover and was curious why it said honor thy children and what were the stories behind the people on the cover

ThenI sat down and read it , and I was moved to tears!!

It gives a moving yet brutal picture about a family's stuggles. I can even imagine how devastating it would be to loose all 3 children

What makes this book so interesting is that is is told from the point of veiw of the parents that last surviving child guy and the author and all 3 points of view sucks you into their world their joys and thier pain.

It also eduacated me about AIds, and aids prevention not only in practices but in mindset

As a young woman who is in the era of the Aids epidemic this book as shown me the importance of holding your own life scared and to protect oneself from this disease by becoming informed

I am apart of my colleges gay straight alliance and my first instinct from reading this book is that I have to donate it to the library because is wass too sad for me personally to read again , but if someone else could get what I got from this book then that would be great

The book also gives a look about the 2 gay son's different views on being gay men, and how that realization changes thier lives forever

I suggest that you read this book because this is a true life real glimps of am american family and what they go thorugh as human beings, it will move the unmovable , inform us about other people, and touch us

It's been said: "There are people who take the heart out of you, and there are people who put it back."

Al and Jane Nakatani have turned their hearts inside out for the world to see...and Molly Fumia, as their story's conduit, treats those hearts with the tenderest, utmost respect. I find it difficult to convey how deeply moved I am by the infinite losses this family has suffered, and by the love and blessings that they have chosen to offer the world out of their broken-open hearts. *Please* read this book, and follow its most courageous lead: Honour your children, whoever they may be!

I have truly become a part of something sacred. May someone else be blessed by such a transformation.

A great read for women who are conscious of their bodies and what they are capable of. Also a great read for those beginning on the road to awareness. Women are amazing creatures and it is time we honor ourselves. It is also time we stop whining about what others have done to us and fix what we have enabled to occur.

If you are looking to truly honor the gift of the Goddess and your ability to create life without cursing that gift, this is the book is for you.

'Her blood is Gold' is a wonderful take on a subject of which, I, like most women, have given little thought to, except for the occasional dispair.

An extremely fast and uncomplicated read, it is essentially an exploration of various misognist treatments of women and their monthly 'curse', and how we as women can come to accept and love with periods, rather than just live with them.

The crux of the work is the idea that women are in the prime of their creativity during menstruation, and thus should take time off to explore this blessing. It also offers helpful monthly rituals and a divinely liberating ode to bellies. Additionally, there is a brief history of menstruation and its link to the goddess.

I was throughly absorbed in this work, however I have a minor issue with the piece. I found it almost a case of reverse sexism, and wondered to myself, when do men get their time off?

Additionally, I felt it played into the hands of prehistorical greek notions of women as 'fevered' and liable to insane outbursts of emotion.

Perhaps I found that where it did not exist, but regardless, I thoughly enjoyed this informative feminist work.

I was thrilled to discover Lara Owen's book, Honoring Menstruation. I myself have been exploring my menstrual process in-depth since 1988, and teach workshops to women who want to transform menstrual symptoms into menstrual empowerment and pleasure. I say these things about myself to indicate that I am reviewing this book from a particular vantage point, that of a woman who has been honoring her period for many years.

I found that Lara put into words many things that I've been thinking for years, and also introduced me to new ways of thinking about and responding to my menstrual cycle. This is a wonderful book for any woman who wants to become more empowered, more herself, more creative, more joyful.

Mothers, grandmothers, and aunts will also find it useful for helping them introduce young women into a menstruation-positive view of their upcoming or just-started periods.

I know that if you take the time to read this book and apply its wisdom in your own life, you will not regret it.

A nightmare experience at the hands of a brutal doctor who was giving her an internal exam sent Lara Owen off on this fascinating exploration into the rich underworld of the female body. It's a well-written, passionate and thoughtful plea for a return to body-consciousness and acceptance of what it is to be female. The case studies are inspiring, the ideas for self-healing and developing the creativity inherent at this time of the month very intriguing. There is no strident hectoring - Lara Owen writes from the heart - or should I say the womb - and has made a pioneering track for all women, whether interested in enjoying rather than enduring their periods, or the hidden depths of the female psyche. Men who want to understand women should read it too! If you read one book this year, let it be this one!

all these women did amazing things, we should strive to be more like them. Used this book in a Mary Kay book club where we reviewed one chapter each week.

I enjoyed Pat Williams' HOW TO BE LIKE WALT DISNEY so much, that I jumped to this book HOW TO BE LIKE WOMEN OF INFLUENCE next. I really like his style of presenting the woman, the facts...and then following through with how to take that story and make it a lesson for us all to gain knowledge and insight...so compelling, it's as if it were our own experience. Bravo!!

I have gleaned much inspiration and insight from this priceless repository of equally priceless experiences and wisdom of all the women described in this book. After surviving a stroke and brain surgery in the midst of having and rearing my 3 still young children while maintaining pursuit of my career goals, this book further reinforces a truth that has fueled my perseverance during these tempestuous years of my youth: "Impossible is Nothing!" (Quote by the Great Muhammad Ali)
Also recommended: Faith In The Valley - Iyanla Vanzant

I really enjoyed reading the book and not only were the stories very interesting but also very inspirational. I got a chance to meet the actual writer Michael Mink and I greatly enjoyed his view of the ladies he wrote about and some of the behind the story of writing the book. I encourage everone to read this book

The book spine is cheap and separates some from the pages (without the pages falling out) - the physical quality of the book isn't among the best in the bookstore, but what's inside was surprisingly great--much better than I could have expected from the outside. Even if you know the stories of these women already, it's still great reading!, which amazed me.

In I Knew a Woman Cortney Davis leads us where every woman fears to tread; through the swing doors and down the corridors to an often far-to-busy-to-see-us women's clinic reception desk. The poorer the clinic the more tatty and out of date the magazines, scattered like bird seed to keep our minds occupied while we wait. But there is rarely any item in them to calm the nervousness that women feel on checking in. After the wait your name is called, you go to a room, undress to wait again. Nothing unlocks the nervousness that numbs the mind. Nothing that is, until Davis or one of the legion of nurses like her enters the room. But what is it that these nurses really do for women? I think the answer is that as much as we open and give them, they receive us as complete women.
Long ago Davis honed the art of nursing her complete patient and over the last decade she has also practiced the art of writing. In her poetry and prose she gives us back ourselves, a mirror image of our womanhood. See, she seems to say, see, this is you and this is all of us, do not be afraid.
Davis is a poet as well as a prose writer and in I Knew a Woman her prose has reached a new level of lyrical movement. During the late fifties, as medical knowledge and science began to explode the person inside the patient was often getting left behind. Dr. A.F. Clark-Kennedy of the London Hospital wrote a small book called Patients as People; Medicine in its Human Setting. (Faber and Faber London 1957). He wove the stories of patients and their disease together showing young doctors and nurses how each related to the other. It was not until the seventies that physician writers such as Richard Selzer invited us to look again and remember patients as people. Davis has claimed her place alongside these two fine literate physicians as a writer of such caliber. I Knew a Woman is a book to be read by everyone; teachers, nurses, physicians and woman patients. Davis led us into the clinic with her poetic prose and we leave I Knew a Woman with a stronger and more open heart.
Muriel Murch
Author Journey in the Middle of the Road.
Producer Living with Literature for community radio.

I have recommended this fine, beautifully-written book to all my friends, and to all my colleagues in the health-care profession. I tell them that though this book stitches together the stories of a nurse-practioner and four of her women patients (fictional composites, to protect the privacy of the author's real patients), it is a book that reaches beyond the subject of the female experience in the medical world. Cortney Davis writes compellingly about humanity--about the vulnerability of both the human body and the human spirit. In addition to her obvious gifts as a writer, she offers the reader the gift of her strong, sensitive spirit.

I have recommended this fine, beautifully-written book to all my friends, and to all my colleagues in the health-care profession. I tell them that though this book stitches together the stories of a nurse-practioner and four of her women patients (fictional composites, to protect the privacy of the author's real patients), it is a book that reaches beyond the subject of the female experience in the medical world. Cortney Davis writes compellingly about humanity--about the vulnerability of both the human body and the human spirit. In addition to her obvious gifts as a writer, she offers the reader the gift of her strong, sensitive spirit.

In I Knew a Woman Cortney Davis leads us where every woman fears to tread; through the swing doors and down the corridors to an often far-to-busy-to-see-us women's clinic reception desk. The poorer the clinic the more tatty and out of date the magazines, scattered like bird seed to keep our minds occupied while we wait. But there is rarely any item in them to calm the nervousness that women feel on checking in. After the wait your name is called, you go to a room, undress to wait again. Nothing unlocks the nervousness that numbs the mind. Nothing that is, until Davis or one of the legion of nurses like her enters the room. But what is it that these nurses really do for women? I think the answer is that as much as we open and give them, they receive us as complete women.
Long ago Davis honed the art of nursing her complete patient and over the last decade she has also practiced the art of writing. In her poetry and prose she gives us back ourselves, a mirror image of our womanhood. See, she seems to say, see, this is you and this is all of us, do not be afraid.
Davis is a poet as well as a prose writer and in I Knew a Woman her prose has reached a new level of lyrical movement. During the late fifties, as medical knowledge and science began to explode the person inside the patient was often getting left behind. Dr. A.F. Clark-Kennedy of the London Hospital wrote a small book called Patients as People; Medicine in its Human Setting. (Faber and Faber London 1957). He wove the stories of patients and their disease together showing young doctors and nurses how each related to the other. It was not until the seventies that physician writers such as Richard Selzer invited us to look again and remember patients as people. Davis has claimed her place alongside these two fine literate physicians as a writer of such caliber. I Knew a Woman is a book to be read by everyone; teachers, nurses, physicians and woman patients. Davis led us into the clinic with her poetic prose and we leave I Knew a Woman with a stronger and more open heart.
Muriel Murch
Author Journey in the Middle of the Road.
Living with Literature community radio.

Cortney Davis, nurse practitioner, poet, creative nonfiction writer, has written a remarkable book about the science and poetry of healing, about protocol and ritual, gnosis and diagnosis, and, above all else, the blossoming of hope. The laying on of hands.

Her book is a lyrical manifesto of Carl Jung's observation that "every personality has a story. Derangement happens when the story is denied. To heal, the patient had to rediscover his story." A good nurse is one who knows that it's just as important to hear her patients' stories as it is to palpate abdomens or check reflexes. In the exam room, that sacred space, four women tell Davis their stories. Like a good novel, Davis builds believable characters using dialogue and humor and dramatic scenes and then weaves her own story into theirs.

Healing literally means "wholeness," with the words "holy" and "heal" both deriving from the Anglo-Saxon "haelen," meaning "whole." Davis brings her rejected and discarded patients into the circle, and listens with an inward ear for those parts of them that have been silenced. Healing is restoration of communication within one's self, a restoration of balance, a willingness to change. Davis is a healer in the true sense of the word.

I previewed this item from the newsletter organization which published it for a long time. When I received a gift certificate reward for doing volunteer work for an on-line non-profit, I went for it! It is a great, uplifting read; very creative edit job! I enjoyed it immensely. Most, if not all of the women in it are under 40 though. This surprised me, as the demographic target was not advertised as being this specific. I will probably pass this along to one of my younger women friends.

I hope this review will do justice to Imagining Ourselves: Global Voices From a New Generation of Women, a compendium of achievement-oriented women compiled by Paula Goldman with the assistance of the International Museum of Women (www.imow.org). The women are between the ages of twenty and forty, and have made extraordinary contributions to their families, communities, economies and societies. They come from every corner of the globe, from Beijing to Bogota, San Francisco to Saint Petersburg, Cairo to Calcutta. Each offers her individual story: her experiences and goals. We learn of the many obstacles they encountered in their anti-feminist cultures that could easily have prevented them from achieving their goals. But each in her own way overcomes them due to her determination to express herself, to make an impact on her personal world and on the world at large. Each is determined to be in charge of her own destiny.

As a woman in my seventies, I am an ardent admirer of this book because it inspires all women, not just the age group of the younger women chosen for its pages. Women are often not encouraged to plummet their creativity, to go into the world which in many cultures remains the domain of men. And so women have become somewhat timid and uncertain of their own capacities. Imagining Ourselves reminds women in general that their abilities exceed their own appraisals, and that they can prevail inspite of the financial and emotional roadblocks so often in the way. The book displays the talents and attitudes of 105 women from 57 countries and serves as a primer for women everywhere. I feel immensely gratified, in our current world of violence and insecurity, to view this compendium of women who so admirably claim and exercise their power.

Imagining Ourselves offers page after page of women expressing their beliefs, their creativity: we are shown photographs, paintings, poems, stories, essays, business acumen, talents without boundaries, often achieved under crushing adversity. The book is a convincing reminder that women can indeed change the course of our violent world. It is the voice of Erika Hibbert who speaks about young women in South Africa mending the collective wounds of apartheid. It is the voice of Jessica Loseby from England who talks about successfully having a family despite being confined to a wheelchair - something that would been virtually unthinkable for a disabled woman even a generation ago. It is the voice Mayerly Sanchez who, in the midst of Colombia's civil war, had the temerity to organize youth against the violence. She orchestrated a historic national vote in which thousands of kids and teenagers across the country went to the polls to make a highly televised statement against the violence. And one month later, as a result, tens of thousands of adult Colombians also went to the polls to demand an end to forced kidnapping and abuses of children associated with the war.

"Mayerly did not grow up as an elite member of her society. She did not have access to extraordinary wealth or networks of privilege. She ... was simply a young woman with a good idea who did not stop to question the proposition that she could make a difference in the world." Imagining Ourselves is a provocative and illuminating book that contains a uniquely diverse selection of young women who remain true to their ideals.

Ms. Goldman sees her book as a kind of conversation... to be used as a tool to unite women, a conversation she hopes all women will join. It needs to be said here that these women represent the middle and upper-middle classes of their countries, women who have had the benefits of education and technology; they are not the voices of the poor and underprivileged.

Ms. Goldman stresses two points I particularly appreciate: one, that fulfilling their dreams requires women to exercise more patience and persistence than they originally anticipated. It is easy to get discouraged, to allow despair to get the upper hand, and throw in the towel too quickly, too soon. Her other interesting point is that the realization of their dreams rarely looks the way they expect it will look, and that they need to remain flexible in order to accept the new and different outcomes that may, however, lead them where they wish to go. The beauty of creativity, Goldman reminds us all, lies in its unpredictability and we need to recognize that this is good, that this is an invaluable part of the creative process.

The brilliant Chilean author, Isabel Allende, has written the Foreword of this book. She writes of her childhood and the repression suffered by women in her country. How being born female was the biggest disadvantage, how she, along with others, rebelled against the many unfairnesses perpetrated against them, and how life slowly changed for women, particularly after the invention of the birth control pill. However, she stresses that much still needs to be done, that she does get depressed from time to time, and how grateful she is that this book landed on her desk to remind her that women are feeling empowered today as never before.

Indeed, this meticulously assembled collection reflects the indomitable spirit inherent in women. I, too, believe we are moving more and more into an era of matriachy similar to that experienced in eras past. And the inspiring contents of Imagining Ornselves: Global Voices from a New Generation of Women is ample proof of this fact.

by Duffie Bart
for Story Circle Book Reviews
www.storycirclebookreviews.org
reviewing books by, for and about women

As a proud member of the International Museum of Women, I really recommend this book to women of all ages, of any cultural background, anywhere.

What makes this book so endearing - and so different from many other books concerning women's current socio-cultural/political issues - is that the stories are very personal, internationally diverse yet filled with a common essence that reaches out to every women regardless of generation, nationality, or social, economic, or educational level. Even "Eve" back in Eden could have benefited from this book, recognizing the archetype (or stereotype!) that she was setting for generations to come!

Furthermore, the stories, even when extraordinary (and many are), are simple and ordinary in the best sense in that the women who authored them address the issues of their times as everyday themes that are both timely and timeless - and certainly appreciable by men as well as women.

The book is also just a great picture book, almost like a travel book, but one that journeys through minds and souls as well as landscapes of achievement by truly beautiful and gifted women united by their place in history.

What really enhances the book and defines its time is the availability of its adjunct Imagining Ourselves/Museum of Women web site exhibit, which is multilingual. This interactive element expands the book's value from frozen print to a growing presentation of living, contributing women from across the globe.

Women in every time, in every field, in every culture have served as inspiring sources of education and guidance for other women, but unfortunately women of the past were not as informationally or cross-culturally advantaged as the women of today, hence, their reach was limited and thus their support from and of other women was limited.

What a great miracle the Internet is in overcoming such boundaries as time, culture, and geography!

And what a great miracle this book is, particularly for the women who are its subject - the most well-educated, well-traveled, professionally empowered, and internationally integrated generation of women to date.

About the Author/editor: Paula Goldman was born in Singapore in 1975. She lived in Jakarta, Indonesia with her family. In 1997 she moved to Southern California, where she graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. She then went on to receive a master's degree in public affairs from Princeton University. Paula is studying for a PHD in Social Anthropology at Harvard University.
Paula had a vision, and through her vision and her internal non-stop forward move she came up with the idea to do a book that would involve many different women from many different countries.
The idea of an Anthology came up when she was conversing with a friend, Denise Dunning. Their ideas bounced back and forth with memories and experiences of other women from different countries that they have had friendships and encounters with. To be able to put all of these amazing women into one book would be the only book of its kind.
Paula Goldman has always been driven into journeys in regards to working with people in conflict and in helping to better the opportunities in certain impoverished areas. Paula is a true moving spirit, spreading her strengths and education to all those that she can reach. Through her ideas and words, Paula brings to us her book about women across the globe which in turn has created a true legacy to her name.

About the Book: Imagining Ourselves: Global Voices from a New Generation of Women

The journey to creating "Imagining Ourselves": Global Voices from a New Generation of Women started in the fall of 2001, during a breakfast between friends. It was a true challenge and a beginning to a book that only now can speak for itself.

Women between 20 and 40 from all over the globe were invited to share a piece of their culture that would result from basically one question, "What defines your generation of women?" In order to be able to even come close to reaching over one billion women, The International Museum of Women was approached and became partners with Paula Goldman in order to fulfill her mission. Then an International Advisory Committee was formed involving twenty-five women from around the world who served as interpreters in communications.

The results were organized into a book called, "Imagining Ourselves", which is a global collection of many different stories, poems, art forms, and intimate portraits of women finally opening up their most inner personnel being, and striving to become a woman that will make their ancestors proud.

The submissions that you will see in this book are spiritual, humorous, beautiful, thought provoking and some could be considered offensive. These are some of the real women of this day and age. They are women that have overcome their heritage and seized the day, so to speak. Through their art work and stories they reveal to us what it is like to gain an education and succeed in stepping up in a world that has challenged them, whether it is through poverty, violence, politics, extreme old fashion rules, or just life itself.

The women that have been chosen for this book come from all over the globe. From countries such as: Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Middle East & North Africa, North America, Oceania, Sub-Saharan Africa and Western Europe. These are just a handful of cultures that, "Imagining Ourselves: Global Voices from a New Generation of Women" represents in regards to how far women have come with their achievements, self-esteem and the ability to stand up and be proud of who they are and where they were born.

Recommendation: This book is for every walk of life and every room in the house. I also recommend it as a historical read to be cherished by our libraries across the globe. It is truly one of a kind. "Imagining Ourselves: Global Voices from a New Generation of Women", will build ones self-esteem and hopes that women are becoming stronger and are overcoming all of the elements that stand in their way in building a more unique self. No matter what part of the world women are from, they are equally striving for a stronger voice to be heard. Womensselfesteem.com highly recommends this book to all people across the globe.

"Thank You Paula Goldman, for everything you have done for women!"

My friend, who dropped by my office to take me out for dinner, saw the Imagining Ourselves book on my desk. "What's this?" she asked. "I just got it from Amazon, take a look" I said. "I don't think I'm gonna like it", she said, "all these books about women empowerment and all, I never connect with all this."

My friend is a scientist. With her PhD in biology, working at an Ivy League university with the world's best researchers, she thought that "all that women empowerment stuff" was irrelevant for her. After all, she has "made it" in the world, never feeling that being a woman was much of an obstacle.

And this is why this book is so great. It didn't take my friend more than a few seconds holding this book in her hands to realize how much "all that women empowerment stuff" had become a part of her. So much so that she can live the life she does without that constant awareness, without that constant struggle. It had become a part of her to such an extent that she never thinks about it anymore. "All that women empowerment stuff" had been so successful in bringing change that to some women it had finally become irrelevant.

My friend picked up the book from my desk and read the back cover. Then she looked inside. Then she sat down, and I didn't hear from her for about an hour. She couldn't really put it down.

If you think that you are beyond "all that women empowerment stuff" then this is just the book for you. And if you don't, well, then definitely read it.

This book was recommended to me by a man I met at Burger King. He had to read it for school, and he said it changed his faith. It's incredibly hard to read, because it is wrenching and graphic and painful. You come to love this family and admire their integrity, and the strength that they displayed for their community. It is written by newspaper and media reporters, and it reads like it, but I think they did a great job with a hard subject. It is for sure biased towards the prosecution and the Polleck family. I came to think of the defense attorney as one of the criminals in the case because that is how he is protrayed. This book is not for you if you have a weak stomach. It has detailed descriptions of an incredibly brutal killing of an innocent teenager. I don't think I would have been as connected to the victim's family if it didn't.

i read this book as soon as i heard it was published. i did not know eddie but my best friend of 5 years knew him, her whole family knew the polecs. it made me want to read it and understand what they all went through. that whole community suffered such a horrible tragedy, and somehow they all still came together to give comfort and hope to eachother. it is such a powerful book, the way it draws you into the polecs lives. every teen in highschool should read this book and come to an understanding that violence doe not solve anything. and it never will, it is sad that a sweet, young and innocent guy had to die in order for our justice system to improve just a little bit and it is sad that he had to die so that people could now see what this type of violent behavior has not only done to a family, but the entire community. i now know the polecs and they are the strongest people i have ever met, god bless them and may god give them strength and hope throughout all the days of their lives.

I was forced to read this book, and I thank God everyday that I was. I am now a graduate of Cardianl Dougherty High School, where Eddie would of graduated, and at the time when I entered CD all incoming freshmen were required to read In Eddie's Name. Well I myself can't stand to read, and I never did summer reading in grade school and I wasn't about to start in high school. Well something inside of my told me to read this book, so I did. And it usually takes me months to read a book but I couldn't but this book down at all, I finished it in a week. I cried my eyes out at most of the book, but at the end I learned a valuable lesson, that violence is not the answer to anything. I was fortunate enough as a freshmen as Dougherty to not of only learned this from the book but to also of learned it from John Polec, Eddie's father, himself when he came and talked to us during Increase the Peace Week. At Dougherty we were taught everyday that violence is not the answer and we have a story to go with why, and this past year another story was added to it, unfortunately. At the end of this school year,2005, a junior at Dougherty, Kenny Baptist, was killed. He was shot to death on his front steps by his sister's ex-boyfriend. I know that for sure violence in America must be stopped, but especially among teens, and that is why I have decided that I am going to promote non-violence by going to other schools and talking about Eddie's and Kenny's stories. And to each one I go to I am also going to recommend to each and every teen that they should pick up a copy of this wonderful book and read it, because in the end it is all worth while!

After watching the Polec's on Dateline NBC recently, I got this book from the library, read it and cried almost halfway through it. I was hoping that the book was fiction and not true but that was not the case. I have every respect for the Polecs, wanting to make the community a better place inspite of tragedy to their son Eddie,They had a wonderful son whose life was taken in a senseless tragedy. I recommend this book to anyone who has children.

I am 17 years old, and in june 2000 I was brutally assaulted by 3 kids with baseball bats and had to have reconstructive surgery on my skull. This happened about a mile from where eddie was killed, and I'm also a senior at cardinal dougherty high school, where eddie was enrolled. I read this book, and I must say it hit me hard because I was so close to receiving the same fate as eddie. Please if you can take some time to read this book so that we may spread the message of peace to the world, and stop future things like this from happening.