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!

This book demonstrates the many varied ways that individuals can make a difference in their communities. Having been involved with non-profit organizations for the past 25 years, I know the impact that dedicated volunteers and sponsors have on improving the lives of their neighbors.
Thanks to Mr. Economy and Mr. Berkley for offering suggestions for other business leaders to give back to their communities.

Berkley and Economy have summarized, in a very simply fashion, how regular people with a vision and sense of purpose can step in and make things happen when others, like the goverment or agency, fail. This is a tale of ordinary people mobilizing others to do extraordinary things. It's both inspirational as well as reassuring that people like Bert, Peter and the others in the book are there to take action. We should all follow their lead.

This book brings to light the real impact a business can have on a community. How can we get this message to more business and corporate leaders. The book will jump start your enthusiasm to give back to the community and become involved.

This is in inspiring book! It made me reflect on how I could elevate the contributions of both myself and those I work with to help others in the community. As a company, we are faithful participants in Kansas City's Day Of Caring, the Susan B. Komen run, and multiple other community activities, but based on what others have done, we can clearly do much more.

I encourage everyone to read this book!

This book provides truly inspirational stories of incredible individuals (certainly including Bert Berkley himself) who are doing great works to make a difference, each in their own way. In addition, the interviews are really helpful getting into the motivations and challenges faced in these endeavours, and there is a very practical, 'how to' sense about it all. A MUST READ!!

"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 bought this book to replace a loaned copy that wasn't returned, because I definitely want to keep a copy in my personal library - even though I've gone through menopause now.
After I embraced the concepts in this book and began to use them in my life I stopped having difficult periods. I'm not saying that I never had another cramp, but as my body learned to trust that I was going to support it and give it as much rest as I could during my periods, it gave me a little leniency on those times that I felt I really had to be active.
Even though it was sometimes difficult to refuse invitations because I was going to need to rest and be quiet during my periods as much as possible, the payoffs were enormous. After I had established enough trust with my body that I would give it the quiet time it needed, we began to be able to negotiate. In additon to no longer having really bad cramps, I went from having periods lasting up to a week to a mere three days. I also learned to respect the rhythms in nature more, and I became much more intuitive and connected to guidance. I stopped viewing periods as a burden and began to see them as a gift. And when the time came, I went through menopause without even a supplement or doctors visit.

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!

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.

i llllllove this book, its so genius, the plot, the imagary, the use of language, de book wikid u see?

i am now wrting a script because of this book, it inspired me to write. I would like to in my future endeavour make a film out of these stories if given the right tools and the permission.
i seriously did not want to bring it back to the library!
story sweet!

Wow. I truly enjoyed reading this book. I found it well written and it carried me from beginning to end without a hitch. It was quite a ride! I did find myself reading out loud quite a bit - pronouncing the lingo/slang/pidgen words aloud so I could try to understand or hear what they sounded like or meant. Some words I looked up in on-line dictionaries as I wasn't sure exactly what they meant. (woe to us Pacific Northwest folks...) I can easily imagine this book as a movie - the characters were (and still are) very vivid in my minds eye as I read through it.

This novel depicts, with very gory and startling detail, the true life of Protestant, Pentecostalist, small-town, country people in mid-20th-century Jamaica, who are completely caught up between misguided perceptions of what is good and evil and the plague of superstition and mysticism. As was mentioned before: if you enjoy Toni Morrison, you will enjoy this read. If you have no clue as to the ins and outs of Jamaica's overly "Christian" culture and the captivating politics of beauty and race on this island-nation, then this book will serve, as was mentioned in other reviews, as a frightening, yet quite real, introduction.

This story about the struggle for the soul of a small Jamaican village evokes the dreamlike particularity of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and the driving inevitability of Faulkner's major novels. But the voice is unique to Marlon James, and it's the voice, rather the many voices, ranging from poor folk patois to high flown hermeneutics, that make this novel special.

Hector Bligh, the Rum Preacher, presides over the pulpit of the village's Christian Church. Bligh, lost in fog of guilt and alcohol, is a barely credible messenger of God. During service one Sunday, a stranger bursts into the church and physically tosses Bligh out into the street. The stranger, Apostle York, tells the congregation he's been sent to put the village back on a proper spiritual path. Over time, the sacrifices York asks from the faithful get greater, and the price for disobedience rises sharply. Pastor Bligh sinks to the depths, but he's given a hand up by the Widow Greenfield, and eventually finds the will to struggle back. Sober, connected again to spiritual power from multiple sources, he's ready to fight to reclaim his church.

James flits in and out of a lot of minds. He's particularly good with the main female character, Lucinda, who's caught between love of God and lust for Apostle York, between the spiritual light of day and the darkness of obeah magic. And we care for the Widow Greenfield, who can't keep compassion from seeping into her sealed-off heart. A rarely seen technique is the way James uses the collective voice of the village as a kind of Greek chorus that comments on the struggle between the Pastor and the Apostle. This voice is fearful, ignorant, credulous - prime fodder for York's emerging cult.

The book contains many graphic scenes. Fluids from many bodies gush, flow, spurt. The language is raw; neither the reader's nor the characters' feelings get spared. But all of it is in service to the plot: the battle between the Pastor and the Apostle comes to a climax; Lucinda's internal struggles get resolved; and we learn why York showed up at this particular dusty country crossroad in the first place.

This is a powerful novel. The writing is strong and original. The shifts in setting and point of view are handled with aplomb. Even more impressive, it's James' fiction debut. He's a writer to watch.

This book is nothing like anything I expected. It is very well written. I am amazed that this is a new author.

While reading Tony Horwitz's recent book, "A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World", about his travels through the Americas to rediscover the early explorers and colonists that preceded Jamestown and Plymouth, I became fascinated with those who came to America a full 100 years before Jamestown, particularly Hernando De Soto's 4 year plunge into the wilderness of America with his 600 man army in 1539. In spite of failures by previous Spanish explorers, including one army that lost all but 4 men, De Soto marches throughout the entire southeast from Florida, as far north as Tennessee and North Carolina to as far west as northeast Texas in a vain search for gold and other precious metals. De Soto's journey is fascinating in that he marches through the wilderness and unknown with an unusual measure of confidence while encountering an amazing society of Indian tribes totally unlike what American's perceive of the Indian culture based on their knowledge of American Indians post Jamestown. These tribes had concentrated villages with advanced agricultural development, a networked culture with a central chief, an upper class and they utilized great mounds for the base of the homes of their chiefs and to a lesser degree, their other important tribal members. Based on eye witness accounts left in chronicles and secondary sources, Hudson, tells the story of De Soto's travels and encounters with the Indians that is even more fascinating by Hudson's ability, aided by archeology, to trace a pretty accurate mapping of De Soto's travels. The cruelty inflicted by De Soto and his followers seems counter productive particularly as they are frequently at war with the various tribes they encounter as they in turn depend on the Indians supplies for survival. Thus 220 years before Sherman's march, De Soto also lived off the land creating even greater devastation in his wake. What is very interesting is the detail about the Indians encountered, the names of the towns, biographies on the various chiefs, the detail of their lifestyle and the intriguing explanations of the built up mounds that are still present throughout southeast America. The initial part of the book provides a good history of the early Spanish explorations before de Soto, the closing chapters explains what may have happened to these advanced Indian cultures that were in apparent decline before de Soto and virtually melted away before the tribes known today became prevalent like the Cherokees, the Creeks, Chickasaws etc. The final section covers the great debate and documentation of De Soto's route that was seemingly well documented through the Smithsonian but has more recently been proven to be less accurate by current scholars such as Hudson. If you are only interested in de Soto's travels, this is the meat of the book and whether you have interest in the final sections, this is still one of the best books on De Soto and those lost American tribes who seem related to the Aztecs without the stone necessary to similar stone structures, they in turned built mounds.

Written by Charles Hudson (Franklin Professor of Anthropology, University of Georgia), Knights of Spain, Warriors of the Sun is an in-depth scrutiny of Hernando de Soto's history-making mission of exploration between 1539 and 1542. Taking pains to recreate as precise a geographic answer as possible to the question "Where did De Soto go?", Knights of Spain, Warriors of the Sun retraces De Soto's steps along a map, with supplementary black-and-white photographs and illustrations, recounting De Soto's adventures, perils, and encounters with Native Americans as accurately as possible. Accessible to lay readers and historians alike, Knights of Spain, Warriors of the Sun is a welcome addition to public and college library world history shelves.

I enjoyed this book immensely. As a guy who can take something as dry as "Darwin's Origin of Species" to the beach for the weekend, this is a real page turner. The author does a wonderful job of assembling journal entries along with well documented historical data, into an enjoyable read for the interested lay person. It reminds me somewhat of "Undaunted Courage" by Stephen Ambrose in both its well documented historical accuracy, and attention to readability by the consuming public. I bought this book mainly out of a life long interest in Southeastern Indian culture, and an interest in the terrain of the region before European settlement. The book delivered in spades on both accounts. I am surprised Hollywood has left this story alone. There is enough violence, death, greed, deceit and sex for 5 movies in Desoto's story.

K Cook

I probably first read or heard about de Soto in high school, but until recently he was just a name, one of dozens of Spanish Conquistadors. Then in 2002 while traveling through the Tampa, FL area I came across a National Park commemoration where he first landed on a 4,000 mile 3-year trek through North America. Being there in person my imagination was fired and I've been fascinated by de Soto's journey ever since. I can still smell the salt air, hear the surf and see the Spanish horsemen moving through the shadows of the red mangrove forest. In terms of discovery and epic adventure de Soto equals the story of Lewis and Clark.

This is the single best book available about de Soto, representing 20 years of research and incorporating the latest in archaeological evidence. The route is historically a subject of great controversy, each state has commemorative trails and sites that occasionally change with new scholarship.

The books is a masterpiece incorporating details from many layers to create a highly textured and easily imagined vision of the Spainards and Indians. Hudson is an anthropologist and takes a multi-disiplinary approach which creates a much richer work than a straight historical narrative. Hudson used a "braided narrative", inter-twining the chronological history of events with the latest anthropological evidence - the effect works well.

I found this book to be an excellent read. I could almost hear the clanking of armor and smell the smoke of the Indian village cooking fires. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in early Southeastern Indian culture as-well-as sixtenth century Spanish conquest.