News Books

I carry this book with me as often as I can (when I'm not hauling around books for class) and reference it often. Working toward a degree in Ecopsychology, I am certain that this book will be the main reference book for the work I will be doing with clients. Bill Plotkin clarifies the importance of rites of passage journeys, journeying into the shadow or dark side to fully realize your personal calling and the light that lives within you. This is an amazing book, very well written and is already a beloved classic for me.

Last year I met, quite out of the blue, a gifted shamanic practitioner in my own locale who has taken me under her wing (and has not requested a single penny from me for doing so). This was a catalyst event which has prompted my own "second cocooning," a concept explained in "Soulcraft" that I now understand. So much about this book has provided me vital context for understanding my current stage of life and showed me the next couple of steps that I need to take from here.

Some might be tempted to dismiss Soulcraft as "fluffy New Age tripe," but I hope you won't make that mistake. Plotkin doesn't blow sweetness and light up anyone's butt. The journey to soul is not an easy one, and no one--no teacher, no seer, no guru--can make the journey for you. This book encourages you to do the *necessary and difficult* work of finding your own soul, your own vision, your own task--it's important not only for you, but for the way we all live on this earth. Not only that, this book gives you some real-world strategies and activities for how to actually do that.

I am reminded of Jesus saying in the gospels, "what does it profit a man to gain the world but lose his soul?" This book provides some context for understanding what's happening as you lose the world in order to gain your soul. While we ultimately make this inward and downward journey alone, on another level we're not really alone--others have gone before us (and some examples are given in the book), and the presence of Spirit is in all and around all.

My thanks are given gratefully to Bill Plotkin for birthing this book into the world.

One thing, though: I appreciated Plotkin's brief statement in the book that we should not be appropriating culturally from native peoples--but then he quoted Harley Swift Deer in the book, someone who is reputedly/reportedly a "plastic shaman." That was a disappointment, but overall the book is still worth five stars.

This is one of those rare books that's very wise and deep, yet also highly accessible. No daunting technical language, just practical advice spiced with true stories about real people's experiences. Reading this wonderful book was a transformational experience for me. I highly recommend it for anyone who's looking for a path to a more authentic life, especially if you are drawn to the world of nature.

I read this book as part of a course in personality. This book gives you the definitions and differences between spirit and soul, and how a journey to know the soul can be a road less travelled. It is an amazing insight into the state of coming to know one's soul and the difficult road that must be taken to get there. The author also gives many examples of his participants vision quests and how they can relate to psychological issues in one's life. This book should be read by all humans. We have all lost our connection with nature and through this book we might be able to regain that relationship

The inhabitants of our alienated modern society--and those suffering globally from its negative influences--are desperate for meaning. Self-Help books abound beyond belief. People of all ages, especially in the workplace and corporate world, live lives of such "quiet desperation," as Thoreau wrote, that they can barely discern even the surface they're skating on, much less the depths that lay beneath. Young people worldwide fall into depression, crime, or the false promise of fundamentalism and fanaticism, sacrificing themselves for--what? Surely not our shared humanity.

Bill Plotkin's SOULCRAFT is, I believe, at last, the "definitive" self-help guide, one so profound that it has the capacity, for those open to it, to help reshape our entire vision of the world--and restore to ourselves a fulfilling home within it.

I write this as a cultural anthropologist, author and lecturer who has himself sorted his way through any number of methods to a more balanced, centered life. Plotkin draws from traditional and Jungian psychology, the deep wisdom of the natural world (one of the richest sources of meaning which we have almost succeeded in destroying), and from a wealth of knowledge about traditional cultural practices the world over that provide ancient keys to holistic living. Plotkin draws out the essence of all this and spins it into a welcoming web, each strand another guiding rope hung with tools to empower one on a perilous and promising journey to center.

Make no mistake--this book is not psycho-babble and or self-help pablum. It is not an instant solution; it is a challenging way to open yourself up to an ever-widening world through which, with courage and commitment, you will continue to journey the rest of your life.

There may be some who think the notion of "soul-crafting" is uncomfortably "New Age" (I feared so at first). If so then this is a work that synthesizes everything good and wise that emerged from the wild and ecstatic upheavals of the late `60s, filtered over decades through Plotkin's formal social-psychological training, shaped by his rigorous, wide-ranging scholarship, and brought finally to fruition through the power of his personal experience and heartfelt vision.

And now his newest book has appeared: "Nature and the Human Soul: Cultivating Wholeness and Community in a Fragmented World." I just ordered mine from Amazon and got it immediately. After what Plotkin has just given me in the earlier book, I can only imagine what this book, described as a culminating life's work, can offer me. I can't wait to read it. --Jud Newborn, Ph.D., author, "Sophie Scholl and the White Rose."

I picked this up from the discount rack at my favorite book store and it stayed on my bookshelf for a long time before I thought about reading it. This is a pretty short book - you can probably read it in a day if you really get into it. I thought it was a really good story. This is not your run-of-the mill relationship story as it delved into the interaction between mother/daughter, father/daughter, and neighbor/neighbor. It was a good change of pace from what I usually read. I'd recommend this one for purchase. It's a keeper.

This story features several characters. Myra the single mother, who a cooks and sells food to support her, her teenage daughter Odile and her senile father Sebastian. There is also Rory, who is a young adolescent being raised in atmosphere of terror by his single father. Then there is Jacob an ex-stick fighter who was once a champion but now walks with a limp and makes his living doing leather craft. They all live in the same compound and their lives are closely intertwined. It is set in and about the environs of the capital city of Port of Spain, Trinidad. So one gets some glimpses into "Trini" life like some of the foods and Carnival. This story takes place over the period of a few months.

This book tackles several themes but one of the main is how mothers sometimes get so wrapped up that they do not notice their daughters are growing up before their eyes. And also that children often live by example, so if the mother is having sex with her boyfriend in the house as the child grows up, she will develop certain ideas about sex. Also how friction can develop between mother and daughter. I think this was a good read.

This book is so much different from what's out there. It tugs at your heart from beginning to end. From Rory's survival of daily abuse, to Myra's rejection from her lover, you feel it deep. The characters get under your skins quickly and you can't put this book down. And I understand there's a part two available! I can't wait!

Soul stirring, thrilling, and passionate are three words to
describe Roslyn Carrington's debut novel, A THIRST FOR RAIN. Set in the small valley of northern Trinidad, the inhabitants of St. Ann's lives will change forever as each character anxiously anticipates the pouring rains and an end to the valley's prolonged drought.

Myra: Sensuous and provocative Myra, struggles with the role
of caretaker to her father Sebastian, raising her seventeen year-old daughter Odile, and her tempestuous, sexually-charged relationship with Slim.

Odile: Studious and obedient, Odile grapples with feelings of neglect and Myra's promiscuous lifestyle. Growing exceedingly tiresome of Myra's trysts, Odile becomes defiant and her self-destructive behavior lends itself to a horrific scene by the river.

Sebastian: After losing his wife to a tragic accident, Sebastian feels compelled to escort the citizens of St. Ann safely across the bustling streets. Labeled the town's madman, Sebastian has caused more danger to himself and adds to his family's emotional strain.

Slim: Smooth talking, high-yellow Slim, is Myra's intermittent lover. Slim has little regard for the occupants of this small apartment building and Myra's persistent cries for affection; but Slim cannot help noticing the budding beauty Myra's daughter has become.

Jacob: Former stick fighter Jacob, embarrassed by his infirmity, dwells inside a shoddy row house across the street. Jacob is slightly aware of the heaviness on Myra's shoulders and longs to be her knight in shining armor; staking claim as hero once again.

Rory: Rory, the boy next door, has yearned for Odile's attention and coveted Slim's machismo over the years. Only Rory's longing will change the lives of everyone before the torrential rains.

Told by each character in concise chapters, Roslyn Carrington has
created an unforgettable fictional cast with issues of great complexity. While characterizations were profound, I found moments where the story lacked Trinidad's customs and traditions. As a result of this, I did not fully connect with the Caribbean premise, which could have added more depth to this otherwise electrifying debut. I look forward to Ms. Carrington's sequel to A THIRST FOR RAIN.

Reviewed by Nicki Lancaster
APOOO BookClub

Several stories have been written about single parent homes fighting society's most basic hardships in an effort to rise above predetermined stereotypes or much less, survive with a sense of normalcy. In the United States these achievements are often a tall order for families facing hardships like poverty, crime, and domestic abuse; likewise, in a poor rural setting on the island of Trinidad, families are forced to accept certain realities with time, hard work, and education as their only way out. Myra, a beautiful, hard working Creole style cook, who makes a living selling lunches to people out of a small hut in Port of Spain, Trinidad, strives to hold her business and family together while turbulent forces threaten to pull her whole life apart. On the surface, a reader sees Myra's struggle with her rebellious teenage daughter and a father with deteriorating mental health but this novel goes so much deeper in dealing with feelings of rage, resentment, disappointment and loss.

I was extremely impressed with Roslyn Carrington's amazing ability to develop each character with enough substance and detail that as a reader, you feel a sense of connection with all the people in the story. In a clever way, the author gave all the characters in the book a personality trait that in some way related to people we know in our personal lives and/or ourselves. As Myra's world slowly closed in around her "A Thirst for Rain" brings you deeper into her thought process as well as the minds of those around her. Even with the cultural differences of Trinidad to the States there is no ambiguity in the emotions that are being expressed by all the characters.

This truly inspiring and uplifting tale of hope and sacrifice should be considered an absolute must read for people who are ready for the ultimate drama. For me, "A Thirst for Rain" provided a wonderful example of how close knit communities can pull together in crisis and how the ability of one woman to trust can affect the lives of all those who care about her.

Want a book that holds your interest? I recommend this entire series. I discovered Gunn on accident; really it was a blessing! I liked this entire series. Good wholesome values and interesting plots that intertwine with the other books.

Like all of the other reviewers, I'd have to say this book was great. It was funny, had great romance. So you're probably wondering why I only gave it 3 stars. I didn't agree with all of the beliefs that Jake Wilde had (one of the main characters). Maybe the author was trying to point out in the book that his opion was wrong. I firmly do not believe that love is a chemical reaction. Love is a feeling, a gift from God.
The first few chapters were great. Then it began to drag a bit. The middle was the longest. I liked how she ended it. It was a great book.

This book is my favorite out of all the books in The Glenbrooke Series. Don't get me wrong. They're all good, this one just happens to be my favorite. It's about Meredith, Shelly's younger sister. I loved this book! It was really good! If you've read other books in The Glenbroke Series or the Christy Miller Series you'll love this one! I would recommend this book! It's sooo good!

I loved this book! I have to say that I really like Robin Jones Gunn's books. I started by reading the Christy Miller books and then found out about the Christy and Todd books. After I finished those I later started the Glenbrooke series. I really like this series and like all of the books I've read so far. This one though is one of my favorites!

While the author seems to be an able writer, the story line lacks real depth. Some fresh ideas and more realistic plot might help. Meri acts quite ridiculous and unbelievable at times, (the green ogre, the blow up man, the gold fish, constantly going over the same old mind conversations) Perhaps this book would appeal more to adolescents than adults. Try again, Robin!

Easy to read, genuine, covers everything to get one started on the spiritual journey. A totally honest and 'wishing to help' feel about it.
Couldn't put it down.

The author offers interesting perspective to our eternal soul, and some of the passages in the Bible - especially about Jesus. He does contradict his position about Mediums and "cold readings" at certain points in the book, but all-in-all this is a good book - worth the price.

Robert Brown is a phychic sensitive who shares what he's learned about life & so-called "death" in his book "We Are Eternal".

He begins by discussing his "early years" - including the fact that he started off as a "certified skeptic" - with his original goal being to prove the non-existence of psychic abilities. From this point, he shows how & why his views changed, as well as when he realized that he actually had this gift that could be used to help others in so many wonderful ways...

Mr. Brown then goes on to discuss what he's learned over the years regarding various "major" life topics, such as:

Suicide - you can't run away from anything, even through death.

Death of Children - there is a "reason"

Disease - the need to maintain positive thoughts, the damage of prolonged negative thoughts, and the need for there to be a balance between the body & the spirit

Disabilities - we all have the "right" body for our mission

Religion - it's time for people to move away from "blind" faith, and return to their spiritual roots. He also discusses the good and the bad of some of the world's largest religions.

Some of the other topics discussed include: pets, reincarnation, karma, life after "death", and what happens to "evil" people.

Overall, I found this to be an easy, interesting read. As such, I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in spirituality &/or the "paranormal". An open mind is a must!

My husband and I lost our 20 year old son, Nathan. Our grief was intolerable.We had so many questions; where did he go, does he still exist in another place, who is with him, helping him? The day after his memorial service, we found ourselves in a book store looking for answers. We both at different times picked up the book, "We are Eternal". We thought this was a sign for sure that we were to read it.
While reading the book, We were able to find strength in knowing that he still existed, that this was not the end for him but rather a new beginning. My husband, who rarely ever reads, read it at least 20 times. We became stabalized and when we fell pray to our grief, we read it again and found strength. This book got us through and continues to get us through the toughest times of our lives.
We will never see death the same way again. It has forever changed our understanding of who we are and what we are here for.

I'm giving this book five stars because I think that unlike Beatrice Eadie and Sylvia Browne, this author is on the level and actually gets communication from the people we consider dead. Beatrice went much too heavy on Jesus Christ, who is, after all, just a man, and Sylvia is, I believe, someone who makes it up as she goes along and sometimes contradicts what she has previously written. I don't believe a word she writes. So when I come across "the real thing" I have to give it five stars.

The subtitle of this book is "What the spirits tell me about life after death". The problem is that this book does not live up to that promise. It tells next to nothing about life after death. For that, your best bet is Journey of Souls by Michael Newton, the very best book ever written on the subject, taken as a unit with his second book Destiny of Souls. Newton's third book doesn't add much and focuses on less interesting matters.

What did I learn here about life after death? I forgot. Not much. Warning bells started going off early, when the author was simply too chatty, taking too much time to tell us his early adventures in mediumship, making us wait too long for some information of substance. Whenever an author does that, you can reasonably suspect that he isn't going to tell us much.

Give me a minute to remember ONE THING that I learned from this book about life after death. He said that we fall into four different basic types - teachers, healers, warriors, and philosophers. I'd be a teacher. I am always shooting off my mouth about things. Communication is a mania with me, which is why I write so many Amazon reviews. Also, I can take a kid who is failing high school math and turn him into an A student in one or two lessons because I have a gift for teaching, by determining what the person already knows, and building on that, rather than by following my own agenda and hoping he gets it.

I can see myself spending a lot of time with the Akashic records, viewing Napoleon's battles, seeing history develop from a bird's eye view, that sort of thing. I'm always reading books now, in this stupid life. Imagine how much I'll be "reading" back home, when the "books" are what we call reality.

I wish this book lived up to its subtitle and told us much more about what our lives are like when we leave this life. I have so many questions. None of them are answered here.

This is one of those books I found as a child AFTER seeing the Disney movie and reading that it was based on a book. As usual, the book is so much better! If you've never read this book, but you're fond of the movie, or of dogs, you will love it. The story is truly heart-warming, and I love that certain scenes are oh-so familiar if you've seen the movie, but so much of the story is completely new! Did you know Perdita is NOT the name of the "leading lady"? That's all I'll say about the actual story, but please, read it for yourself, even if you don't have kids. It's a wonderful read-aloud book, too--the first time my husband ever heard about this book was when I made him lie down and let me read it to him. We didn't have a child then, so now we get to share it with our son, too. Truly, a wonderful book. However, just so you know--the second book is not nearly so good! I own both of them, but I probably won't read the second one more than one more time, when I read it to my son. It's just not at all the same thing--aliens in London? Anyway, read 101 Dalmations and I know you'll enjoy it!

I loved this book I read it when I was very young, I fell in love with it then, I lost the book and for years thought of getting it again. I feared that I would not like it as much, it was as I remembered, and not the Disney version. I still love the book it did not let let me down. It made me laugh, cry and now understand my dog a little more (ha ha)

I owned this book by Dodie Smith when I was a boy. I loved it and from this story I developed an even stronger love for dogs and animals in general. Written in a most loving way, the story takes us beyond the later Disney film's watered down presentation of the story and dives deep into the realm of dogs. We discover the magic of "dogdom" and how dogs of every kind communicate with each other and with their humans (as Dodie states, and I am certainly paraphrasing, dogs own their humans, but let them think they own the dogs because it is so sweet!)

I have only one complaint about this publication of the book. the illustrations are just short of atrocious. I had an earlier edition of the book that had wonderful drawings that clearly were created with a real understanding of the story and what Dodie was trying to say. The illustrations in this edition look like they were pulled from someone's generic dog clip art. They are technically fine in their own right (I could NEVER draw like that), but they just don't capture the magic of the book.

If you can look past the illustrations, this is a wonderful story and a well written book.

101 Dalmations has appeal to dog lovers of all ages, breeds and sizes.

Dodie Smith - Thanks for leaving this gem for all to share.

This is a charming and delightful book that is deserving of its status as a classic of children's literature.

It takes a dog's eye view of the world, and features as its heroes Pongo and Missis, a pair of Dalmatians whose litter of puppies disappears one day.

As they set off to reunite their family, they find themselves in a struggle against the illegal coat-making operation of one Cruella Deville, an iconic villainess whose name and passion for high temperatures hint that she may be the devil incarnate.

The book becomes a fantastic quest book that takes place in the heart of England. The adult dalmatians find friends and foes along their path, and end up liberating nearly a hundred little puppies.

Smith has fun with the details and logistics of feeding, disguising, and transporting the refugee puppies, and young readers will enjoy learning the particulars of the secret lives of dogs.

The original animated movie adaptation is a good and fairly faithful movie in its own right, but the book is better by far.

Some parents might shy away from the book because of the gruesome idea that Cruella literally skins her young charges, but I think that the darker elements are an integral part of the winning tone, which refrains from talking down to children.

Highly recommended!

I won my tattered, dog eared, Disyned-fied copy of "100 Dalmatians" in a school auction when I was 7 years old. I learned to read late because I'm dyslexic (hence any bad spelling you may notice) so this was the first real chapter book that I ever owned and the very first I read.

It was great. This is a fabulous novel for all ages but especially for kids. I'm not going to re-hash the plot because I think the whole world knows it by now. The themes of good parenting, loyalty, and of course, good, intelligent, kind dogs are things that every child should learn. It is true that this book contains some talk of puppy killing, which didn't disturb me, and I'm guessing that today's 7 year olds wouldn't be scared by it either.

Another reason to read, or let your child read this book is that it will encourage a love of dogs, and having grown up with dogs every minute of my life, I can tell you having one (or more) helps immensely in all kinds of situations, social and otherwise. It provides an example of love and loyalty, as well as the responsibility involved in feeding and caring for a dog. However on that note Dalmatians, contrary to the lovable Pongo, Missus and Perdita in this book, do not make good dogs for children. They don't have the temperament for it. If you read this book and decide to get a dog for your child (an excellent idea) I recommend a good old fashioned mutt (they're smarter because they're not inbred) or a border collie, which can actually be trained to be nannies for children because of their sheep herding instincts.

Anyway, five stars. Great for the whole family, and an excellent way to encourage reading in a child of any age. At 18 years old I still love reading this book. And the sequel, "The Twilight Barking" isn't half bad either.

I was looking for a book so that my granddaughter could get a sense of how truly blessed she is to grow up in this century. I am not an avid reader and this was the first book I have read in a long time. The book was only 214 pages but painted a vivid picture of the life and times during the 30's. I read the book in 2 days and loved every word. Being one of the first blacks in a field that has been predomanently white for decades, I too was wrongly accused of doing things and suffered unjust conquenceses. Bravo to the author, please put this on your must read list.

This is a nice book to buy your child if you want to enlighten them on the way of life that existed long before their time where they can appreciate the resources and choices that are available to them in in this generation.

As a grammar-fiend, I must say that this book is really lacking. I realise it was written in the vernacular for a purpose, but really, after only 4 pages I found continuing to read the monstrous grammar painful. This book is practically a guide to how to speak as if one never had any schooling.

If I could've given this book 10 stars, I would've. I'ma 19 year old inner city black male--that said, I was on the verge of tears while reading parts of this novel, and crying isn't something regarded as "ok" to do where I come from (or for guys period). Emotionally maturation is a must when reading this. TRUST! This is my first review of any book. I've never felt so compelled to write one, to ask people "Hey you ever read a book called Billy?" The book is excellent, and I highly recommend it. And as far as the "grammar fiend" review up above--the dialect in the book is reflecting Southern talk from the 1930's and it only adds to the book, it captures the time period beautifully. Please (future readers) dont let that become an obstacle!! (And after the first 5-10 pages you get used to it)

1937. Mississippi. Two teenage girls. Two young boys, ages ten and twelve. A fight ensues and one of the girls ends up dead. The community is outraged and more interested in revenge than justice. Why? The girls are white and the boys are black. Should that matter? Regardless, it does. French unapologetically drops the reader right into the times with all its prejudices glaring. It's impossible to avoid an emotional reaction to Billy. The grief of the families' losses, Billy's confusion about what's happening to him as well as what happened during the fight, and the blatant racism all serve to make the reader question whether things have really changed since 1937 or whether all that racism really just boiling under the surface searching for any excuse to break free.

I could run out of superlatives in describing this wonderful, moving book. It's the best I've read within the past few years. What an authorial vision! And when Mr. Carney cranks it up, he writes like a god. An awesome achievement.

This brother cooks over a very high flame! A riveting, entertaining and enormously instructive tale. The protagonist is a kind of black Everyman, which makes this book resonate at all levels. Everyone to whom I've recommended Swiss Movement has loved it. Guaranteed to move you!

It is amazing that people find that this is a book that "black men can relate to". Carney and his victim mentality are tiresome. His "wit" is not something that cannot be respected. He is not a man of character and that which he writes is a reflection thereof.

Like many attorneys, his arrogance and feeling of superiority are balanced by his lack of intellect and closed-mindedness. The results are one that is worthy of your pity. He is a repugnant individual who wears the cloak of a victim.

Avoid this and any other "works" of this revolting "author".

BTW
please note that all of the reviews are from "a customer" save two. Mr. Carney was probably the "customer" that gave his pathetic work all of the 5 star ratings

This book should be a movie. The dialogue, plot and action are masterfully blended to produce a fascinating story. The very first line of the book grabs the reader by the lapels and pulls him/her into the tale. I couldn't put it down.

I cannot recall exactly how SWISS MOVEMENT came to appear on my inexhaustible list of books to be read. My suspicion is I discovered it during perusal of some other (but more astute) reviewer's recommendations after yet another disappointing experience with the stylings of a contemporary Black novelist. Be assured, I have commensurate misgivings with mediocre offerings from writers of all ethnicities who inexplicably manage to get book after book of barely literate drivel into publication, the point here was what precipitous event brought Vaugh A. Carney to my attention.

Among the back cover hyperbolic platitudes, John A Williams, who incidentally is another author who never received the level of acclaim warranted by his body of work, proclaims SM is "Ellisonesque," well-intentioned praise I find to be a huge boulder no Black author should be obligated, inadvertent or not, to lug up the mountainside. Carney's novel of a Harvard educated Wall Street attorney who is pointedly reminded on a daily basis that he is Black and out of his assigned element does share some thematic similarities with INVISIBLE MAN but that is where the comparisons end. Mr. Ellison was a great writer; in this first novel Carney demonstrates he is a talented one. Ellison's book is a challenge to read and interpret. Conversely, SM is easily approachable, primarily devoid of the oppressively complex grammatical structure and deeply contemplative metaphors endemic to the earlier work. That is neither denigration of Carney's style nor an inference he assaults the reader's intelligence, he simply does not attempt to cloak his ideas in literary erudition.

At it's core, this is the story of the Black man's perpetual struggle to achieve pyschological balance and socio-economic security in an often openly hostile environment. With a backdrop of jazz, Carney unfurls a story of relationships and the determinism of true love. Franklin D. Moore, the protagonist is on a journey to self-awareness bordering on existentialism that commences at age 14 in 1963 and continues to evolve *after* the book's denouement in the late 1970s. The trials, tribulations and epiphanies he encounters and experiences are equally as relevant to the Black individual of the present as they were in the 70s, 50s, 30s or 1870s. However, unlike the INVISIBLE MAN where the protagonist ends up enlightened but inextricably encumbered, Franklin Moore is cognizant of the encumbrances yet optimistically enlightened.

All in all, a book not to be overlooked.

Others have already described the book well. I just want to add my two cents. This account and The Last Watch of the Night are so tender and honest that I miss these men I've never met.

Although I am a conservative Christian who has never been "homophobic", I have been 100 percent guilty of "indifference" to what it really means to be gay and and the AIDS issue. Not any more. I began to research the issues and I have been telling everyone about this book. The genuine love story and respectful relationship that Paul and Roger shared is something everyone could learn from. I don't believe I have ever read a book that portrays such courage. The pain that both of these men endured would make the average person collapse under the weight. I know what the Bible says about homosexuality, but I believe that Jesus himself would just wants us stop judging and comdemning and to simply love one another as he loves us. All of us.

'Borrowed Time' is the most unpretentious, cliche free account of love I've read. So much of it's power lies in what Paul does not say about his lover: describing him most often as his most precious 'friend' he asks the reader to understand, to implicitly know the strength of his passion. The simple assumption that readers across cities, countries, cultures will understand his emotions is what gives the story so much beauty. I fell in love with both Paul and Roger, or more specifically, the strength of what they had together.
The battle against AIDS and discrimination faced by both men made me bawl, and I hope this book is read by people working through their prejudices and moral judgements about the both the illness and its prevalence in the gay community at the time the events occurred. Surely Paul and Roger's love can only be seen as something beautiful that graced the earth, even briefly.

"I don't know if I will live to finish this," begins this memoir by Paul Monette, who would ultimately live only seven years after he did complete it (and, auspiciously, several other works). Monette's account is a chronicle of the last days of his lover Roger Horwitz in 1985 and 1986: a mere nineteen months between diagnosis and death. It's an emotionally devastating portrait; yet, far from wallowing in his grief (although grieve he does), Monette instead describes this period as a battle to extend Roger's life and a determination to seize every remaining day and make the most of it.

An AIDS diagnosis in 1985, in Los Angeles, doomed the couple to an unwanted pioneer status; it was a "death sentence" mitigated only by hope and delusion. For the first half of the decade, Paul and Roger comforted themselves with the notion that the disease, whatever it was, confined itself to a certain group of fast-living libertines ("not us") in San Francisco and Los Angeles. When the reality hit home, the initial method of coping, shared to different degrees by themselves and by their friends (and particularly by Roger's brother), was a mixture of mortification and denial.

Once Roger became ill, however, the couple fought tooth and nail to pursue every potential pharmaceutical elixir or therapeutic panacea; they were on the vanguard of trials for suramin (with devastating side effects) and for the more successful "Compound S" (AZT), which Monette credits for extending Roger's life. Throughout, they struggled to present a united front of normalcy and optimism, with Roger attempting to practice law from his hospital bed and Paul flying to New York for meetings in the Russian Tea Room with the newly famous Whoopi Goldberg about an ultimately doomed screenplay ("it must've dismayed her considerably to think that this humorless man sipping broth and Coca-Cola was meant to be her breakthrough into feature comedy").

Still, if it's possible to say that one can be "fortunate" in such circumstances, Roger and Paul had the only advantages available at the time: money, connections, and (mostly) supportive family and friends. In spite of the sequence of crises and disappointments, they somehow managed to find time to laugh and to love amidst the anger and the betrayals; Monette's wit and fair-mindedness saves this work from overwhelming the reader with morbid pity and depression. Paul and Roger were often too busy chasing hope to pause and wallow; those moments were often saved for the morning. ("Waking teaches you pain.") What's most remarkable about this book is not the riveting and livid account from the front of the epidemic--such memoirs are plentiful--but the lyrical and even humorous appreciation of the "borrowed time" remaining to these two admirable profiles in courage.

I don't know how this book didn't win every award the publishing world has to offer. Quite simply, this one volume is the most emotionally devastating work I've ever read. I've read about hate crimes, political assassination and Nazi persecution, but none touch this. Several times I had to set the book down because I was no longer able to read through great, racking sobs and eyes nearly swollen shut. I grieved.

Paul Monette, author of the the award winning memoir "Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story," died of AIDS not too long after losing his beloved companion Roger to the disease. That he was able to focus so much energy on chronicling the events of Roger's death in this memoir, was a mircle - and indeed this book is a miraclous gift. "Borrowed Time" is a story of pain, suffering, hope, strength and courage. However, and more importantly, it is a love story - the greatest I've ever read.

This book is awesome for any developing students, students striving to be at their best, or anyone looking for new ideas. This book combined with a presentation from John Beede will change your life now and forever. BUY THIS BOOK, YOU WON'T REGRET IT!

I got this book at the Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Conference. It's packed with helpful strategies for planning your life so you get where you want to go. Highly Recommended! Marie

This is a great story to encourage teens to reach for their full potential, trust in the adults that love them most, and strive to help others in return. Leadership, teamwork, and self reliance are major themes throughout. Mr. Beede presents a compelling story, good reading for kids older than 12 years. At his motivational presentation he creates an atmosphere of excitement and positve participation from his audience. I have heard the thunderous applause and cheering from transfixed young audiences on several occasions. Only two questions...when will John Beede's next book be published and where can I hear him speak again? E. Manning, teacher

I took a group of middle and high school students to a convention where John was the guest speaker. They LOVED his ideas and what he had to say, and couldn't wait to read the book! I read his book to my students and use his techniques with my classes and student councils. It's a WONDERFUL, no excuses, get-it-done approach to life and is so easy for them to understand and relate to!! I would recommend it to anyone!!!

Climb On! Dynamic STrategies for Teen Success is a great book that tells you how to get everything you want out of life. By using the Climb On! philosophy, John Beede helps teens overcome any struggle that comes their way. It helps anyone set goals and achieve them. Every teen should read it!

I think this story trancends race. It's really just a story of a mother who made choices and gave her all in an extremely trying environement. I was moved. I read this after reading Miracle at St. Anna which was great!

I enjoyed the insight into the authors life and experiences. I was a little confused as he went back and forth between characters at first, but figured it out quick enough. I thought it was a good read overall and was fascinated by the devotion of his mother to her children and Christianity. The successful lives of all of the children is a testament to the strength of his mother.

Excellent book which talks about transracial issues....excellent also for people considering adoption of trans racial children....very informative.....

loved this book. my son is also bi-racial. i was born in 1956 and could really relate and re-read the book with my son. he never experienced most of the things in the book so it was an incredible sharing and bonding experience for us and it opened a whole new dialogue with his dad who's family originated in north carolina. great read for all parents and children. truly enlightening

This is such a good book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It reminds me of so many strong women I know who raised their kids to the best of their ability regardless of their circumstances.