Events Books

Early in my political development when I was being radicalized by the Vietnam war and the movement against it I came under the influence of the pacifist elements of that movement. It did not take much effort to convince me that it was utterly insane to force people who had nothing against each other to murder one another. At the same time I was sorting out social forces in the world and determining whom I was for and whom I was against. I was coming to the conclusion that capitalists were the bad guys and socialists and communists were the good guys. However, I was coming face to face with a dilemma. Communists kill people. Then I read this book. James P. Cannon taught me that the armed struggle phase of a revolution was a war of self defense. My pacifism did allow for self defense. Cannon taught me that in a class society the oppressed class will of course resent their oppression and will take actions to change the situation to be more just. When the ruling class sees that its power and privelege is in real danger it will strike out by any means necessary to preserve the old order. That means they will use the most extreme violence against the oppressed. The oppressed, that is the workers, then have the right and indeed duty to themselves to defend themselves by any means necessary.

So Cannon in this book taught me and allowed me to reconcile my pacifism with revolutionary socialism. Many years have passed now since I read it and I still carry its lessons. That is why I can say that Socialism on Trial is possibly the most influencial book in my life. If you are reading it for the first time you may not be wrestling with the same concerns I was so its main meaning could be different to you. But I do recommend it because it covers various other angles of the revolutionary movement and may have just the answers you are looking for.

A real-life trial, with an exasperated and somewhat ineffectual prosecutor, an interesting defendant - and world revolution as the topic. Ever wonder whether communists aim to kill individual capitalists? How can you be a socialist if the majority of working people today don't agree they need socialism? Why take away the property of the wealthy that they have obtained by legal means? James P. Cannon answered each one of these questions, and many more, in his 1941 trial on charges of sedition. A wonderful, easy-to-read guide for anyone trying to understand Marxism. Excellent for high school students.

Fighting for what's right means that when the government threw the leaders of the Socialist Workers Party and fighting labor leaders into jail in 1941 for defying Roosevelt's war drive and Tobin, the bureaucrat that ran the Teamsters union then, Cannon and the other revolutionists respond by explaining why they were socialists, how the fight for a workers and farmers government in this country will proceed. This book has all the answers to any question about the fight for socialism, not only in the USA but anywhere else. It also contains a lot of history, a lot of humor, and a lot of Cannon's generous wisdom and wit.

This is a wonderful and unique book. When the U.S. government was leading the country into the slaughter of World War II, the Roosevelt administration sought to crackdown on dissent and militancy among the working class. One step they took was to adopt the Smith Act, a witch-hunting thought control act, and then to indict leaders of the labor movement and the Socialist Workers Party on charges of subversion and conspiracy. The socialists rose to the challenge however, turned the trial into a platform to explain their anti-capitalist views to a wide audience. Their years-long defense campaign also played an important role in sustaining the revolutionary movement throughout the war years.
Socialism in Trial is the actual court transcript of the testimony of James P. Cannon, then national secretary of the Socialist Workers Party. Under the hostile questioning of the prosecutor, he calmly and concisely lays out what is wrong with capitalism, and why socialism and communism are the necessary alternative for working people. Cannon takes up imperialism, war, colonialism, and fascism; and discusses trade union struggles, how a revolutionary party is organized, defends the Russian Revolution and takes on the reactionary Stalinists then in power in Moscow.
The book also includes an exchange between Cannon and fellow-revolutionary Grandizo Munis who attacked the socialists' approach to defending themselves in a capitalist court. Cannon's reply should be studied by activists everywhere, all of whom are likely to face similar challenges and need to understand the rich lessons of previous defense campaigns.
Read it and share it with others!

One of the chief founders and continuators of communism in the U.S., Cannon helped lead working class opposition against two world wars. The government put Cannon on trial. This book is the transcript of his courtroom testimony. He answers questions about the fundamentals of socialism-many of them posed by a very hostile government prosecutor. Despite the tense environment, Cannon speaks as though he were addressing interested co-workers during lunch-break in a factory. Down-to-earth, logical, witty, and with a deep and passionate grounding in Marxism. Cannon's assumption is that socialism, clearly explained, will make sense to workers. This approach--rather than talking-down or sugar-coating a la the Greens and other reformists-is the correct approach. As workers see their hopes of health, security, dignity and justice going down the tubes with the unfolding capitalist crisis, they want to hear the unvarnished truth about capitalism and socialism. This book gives it.

"Solving Sprawl" made me want to live in the places the authors describe. For my job, I typically have to read a lot of dry, boring reports and books about planning and policy. By providing great, color photos and true stories about how many of these places were created, I couldn't put this book down. "Solving Sprawl" does something that many people have tried, but few have done this well: it makes the businness of creating more livable communities interesting and engaging. Suddenly, smart growth isn't just something I read about happening in some far away place, it's something that can happen in my town, or anywhere.

If you are interested in how to make your community a better place to live without being bored to tears with "legalese" and "policy wonk talk," buy this book!!!

"Solving Sprawl" made me want to live in the places the authors describe. For my job, I typically have to read a lot of dry, boring reports and books about planning and policy. By providing great, color photos and true stories about how many of these places were created, I couldn't put this book down. "Solving Sprawl" does something that many people have tried, but few have done this well: it makes the businness of creating more livable communities interesting and engaging. Suddenly, smart growth isn't just something I read about happening in some far away place, it's something that can happen in my town, or anywhere.

If you are interested in how to make your community a better place to live without being bored to tears with "legalese" and "policy wonk talk," buy this book!!!

I have an advance copy of this book, and I hope Amazon gives it a full listing soon, because it fills a valuable need - showing people how our communities can grow and prosper without sprawl and the ugliness and damage it brings to our landscape and towns. The authors provide 35 inspiring examples of smart growth - development in cities and suburbs, along with green space preserved - all over the country, while disussing the relevant environmental and social issues.

Too often, environmentalists are criticized (and rightly so) for being too negative, pointing out problems without presenting solutions that work for the economy and for people's convenience. This book takes a most refreshing opposite approach, and backs it up with color photos and project data. The authors know what they are talking about, too: these are the same folks who wrote Once There Were Greenfields, the meticulously documented handbook on the problems associated with sprawl development. Solving Sprawl is the best thing I've seen yet on smart growth, and it should be a boon for anyone concerned with these issues. It was produced by the Natural Resources Defense Council in New York, which has more information on its web site. Get it - you'll be glad you did.

This is a valuable and much needed reference that offers substance instead of rhetoric about containing sprawl with smart growth-oriented development. It persuasively demonstrates how smart growth projects across the country are succeeding in meeting people's housing and employment needs while minimizing environmental harm. Thirty-five projects are profiled in sections devoted to cities, suburbs, and conservation areas, each with project statistics and contacts. Its geographic diversity is especially impressive, from the nation's largest metropolitan regions to small rural towns. This is one of those rare volumes that works for professionals as a technical reference, and for community officials and citizens as an educational tool. It's an inspiring catalogue of some of the best neighborhoods and communities being developed in America today.

Solving Sprawl is a wonderfully lively, readable account of how 35 diverse communities from across the nation have managed to find solutions to the problems of sprawl. Examples from urban, suburban, and rural areas demonstrate numerous innovative strategies for protecting the environment while creating attractive, human-friendly places for people to live, work,
and play. The book is enhanced with photos, maps, and informative sidebars. This is an impressive, inspiring piece of work that succeeds as both an introduction to Smart Growth, and as a guide to translating Smart Growth theory into practice.

What an excellent book for delving into why the Spanish Civil War was lost to fascism when so many peasants and workers were willing to fight to the death for freedom.
Leon Trotsky writes the letters and articles printed here under harsh conditions of exile imposed by Stalin. Their counter posed political programs and the politics of anarchism are brought into life-and-death reality in these pages. A lot about the Russian Revolution too as Trotsky makes comparisons with Spain.
Trotsky fights for a political program to lead the working class and peasants to fight for their own cause against the capitalist class.
The outcome of the Spanish Revolution is history, but for those interested in the politics in Latin America and other parts of the world today this book is a great contribution to the debate on how to fight to win.

This contribution is being written in mid-2003, as the EZLN approaches its tenth anniversary of having taken the public spotlight. Why does the EZLN survive, when other rebel armies here in Mexico fade away? These others, such as the EPR, state they struggle for power, while the EZLN affirms that it doesnýt.

Nowhere is this apparent contradiction resolved more clearly and succinctly than in Trotskyýs The Spanish Civil War: ýAudacious social reforms represent the strongest weapon in the civil war and the fundamental condition for the victory over fascism.ý This truism is applicable everywhere, even in a country like this one which is not moving toward fascism.

The EZLN has carried out a deep going land reform and established near equality of the sexes in the areas it has liberated. The other rebel armies have not gone nearly as far in implementing social reforms as a critical part of the struggle for power.

Today working people face every problem Trotsky discusses in this book as economic crisis and wars, right wing and fascist movements, face us more and more. This can be a handbook of how to fight, and how to win.

This is nearly ten years of Trotsky's writings on the Spanish revolution that overthrew the monarchy at the start of the 1930s and the Spanish Civil War that went on from 1936 to 1939.
Trotsky believed the situation in Spain throughout these years was like the situation in Russia in 1917 where the struggle of workers for power on their own, supporting the democratic struggles of peasants for land, and of Spain?s colonies for national independence and Spain?s national and regional minorities for their rights, could have won, defeated fascism, and been a new beacon for world revolution. His discussions here are not academic. They are practical discussions with revolutionists on the front lines in Spain, with fighting workers around the world. Trotsky?s correspondence with Spanish revolutionist Andres Nin here is a primer on the importance of principle in politics and on the importance of building an international and internationalist revolutionary movement.
.

This valuable contribution of the writings of Leon Trotsky, the Russian revolutionary, is essential for anyone trying to make sense of the forces involved in the Spanish Civil War, the revolution, and the defeats to fascism in the 1930s. The book contains letters of Trotsky to Spanish communists and fighters, analysis and opinion of what it would take for the workers to win, and the critical argument for united front actions with others to defeat fascism. Trotsky's writings in this collection are often day to day, written in a very readable style, and the editors have done a good job of footnoting to clarify points for the reader. One quote is worth noting re:the war in Spain: "In civil war, incomparably more than in ordinary war, politics dominates strategy. Robert Lee, as an army chieftain, was surely more talented than Grant, but the program of the liquidation of slavery assured victory to Grant." The Spanish people were not victorious; the fascists did win. This book helps to understand how, why, and even the what ifs...

Today working people face every problem Trotsky discusses in this book as economic crisis and wars, right wing and fascist movements, face us more and more. This can be a handbook of how to fight, and how to win.

This is nearly ten years of Trotsky's writings on the Spanish revolution that overthrew the monarchy at the start of the 1930s and the Spanish Civil War that went on from 1936 to 1939.
Trotsky believed the situation in Spain throughout these years was like the situation in Russia in 1917 where the struggle of workers for power on their own, supporting the democratic struggles of peasants for land, and of Spain?s colonies for national independence and Spain?s national and regional minorities for their rights, could have won, defeated fascism, and been a new beacon for world revolution. His discussions here are not academic. They are practical discussions with revolutionists on the front lines in Spain, with fighting workers around the world. Trotsky?s correspondence with Spanish revolutionist Andres Nin here is a primer on the importance of principle in politics and on the importance of building an international and internationalist revolutionary movement.
.

'A ground-breaking investigative survey of parapolitical America, "Spooks" was one of the first books to report on the privatization of the intelligence function: the application of intelligence practices to commercial activities, and the emergence of CIAs-for-hire in the private sector. Within this general framework, Hougan unearths great chunks of America's "secret history." The war between Jimmy Hoffa and the Kennedy family is seen to have had a public and a private side, with the latter fought by countermeasures genius Bernard Spindel against "an archipelago" of public and private intelligence agencies working for Bobby and Jack.

Calling Howard Hughes "an American Dracula," Hougan offers a blow-by- blow account of the bedside battle fought by Intertel and former CIA agent Robert Maheu for control over the drug-addicted billionaire's body and empire. Other sections of the book describe Robert Vesco's assault on Investors Overseas Services; Richard Nixon's "French connection" to industrialist Paul Louis Weiller; the efforts of paramilitary wizard Mitch WerBell and CIA superspook Lucien Conein to introduce a "final solution" to the War on Drugs; and the World War II background of Japanese and German agents who played key roles in the Lockheed bribery scandal. Packed with anecdotes, footnotes, and proper names, "Spooks" is a classic.'

It's a shame that this book seems to never have taken off. It's chock full of great information that I have not really seen elsewhere. It only takes you so far given that its publication date is close to 30 yrs ago. in 1978. But the information is, as the other reviewers have remarked, spot on and super fascinating. It's written well, too, not boring. I came over to it's info page here on Amazon to see if there was any other book like it. If you can find a copy, buy it you won't be disappointed. Just again keep in mind that you won't find info after 1978.

This book is excellent. Like the previous two, I have to say that I found the book quite by accident then never found another copy. The material is excellently researched, thouroughly referenced and is just amazing in the level of detail. Although the book is somewhat dated, if you want to know about the situations that are still affecting us including oil prices, defense spending and nuclear proliferation, this book is the one for you.

I, like the previous reviewer, found this book quite by accident, but it had only recently been published as a paperback. I loaned it out, it never came back, and I searched relentlessly for a hard-bound. I keep it in my safe. It is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. I learned a great deal about the machinations behind which Vescoe, Hughes, Maheau, Nixon and many other heavy-hitters of the 50's and 60's carried out their agendas and their whims. Again. Your mission is to find it. Read it. Lock it up. If you loan it out, 'they' will get it.

It has been some time since I read this book which I found completely by chance in a used book store. Having an interest in the subject, I purchased it and subsequently found it to be full of information about the intelligence community and what the agents do when they leave the FBI, CIA, NSA (you fill in the blank) etc. In one paragraph on Prince Barnhard of the Netherlands, the author provides more background and insight into the powerful structures that govern the world than could be found in years of reading Time magazine. If you see this book, buy read it and do not lend it to anyone.

The author must have psychic powers and a clear, analytic mind. Oliverio's argument published in 1998 should have been read by U.S. foreign policy makers. She makes a cogent argument for considering the ways in which people and organizations of power use the concept of terror to hid their own uses of terrorism.

Although this book had been recommended to me by first class scholars, I did not read it until this week because I assumed the work would not be relevant after Septermber 11, 2001. The fact is it is more relevant now then ever before. In many ways, I interpret her to be saying that she loves her countries by loves justice more, much as Camus said long ago. Justice, an analysis of the politics of deviance and terrorism, a global perspective, and a beautiful analysis of the role of theater in the political arenas are only a small part of this poignant book.

This book is more interesting than the Titanic. The icing is the scholarly tone and the sophisticated literal agility of the Italian author.

The book is an important caution for those of us who struggle for freedom and search to create a humane state. With the rising use once again in Latin America of the instruments of oppression, the book cautions us to watch the state, itself. Read it and worry!

Oliverio delves deeply into the roots of statecraft and how those roots intertwine with terrorism. Clearly the author finds the musings of an early Austrian, Machiavelli, sadly relevant to the modern scene.

The State of Terror is a must read for anyone who desires a sophisticated analysis of terror. The book explains how we have been misled by both the political right and left on the issue of terrorism.

What an awesome storyteller. If you have ever had the pleasure of reading a Francine Rivers novel, you will enjoy Lynn Austin as well. While I meditated on Rivers novels for days and even weeks, I found Austin's stories a bit faster paced and entertaining yet at the same time thought provoking and nourishment to the soul. I greatly enjoyed the first three books and highly recommend them. I am waiting for the fourth and fifth!

A glimpse into the our past, our families lives, our history...A MUST READ! You will be hooked!

King Hezekiah has returned his people to worshipping only Yahweh after the brutal paganism that highlighted the reign of his sire. With the return to praying to the One God, Judah has seen prosperity. Perhaps the only thing that has not gone right for the monarch is the lack of an heir; this especially disturbs his beloved wife Hephzibah.

Desperate to bear a male child, Hephzibah visits a pagan shrine worshiping the fertility goddess Asherahl and offers a deal to this false deity. Stunned when he learns what his wife did that broke the Commandant and the key principle to his reign, an irate Hezekiah devastates the pagan shrine. However, he is severely injured because of his berserker ranting. Once calm he knows his country's future is at stake so he turns to God for help and forgiveness for him, his wife, and their people. God answers through the prophet Isaiah who provides direction to clean his house and to select his heir.

The third tome of the fabulous Chronicles of the Kings series, THE STRENGTH OF HIS HAND, offers a terrific look at King Hezekiah's reign at a time of moral and religious crisis that threatens to destroy all he believed in and worked to achieve. Interestingly, the transgression of worshipping the false god by Hephzibah was done out of love for her spouse (good intentions can be an express way to hell). As Lynn Austin did with the insightful SONG OF REDEMPTION and GODS AND KINGS, fans will learn much about ancient Judah while cherishing this excellent work of biblical fiction.

Harriet Klausner

Wow! That's the only word that comes to mind after reading Lynn Austin. I picked this up with one lingering doubt in my mind, "Will this even match books 1 and 2?" They were THAT good, and Lynn Austin did her homework to the nth degree, and I'm sitting here astounded! I was wondering if she'd include Sannacherib, Hezekiah's fierce, taunting rival! Oh, she did all right, and had me sweating a time or two! She did an amazing work, and if you have yet to read this, you really are missing out. I really don't feel like putting the book down when I'm on my lunch break at work, or potty training the 2 year old, and it made me all the more crazy to get back to reading!! Yeah, now read on, right? I still have my review to do!

The theme in this would ultimately have to be trust. And for that matter, not trusting in ourselves. To me that is a gut wrenching matter. Especially when I think I need something, and it just ain't happening! When you look back on the times when you haven't trusted God, please don't feel so bad. It is called crisis, and we all go through it. King Hezekiah went through it, and he HAD to trust God. The question is, would he? If you know the story, well then you already know the answer. But let's not make it so obvious. What about Hezekiah's wife, Hephzibah, who has yet to birth a future king? She thought she was promised, yet no baby, not yet anyway! What about other people in this that we've grown to love... like Eliakim? The Assyrians are planning to attack Judah. Eliakim's wife, Jerusha knows about how beastly ONE of them can be. Will God protect them? Will they rely on God's strength, or will they lean to their own understanding? Isaiah, the prophet is still alive and well in this whole mess, and he plays a big part!

This also gives a better understanding of Passover. With a portrait more real than life, the passover is displayed to me in great awe. It really drives home the point, like for instance with the parsley dipped in salt water. Just an example, and you might really appreciate what an awesome God we serve after this. There is a lot of scripture, yet when you see it come alive, WOW!

All God asks sometimes is to simply trust Him. To put aside our strength, and to simply trust Him. Is it always easy? No way. Is it worth it? Yes it is, because I know from some tough experiences. Outstanding once again, Lynn Austin! I'm ready for more.

You will mostly enjoy this book if you love biblical history or if you would like to understand it better.

First, the writting is not as smooth as more experienced authors I've read. In some places its even a bit jarring. BUT Ms Austin is certainly one thing.....a storyteller!!!

I found myself reading this book and really understanding human nature versus obeying God. It made me repent of some of my own thickheadedness and at other points it made me pray not to fall into the traps that I saw the characters fall into.

Ms Austin has worked good cause and effect into her plotting of this book. Keep up the good work Ms Austin. All in all it was a good read that makes you look introspectively at yourself and hey....thats what every author wants to accomplish...right? 8-)

This was a very concise, excellent study on the problem of terror. I think anyone interested in why our world is the way it is today should read this book. Friedman writes from having 'been there', and his documentation is good, too.

Suprising amount of information in a compact book. I really liked it, and give it a high recommendation.

I am not one to sit down and read a book cover to cover, but I did so with Sudden Terror in about 24 hours. The reason why this book excedes others on the topic is because the author has extensive academic knowledge and personal experience. Dr. Friedman has a master's degree in Arabic and is very well versed in Islamic history as this book illustrates. He is also an Israeli with quite a bit of first-hand personal and military experience on the subject at hand. Not only does he do a fabulous job in writing this book, but he does so with an amazing amount of integrity and character.

A great synopsis of our situation in the world today. I think this is as concise a study on terrorism as I have ever seen. It is relevant for both Americans and Israelis and anyone interested in understanding why the world is in the mess it's in. He does a great job documenting his sources.

Awesome book,from a real different perspective. I liked the fact that the author isn't just writing from an ivory tower, but has first hand experience and knowledge of what makes terrorism tick. He suggests alot of ways to cope with being victims of terrorism that have helped me through September 11th. I really recommend it to everyone, especially anyone who wants to know what it's like being a victim of fundamentalist Muslim terror in Israel.

This book can not just be read. It has to really be STUDIED!!! I will NEVER let my copy out of my sight!

You know all these years I have fought against the death penalty, for political prisoners, learned the law in terms of habeas, wrtis, etc for those on appeal. I never sat down and took the time to learn nor fight this little money making ... scheme (traffic court/tickets) they have going on. Basically what I'm conveying is the first testimonial in reference to THE TABLES HAVE TURNED. Socrates said a man who thinks he know everything is the biggest fool (that was a paraphrase) and as much as I have independently studied law I always studied how if affect others or more to the point how and why it doesn't work. I never took the time to "turn the tables" myself for my own benefit.

I would like to reiterate that I think this book is very important and I sincerely hope that heads pick-up it up and the message grows like wild fire.

ONA MOVE! Keep giving this system hell!!!

Characterized as a "self-help law education manual" to aid young people in preventing or surviving police encounters, kwami k. kwami's (a.k.a. The Chameleon) "THE TABLES HAVE TURNED: A Street Guide to Guerrilla Lawfare" takes the offensive against powerlessness resulting from individual ignorance of the law. kwami writes in the tradition of citizens like Huey P. Newton, convinced that "guerrilla" knowledge of legal codes, and using the law against itself, can prevent injustices against disenfranchised people. This manual is as much a polemic against the "public fool system" and the revenue-generating "fear of crime" industry as it is against police brutality. Avoiding convenient anti-brutality rhetoric, "THE TABLES HAVE TURNED" combines irreverence and humor with passionate arguments, practical information, and meticulous research. While occasionally dense or unwieldy, this book is still a walk in the park next to some of the law books through which kwami has sifted. He concludes that the best way to eradicate police brutality is to eliminate the need for cops and to begin policing ourselves and our own communities. Knowing the information in this manual is a first step toward this goal. A percentage of the profits from the book will be donated to the anti-police brutality National October 22nd Coalition.

In light of police-brutality atrocities revealed in New York City, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Chattanooga and the insipid E-Mail sub-culture of the Washington DC Police Department, I found "The Tables Have Turned" to be very timely. This is truly "A Street Guide to Guerrilla Lawfare", which instructs the reader in proper responses through the Law Enforcement System, from being stopped by a Law Enforcement Officer to standing before a Magistrate or Judge. This book even shows one how to avoid detection by Law Enforcement Officers, on a everyday common sense level.

I recommend it to every Black Man, regardless of age, economic level, religion, education status or location in the world. Police brutality is not limited to one sub-division or location of Black Men and this book should not be either.

Tyree Amala

Years ago, I had a client who liked to remember his grandfather as saying, "Anyone who knows how, will always have a job; anyone who know why, will always be the other guy's boss."

kwami k. kwami's "THE TABLES HAVE TURNED: A Street Guide to Guerrilla Lawfare." has already been nominated for the 2001 Independent Publishers' Book Award in the area of politics and he has been asked to present it at the celebration of Small Press Month 2001 at New York University Law School. He will also present it at the 2001 BookExpo America convention in Chicago in June. Finally, the Black Caucus of the American Library Association has requested a copy to review. At Kwani's request, subscribers to the "Learning Electronically About Freedom" mailing service will be treated to nine independent reviews of his tour de force all from within "the Freedomlaw family."

In it, he tells you why it is so very important for everyone to "LEARN LAW" (two of the eight keywords atop every page at Freedomlaw.com). As kwami observes, "I have visted your website at minimum twice a month (over the last 4-5 years) to study and learn the things that I needed to know to successfully write "THE TABLES HAVE TURNED: A Street Guide to Guerrilla Lawfare." I matter-of-factly consider myself an alumnus of the freedomlaw.com law school."

You can visit your local college, university, of half-priced used bookstore and get a copy of the Prentice-Hall publication "Paralegal Practice and Procedure - A Practical Guide for the Legal Assistant" and thereby learn the ways of officially sanctioned how-to instruction. You can also visit the web and buy a copy of "The Underground Lawyer" by Michael Louis Minns, and there learn that Houston attorney Minns first wrote a manual to train one assistant, then saw his practice grow, so he re-wrote the book to train a staff of assistants, and, finally, he saw a need to address the "widespread disenchantment and confusion concerning the complexity of the law, politics, and the truth about the legal profession, of which few non-lawyers are knowledgeable."

Both of these books are worth the reading; both instruct the reader in the "how" of legal research. Minns' book even encourages people to read the Constitution and urges more people to question Government authority, publicly redress Government for change; and "give the non-lawyers a tour of the legal sewers, so they will not be so helpless."

kwami's "Street Guide" addresses the "WHY" of legal research and, in doing so, harnesses the power of the press with the power of the Internet to help those "helpless" as never before. As noted above, kwami's research material and sources can be found with ease by using the site search engine atop every page of Freedomlaw.com. In fact, this is the book MY mother always wanted me to write (but my 78 year old mom refuses to look at the Internet-book I have written online, so I am heartened by kwami's literary achievement since it "proves the concept" of my educational outreach activism which has been the exclusive focus of the last seven years of my life).

BE WARNED, however, that this is NOT your garden variety assemblage of quotations from Founding Fathers about the best defense against tyranny. This book expresses outrage at the militarization of our nations' "police powers" and takes swipes at the law enforcement and prison industry special interests in the same manner that "Hemp re-legalization Godfather" Jack Herer rails about the brutal fraud of the War on Citizens in the name of prohibition of drugs.

kwami's guide is a hands-on practice manual ("hands-on" like Rodney King and Amadou Diallo) for the frustrated and infuriated city-dwellers who overwhelming acquiesce in those money-laundering scams known as Government entitlement programs at the cost of their individual responsibility and, thereby, their personal freedom. THIS BOOK IS NOT COMFORTABLE READING! The Libertarians like to remind you that, "There's no such thing as a free lunch" to which kwami adds the refrain of the Last Poets (rappers of the civil rights era in the heat of the Black Power Movement whose verse was featured in the 1970 soundtrack recording from the milestone Mick Jagger film, "Performance.") "WAKE UP NIGGERS, OR YOU'RE ALL THROUGH!"

kwami, a.k.a. PHaTLiP a.k.a. the Chameleon catalogs the wake up calls in his young life, together with his informed, articulate responses, decrying the plight of dumbed-down "masses" in his contemporary "hip-hop" speech that conjures up an urgent stylistic referent to the essays of Albert Jay Nock. To this list of aliases, I would only add , kwami is CALEB (Citizen Against Law Enforcement Brutality).

Far from being a jailhouse lawyer or even one who has been in the stir, kwami didn't wait until it was his ox was being gored, he wrote this book to serve as a condom for Generation-X, a prophylactic literary device produced precisely because HE IS NOT A VICTIM!

The guerrilla lawfare rules are very simple: 1. KNOW THE DEFINITIONS 2. APPLY THE DEFINITIONS AS THEY RELATE TO YOU 3. QUESTION ALL AUTHORITY 4. ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS WITH QUESTIONS

The beauty of this manifesto is that the author has synthesized all of the "patriot" arguments (along with some of their mindless prattle), which was composed and intended for consumption by "free white men" or "non- 14th Amendment citizens," with the current police-state disaster that masquerades as "law and order."

This book is 225 pages of tough love from an erudite urbanite!

Activists always pay a price for being right and taking the high road, only to be stopped "Driving While Broke" or some other inane pretext. Everyone should read this book NOW! After reading it, you'll what to do, on your own, mindful of the late Abbie Hoffman's "FIRST RULE OF ACTIVISM" which is, "STAY OUT OF JAIL!" ...

Awesome and on target! Just the right amount of motivation I needed to take charge of my own direction in life. The authors ability to incorporate real life stories with the content made it easy to understand and apply to personal situations.

I have just finished consuming your book: "Taking Charge When You're Not in Control." THANK YOU SO MUCH! Aside from pushing lots of my buttons, you helped me finally explain my actions and attitudes for the past 25 years as an adult. Your book really put the final finishing touches to my own self-realization wellness program...

Did you ever get the feeling that you just were not in control of what was happening to you, but you had to do something? Wouldn't it be nice to have a professional advisor sitting next to you to guide you through the process? Meet Patricia Wiklund, a PhD psychotherapist who is nationally recognized for her expertise, effectiveness, and ability to help people make a difference in their lives.

Wiklund starts by helping readers understand that control is a myth. You can't always be in total control of every situation that will confront you, so you need some helpful coping mechanisms to empower yourself. In chapter after chapter, Wiklund shares techniques, seasoning her advice and insight with anecdotes, illustrations, and exercises.

When you apply what you'll find in this book, you may not be in control of the situation that surrounds you, but you'll be in better control of yourself. Your self-strength will enable you to survive the challenges with better outcomes. Valuable book for anyone feeling a bit overwhelmed by life in general-or some particular aspect of life that's sending you into a tailspin. The contents of this book will enable you to pull out of that tailspin and smooth your flight.

Dr. Wiklund takes a very practical approach to dealing with things that go wrong in life. Her thoughts about how people react emotionally to distressing life events and crises are right on target. As I read many parts of the book I found myself thinking, "YES, that's what's going on here." Then, she follows with useful ways to "take charge" of the situation.

The book was released right before I hit a major life crisis. A friend suggested I get Dr. Wiklund's book. Within 24 hours, I read it and started getting things more on track. Without Dr. Wiklund's insights and suggestions, I don't know how I would have managed through this situation.

Thank you, Dr. Wiklund, for a very powerful book!

I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Wiklund after she gave a keynote speech at an advising conference in California. Even though I don't buy "self-help" books anymore, I spontaneously bought this one "for the office staff", I thought to myself. She was there at the table, a woman with great magnetic charm and compassion, and we chatted for a moment. I left with the feeling of a subtle "blessing" for having come into contact with her. After I returned home from the conference, I picked the book up to give it a glance or two before taking it to the office. I could not put it down! I cannot think of anyone who would not gain a greater insight into human relations and personal experience by reading this book. A must.

While filling his role as an active United States Senator, Bill Frist has undertaken a task requiring a sense of history, perspective, and courage. His commitment to Tennessee history from the perspective of both information and inspiration is evident in his wide-ranging research into the careers of the seventeen Senators who are his subjects, and courage was surely necessary in his evaluation s of their constructive or detrimental contributions to their state and country. His introductory essay, "A Sense of Place and Time," provides an exemplary summary of the events and issues challenging the varied, fascinating, and intensely partisan group of twentieth century leaders who come to life in these pages. Their stories will remain a unique part of the Senator's legacy to history.

-Wilma Dykeman, Tennessee State Historian

Senator Bill Frist has captured the personal and political lives of Tennessee senators from the depression, through the critical post war era, and into the 1990's. Frist's straight shooting style offers rare, revealing, and thought provoking insights into the men and the times. His journey through Tennessee's history provides praise and criticism, but most importantly honesty. With former Senator Kenneth McKellar's 1942 work, Tennessee's Senators, we have a rare opportunity to look deep into Tennessee's political and social history.

-Gregory Harness, U.S. Senate Librarian

This book presents a lively and informative tour through a turbulent century of Tennessee and U.S. political experience. The author, Senator Bill Frist, has skillfully balanced the perspective of an incumbent senator with the insights of an accomplished historian. The story should appeal to a wide audience, both as a chronological story to be followed from start to end and as a rich reference source of specific information about Tennessee, the Senate and seventeen individual senators. Every state in the Union deserves such a richly textured study.

-Richard Baker, U.S. Senate Historian

The great state of Tennessee has produced some of the truly dynamic leaders of this century. One of the best of them is Senator Bill Frist, distinguished physician and surgeon and now a lodestar leader in the United States Senate. Reading this book is both informative and inspiring. You will gain a unique perspective on the twentieth century through the insightful biographical chapters on the Tennessee Senators who impacted the history of our nation and the world from 1911 to 2001. The theme of servant leadership, so evident in the author's own life, is illustrated in the lives of those benchmark Senators from Tennessee. This book is a very important study of leadership that forces us to redefine the title "politician". This book is a good, stimulating read!

Dr. John Lloyd Ogilvie, U.S. Senate Chaplain

With deftness, Senator Frist and Mr. Annis have mined a vein of Tennessee history rich in character and content. The reader will take delight in sifting through the settings, circumstances and fascinating personalities who have contributed so distinctly to a governing process which has led the United States to a pre-eminent position among all nations. Every student of Tennessee history will find in the content of this unique work a great storehouse of information, reminiscences, and intriguing insights concerning the unique individuals who have served their state and nation in the United States Senate. The book represents a valuable gift to every Tennessean.

-Governor Winfield Dunn