Biography Books

I purchased this paperback version at Fisk University in August 1978 and it has been with with me since then. I love the recipes in this book and the stories behind them. I have my original paperback copy @$2.75 a copy. I cooked several recipes from this book, although I knew how to cook from my mother. I am sharing this book with my young co-workers in my office as the bible for Southern cooking and sharing a family story. I love the recipe for the potatoe salad and am preparing it for my company's picnic this week.

Thanks for sharing,
Loren

This is as interesting as a "reading" book as it is as a cookbook. The recipes are very creative, too. A lot of "homestyle" cookbooks just seem to be "1,001 things to do with canned soup" but this one isn't like that at all--the recipes are genuinely interesting and are varied, from ice cream to homemade wine to Sunday dinner.

I purchased this book in hardbound when it came out years ago. I used it until the pages fell out. Now, I'm older and can't consume so much butter and sugar other artery clogging ingredients, but for special occasions I pull this baby out and go to town. Mmmm-mmm-good!

This is definitely a keeper. I really wanted a good recipe for macaroni and cheese and my family loved the one that is in this book and requested that I make it again. It has that old fashioned consistency and taste just like my grandmother use to make when she was living. I can't wait to try the others. You can't go wrong with this book. If you don't know how to cook, people will think you can.

My mother gave this cookbook to me when I was in college. She wanted me to learn how to cook. I was a bookworm who was more interested in history than cooking so I always resisted.

She gave me the first edition of this cookbook a small paperback with the yellow cover and the same picture of the Darden sisters. Once I began reading this book I fell in love with the idea of learning to cook.

The recipies all worked great for me but what I really loved was how they tied each person to a group of recipies and how their family history was inter-connected to cooking.

It is a great cookbook yes but an even greater celebration of family.

Intreging, real life account of a family's poverty, domestic violence, murder, foster care system, survival and the writers attempt to find truth, closure and bring awareness to the life cycle of abuse and social systems.

I became aware of this book only recently. I live in Athens and someone told me to read this book because of the history and drama. I moved here in 2003 and I learned so much about this area. It was neat reading about people I've met while living here (The Huffs in Tin Can Holler). I always considered my life and childhood to be traumatic with an alcoholic father and growing up poor. With this book I realized I've had a better life than most of the people in this book. It made me appreciate what I have and the people in my life. I cried when I read about Beluah having to search for food because of Randy. Last weekend I visited Whispering Pines where Grace is buried and Sims Road where the family's history began. I took pictures and caught some orbs in some of the images. If you live near here and believe in the supernatural you should visit the areas in the book, it will give you the creeps.

Rozetta,
You are a brave, unique individual. God bless you for your strength to stand up for others who suffer at the hands of abusers. You will never know of all the help you are giving others since you won't hear from many of them, but KNOW that your voice will often be the salvation for past and future victims of domestic violence and child abuse. Your book is so well written and easy to understand. I read 95% of it the first week I purchased it. Though I have never experienced abuse, I have seen firsthand the tremendous damage done to victims and how many never recover or tell, especially if they aren't believed by those who should be protecting them. So thank you Rozetta, for believing in victims, understanding & loving them, and for sharing your very personal, tragic story. Not only did you survive so many horrendous situations in your childhood, not to mention losing your very own mother at such a young age, you have RISEN ABOVE it all by reaching out to others and by just being the lovely, giving person that you are. I will always treasure my autographed copy of 'Tragedy in Tin Can Holler'. It is an honor to know you Rozetta. Blessings!

"Tragedy in Tin Can Holler" is one of the most chilling books I have ever read. Rozetta Mowery tells this true story in a direct and compelling way. Its a must read story detailing bizarre and tragic events in the author's life. Mowery's hidden family secrets are told in an uncensored unveiling of murders and mayhem that will leave you stunned by the evil and demonic murder of her mother and the legacy left by her vicious serial killer family matriarch. Rozetta Mowery's story has turned a family tragedy into a triumphant life for herself and the communities she serves. She exemplifies strength, victory and courage with a strong dedication to help others overcome domestic violence. You must read this book. I could not put it down.





Confessions of a Feng Shui Ghost-Buster

This is the best book I have every read and I don`t read to much it`s a sad true story worth reading I tell everyone about this book and that makes them want to get this book, This book is worth buying. Star

What a gorgeous and searingly honest book. I love how he does not make himself out to be guiltless in all of this, or a victim--- even though clearly, he could have. It's such a rich book, not only about abuse but about childhood, Catholicism, sex, guilt, desire, love, attachment, forgiveness, family. It's so full of life. I saw the play in NYC and that was amazing, too.

How does he do it, show the light in darkness? A story of a boy as he says falling from trespass into grace. A boy exploited, given too soon to the knowledge of the body--betrayed, as he felt, by his own body. And this man, the one who showed him his strength and wonder, then used his beauty like a Kleenex for his disposable desires.

Grace, then. No, first, despair, the attempts at suicide, the empty hours in the echoing school hallways full of crosses, holiness, and distance. Even in those places, an occasional light and this is what he shows gorgeously--the old nun telling him, at the kitchen table, that everything he does is already blessed. No disclosure, no healing stories, but this Light poured upon him.

More despair, more thoughts of killing himself. Then the tryouts for the school musical. A voice is found, a wonder arises in his soul--what is this miracle? I am seen and loved. The lights pick me out, the people laugh and clap. Maybe I should put off my suicide until after the fall production. The voice teacher witnesses his singing in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, she urges him to take lessons. She has to repeat her urging at the next musical in the next season before he takes it seriously, then goes trembling to her house.

Voice lessons, lessons in projection of spirit. She says, this is you in the universe, this is your soul coming out of your mouth. You have a gift to give to the world, Marty. You have a beauty of soul.

How does he do it, this Martin Moran? The light and love pouring through a living room with grand piano in Colorado are made manifest in the lines she says, the wonder he feels. Not uncomplicating anything, he holds the lust, the love, the exploitation, the forgiveness, the unfolding all in his hands.

Writing! Is there any more powerful act in the world? Well, there is acting. The first I knew of Martin Moran was his one-man show of The Tricky Part--painfully, beautifully open.

Thank you Martin Moran. Thank you for living into a full life as an actor, singer and writer. Thank you for showing us how you made it by the grace of what we might call God except that invokes the catholic Big Guy in the beard, the one whose church and sense of sin helped to make this story into a near-tragedy. But can we wish it had happened otherwise? No, that's the Tricky Part of the title of the book. We can't exactly wish it had happened differently.

As many here have stated this book was captivating. I work with sexual abuse survivors and found many of them in this book. Mr. Moran really knows how to put his finger on the pulse of the issue as he did here throughout the book many different times. I also like how the perpetrator, Bob, is not portrayed as all evil because as we know so many perpetrators are charming, smart and suave. Hence, their success. I also thought it realistic that it was pointed out that Bob provided something for Mr. Moran. I have clients who are "messed up" because of their experiences but they are able to discern the positive they were reaching for, or as in the case here, what kept him going back. This is at a price, of course, but generally kids don't realize then the depths they have already been to, and the effects it will have on them as adults.

I just finished the book a few moments ago. I realize I'm feeling kind of sad. This book is very good, and it's real, but it's not a light summer read. So, I chose to read it over Christmas. Go figure!

PS - Another book I read in a similar vein was The Abomination. I have a review on Amazon about it. It also involves a similar situation but shows more about what the "relationship" is doing for the kid in the beginning. Then later it all changes. My book club of 2 straight women, 2 lesbians, and 2 gay guys gave it a unanimous thumbs up.

Frank and moving account of the abuse the writer suffered as a child, and how he was subsequently affected and managed to cope. When he was twelve years old Martin Moran was seduced and abused at the hands of a camp counsellor named Bob, and so entered a relationship that lasted not unwillingly for three years. But the effects were lasting; such that Martin eventually took steps to confront the issues head on.
Martin's memoir is Insightful and enlightening, not always easy to come to terms with, for while what he suffered as a child was clearly an abuse, he was not an unwilling participant, and it maybe opened the way for Martin to accept more readily his life as a gay man. His account tells in detail of his early days, of the seduction and the continue relationship and its effects; of how he came to terms with the abuse, and of a successful career that eventually took him to Broadway.
Martin Moran's open well written account, at times funny, at others moving, is well worth reading

The above quote from Shakespeare expresses a kind of numinous awe; a feeling of inadequacy at having to express the character of this book. I was moved to order it by the unstinting praise given by previous reviewers here. Mr. Moran has managed to transcend the terrible pain he endured through the medium of his art; to me it seems miraculous.

The confusion and suffering that took Mr. Moran the better part of thirty years to work out was not least because he was--and is--gay. This overlays the story with yet another dimension of complexity. The author notes the sexual and emotional longings on his part that were not only picked up on by his abuser, but that kept him returning to this man for three years despite his guilt and confusion. That guilt and confusion would continue to hobble Mr. Moran's sense of intimacy for many years to come.

In my own circle, I know two gay men who suffered abuse when they were scarcely more than boys--one of them from a member of his extended family. The abuse did not make either of them gay; rather, it seems that in each case (as with Mr. Moran) the abusers sensed both the sexual orientation and the vulnerability of their targets.

Despite immense changes in society over the past twenty years, too many boys sense a secret within themselves that they cannot tell anyone--frequently not even themselves. The derision and stigmatization of gays by ignorant religion and ignorant people alike do nothing to prevent anyone from becoming gay--only serving to set up gay kids to be taken advantage of by their abusers. Those who have been abused will find this book a fount of insight, courage and (hopefully) healing. Anyone imagining that using a vulnerable young person sexually does them no harm will have much to consider after reading the book. All readers will discover the wisdom and pathos of a man who could have ended up as an abuser or a misanthrope, but through (dare one say?) some mysterious grace did not. This book deserves every bit of the praise that reviewers here gave it.

The book is a large collection of very short cop recollections. Most of them are sentimental and warm and fuzzy. Like one tale about rescuing GI. Joe from a storm drain. Awwwwwww!

I dont recommend the book for boredom relief.

A COP'S LIFE, by Sutton, is what you want.

I believe that this book really captures a lot of what being a cop is about. People who aren't cops that read this book will be shocked at some of the things we see and do, but it's true. I think it should help them appreciate us more. As a cop, I found the book to be entertaining and motivational.

This really reminds me of when there is a lull in calls and we are able to sit around, drink some coffee, and tell some "You remember when..." stories.

So... This is an amazing book that allows you to reach down deep into the minds and souls of the police officers. Just like Sutton's "A Cops Life" I found this book to be amazing. It also has a section dedicated to the officers of 9/11. Sure we have all heard about 9/11 but have you heard true behind the scenes, in the hearts and minds of a police officer who responded that horrible day and survives?

Randy Sutton has done a superlative job of putting together the best collection of police stories I have ever seen. He touches the soul of the law enforcement officer from the mundane to the terrifying and heart rending, with each story standing alone as a classic--and a tribute to all who have worn the badge. Some of the shortest are the most touching, and behind the solid image that all cops are asked to maintain, one gets to hear the emotions they keep to themselves because no one wants to hear them. This is not a collection for those greedy for blazing gun battles and wild chases, though there are a few, as there should be, and they are painful to read--the horror of survival is not like television, brushing off the dust and "back to work."

These are stories by men and women who work a world of darkness and strive to find, in it all, a little humor, a little humanity, a little something to hang on to. My hat is off to all who contributed to this book--I know it wasn't easy.

This is the book I suggest cops hold onto and leave for those after them to read. They'll understand.

Andy O'Hara, Badge of Life

This book was very helpful. As someone who currently has no "mentor" so to speak in the film industry, this book has acted as my temporary guide. It addresses many problems screenwriters go through, as well as warning people of the pitfalls that many aspiring screenwriters fall into. Highly recommended.

I own several screenwriting books and consider this one to be in the top 3 (McKee and Vogler being the other 2). The reason is because this is one of the few screenwriting books with information coming straight from successful screenwriters. This is key, because through their insights you can better understand how they work, think, and live. And this ultimately affects your writing positively because a lot of the uncertainties during the writing process are discussed. It won't teach you about structure etc, but it contains information that to me was equally vital: how to think as a successful screenwriter.

In real estate they discuss the three "L's" Location, location, location. This is the three "W's" Write, Write and Write more. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to write a screen play.

This is a must read for anyone who aspires to be a screen writer. Any wannabe writer has their own personal favorite blogs, a blog that helps inspire, motivate and teach them. This book is almost a best of those blogs from successful writers whose movies they have written have actually BEEN PRODUCED.
The one main theme of this book is just write and write and write because you love writing and not because you want the Hollywood celebrity lifestyle. Great writing will open a lot of doors for one and most importantly, keep that door open.
In my opinion, I like to study and and read how successful writers from all genres got their first break, their work ethic and how most importantly they work through writer's block and rejection. Again, Karl Iglesias' book does that successfully.

I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Iglesias at the Screenwriting Expo. He knows his craft, he loves the business. And he's brutally honest in conveying the realistic odds of breaking into Hollywood. While no one ever says it's easy, he can tell you just how hard. This book is a must read for any aspiring screenwriter. Interviewing some of the greatest screenwriters, they all are forthcoming in telling their own tales of struggle, achievement, success, and most of them, frustration.

This book may be geared toward all screenwriters, however it succeeds in leaps and bounds, by telling the realistic truth any up-and-coming screenwriter needs to hear. Too often people are putting together a script hoping to win the lotttery, sell it for mid-six figures, and not taking the time to understand that the money should never be the motivating factor of writing any script. And if that's your only motivation, you'll never succeed in making your dream come true. This book reminds those of us that do it for a different reason, what that reason is. It's the love of writing. Anything else, any other reason, is simply a waste of time and energy.

Mr. Iglesias lays it out in plain view, through interview after interview, just how much of an uphill battle it is get someone to simply give your script a look, and even then, chances of your selling it are slim. Nicholas Kazan once spoke at a seminar. He told them to go turn in their registration forms and go home. He then told them that if any of them seriously entertained that advice, they would never make it. It's all about challenge and it's all about sacrifice. This book will help you realize how important both of those things are.

It is difficult to write about a book that in many ways was life-changing. It awoke within me the realisation that the Grail Quest was not something that had to do with psychedelic lights, mystical mumbo jumbo, ritual, or chanting "ommmmm". It was intimately linked to one's daily life. And it threw down the gauntlet, as if it was saying, "Now that you've understood that part, what are you going to do about it?!"

For this reason, this book will not be to everyone's taste. If one wants to escape life, then there are thousands of other books out there. If one is interested in the results of Knight-Jadczyk's search, then The Secret History of the World, which presents many details of her thirty years of research, is the book to read. But if one wants evidence that the Grail Quest is open to anyone, no matter their background, this is an excellent place to begin.

The seeker of the Grail is "a widow's son," born in obscurity, beset on all sides by trials and tricks and traps, and that suffering and overcoming this suffering is what purifies the soul and gives hope to others. This is the true alchemical work. This is the point that Amazing Grace illustrates. That is the purpose of the book, to bring the Grail Quest and esoteric work down to earth through the story of a woman living in the backwoods of Florida, whose struggle to overcome her many problems became the means by which she became a true Knight of the Grail. All of us have the same opportunity.

To further understand the Knight-Jadczyk's development, what happened after Amazing Grace ends, it is necessary to read the Wave series and other articles on her site.

I mentioned above that Amazing Grace was life-changing. When I first read Amazing Grace, I knew nothing at all about the author. In my case, it led to my eventual contact with Laura Knight-Jadczyk. I now work with her. I mention this in the interest of full disclosure. I would have left the book unrated for that that reason, unfortunately, Amazon does not offer that option.

And a note to a previous reviewer who mentioned the passage on sending Laura's daughter to do the shopping -- no, the six-year-old did not go alone. She went with her father. They lived far out in the country and had to drive into town. Not even a precocious six-year-old could get away with that. Also, Laura doesn't talk to "aliens". The Cassiopeans describe themselves as "Us in the future", but Knight-Jadczyk also hypothesizes that they could be the manifestation of her subconscious self.

I have discovered this book to be a fascinating and heart-felt autobiography of a unique individual who traveled on the road of "many dangers, toils and snares," and on the quest for the truth and of discovery. This is the story of the Soul who saw and experienced many hidden dangers of the unseen evil in our world and discovered the most difficult truth about the nature of our reality through her experiences as expressed in this book. The lessons she learned and experienced give us a strong understanding behind Laura Knight-Jadczyk's passion for knowledge and Truth, and we can learn from these lessons.

This book is consisted of 44 chapters with roughly 540 pages, and it is very well written and very inspiring.

I truly agree with this author as she said in the end of her introduction (p. 14):

"We have the potential to discover the genuine existence of spirit and the play of the archetypal forces in our world, and to connect with them in a dynamic way."

This is the story of the life of a one-of-a-kind individual, the sort you might read about in, say, one the great Russian novels of the 19th century. It won't be anything like what you may expect, but you will find yourself, at its end, loving this ordinary/larger-than-life woman and the richness that is her life.

Laura Knight-Jadczyks' writing style kept me riveted to this book. It is her story of Mystery and Intrigue. The "Adventures" she endured were quite incredible and written so eloquently as to keep you wanting more. I highly recommend this book and found it an outstandingly good read.

The author eloquently expresses her experiences in this account. It's easy to see the programs and patterns when someone puts it down for us to see. But can we see it so readily in our own lives? This one left me with many questions about my own experiences, and those around me. An eye opener.

Miss Guedel's book is a wonderful,honest and insightful memoir of the Disney animation studio of the 1970's.Her portraits of many of the talented artists are both humorous and revealing in ways that avoid trivialization and cheap sentimentality.She is a gifted author and one can only hope for a sequel book which chronicles her time with the Don Bluth studio.This book is a must have for any serious scholar of traditional Disney 2d animation history.

An amazing, archetypal hero's odyssey,
I could not put it down.
I attended BHHS and knew Heidi and many of the other players, and can attest to the veracity of all she writes.
Any Producers out there, here is a fantastic opportunity!

Heidi was my step-cousin but we lost touch after Helen Parrish (her step-mother and my aunt) died. While reconnecting with Helen's two children last year, one (Choddy) showed me a copy of Heidi's book and I promptly bought a copy and read it.

I visited Helen and John Guedel occasionally, although I lived in Atlanta at the time. I remember Heidi as being perennially sullen and aloof but this book details "the rest of the story". Clearly I would've been considerably more sympathetic had I known the hardships she suffered during her earlier childhood.

This is a great story and well told, undoubtedly a catharsis for Heidi but a great read, too. I was disappointed at not learning how her life evolved following her departure from Disney. Guess I'll have to wait for the sequel.

I'm going back east for another reunion with Helen's children this week and to see my last living aunt on the Parrish side, Kathy, whom I haven't seen in 35 years. Thinking about it reminded me to share my thoughts on Heidi's book.

Read it...I think you'll enjoy it even if you weren't there.

OH_MY_GOD. This author posts on a site called Internet Infidels, and believe me she STILL pulls no punches. She still posts under her real name. I wouldn't if I were her. I'm sure the outraged religious fundamentalists will come here next and try to pan her book. WOW.....After following some of her posts, I looked up Heidi Guedel's profile on the Internet Infidels site and it led me here to Amazon and her book. I've just finished it. Now I understand...... and I can't stop laughing.

After you learn about her childhood, and her sanity-saving ability to turn even the worst human behavior and circumstances into humor (much like Groucho Marx did, and she met Groucho, by the way, because her father produced the Groucho TV show) you get to ride the waves of laughter along with her as she turns Disney Studios upside-down by stamping "BULL$**T" on the company memos they posted in the hallways, and putting fake puddles of spilled beer on stacks of priceless animation drawings just to watch a rather pompous artist implode. There are many more pranks and scandalous tales about some famous artists in the animation business, including one who recently won an Academy Award for 3-D special effects.

And far from poking fun only at everyone else, she bares her own soul and exposes her own legendary boo-boos - like accidentally putting a stack of drawings by famous Disney animator Ollie Johnston on the roof of her car and driving off without it. She returns in the middle of the night, realizing what she must have done, and finds one drawing left on the street in front of the studio, with a tire mark across it. What she does about it next is so poignantly funny..... but I won't spoil it for you. Read this book. It is so special and so REAL.

I first became aware of Heidi Guedel when I was lurking around reading debates on Suijuris and Internet Infidels. I am amazed at this person's writing talent. I am also surprised that she posts under her real name, considering the firey way that she stands up for her opinions. I am not surprised that some people that she out argued on an internet forum have tried to pan her book by putting insulting reviews here. But this book really speaks for itself. After I became impressed with Heidi's unusual ability to debate so brilliantly with all kinds of people on many different subjects, I did a search of her on google and found her book. I looked inside and could not stop reading. If the whole book had been available here I would have read it right through to the end. I could identify with her feelings right along with her. This book is not sad or depressing, it is inspiring. She has such courage and determination. She became a Disney animator and met some of the greatest and most famous animators of all time, like Milt Kahl and Ollie Johnston. She is mischievious and imaginative, which comes through in the writing. Most of all her astounding intelligence comes through in her writing, both in her book and in the debates she participates in on the internet. It's too bad that this book was not published by a big company that would advertize it and promote it. It is an undiscovered treasure.

James Thurber was one of the funiest authors of all time and this book cements his reputation. I enjoyed it many years ago and after re-reading it, I enjoyed it again.

Should be required reading for all folks of any age looking for an introduction to life in these United States, for those learning to overcome despair and disaster with humor and grace, for any and all learning the English language.

Thurber is a great favorite of mine, and this was another fun book to read.

Take your mind back half a century and read these mildly amusing essays about life in the 1920s and 1930s. The style is so different from modern prose, but it is well worth the read.

Thurber's classic about growing up in Columbus, Ohio is laugh out loud funny, even 80 years removed. Talent like this is rare. He deserves his literary reputation.

This book is a deeply moving and informative story about what has been going on in Tibet ever since the Chinese invasion and crackdown. It's a critically important story for anyone interested in the truth, in the ongoing oppression of Tibetans and Tibetan Culture, and in world affairs in general. The story of this one monk is representative of events at large. Whether you're a Buddhist or not, this book is not to be missed.

There is also a documentary about Gyatso Palden, called Fired Under the Snow, and if you are lucky enough to see it , it is also highly recommdned. I met Palden Gyatso at a recent screening and was deeply touched. He is old now, but free, and has devoted the rest of his life to telling his story so we can KNOW what's going on.
It is heart-wrenching but inspiring at the same time. Read it and spread the word!

An American friend was profoundly moved by the suffering she saw in Tibet recently...as red china gears up for the Olympics.
Palden Gyatso's is an incredible story of suffering and faith.
Tibetans' face an ongoing now 60 year struggle to retain their heritage and to not be `disappeared' up by a communist regime.
When I was much younger I read a book `With God In Russia"..this is its buddist counterpart!
What struck me about the other reviews is that they don't mention we the free world ESPECIALLY THE USA is now on the hook to Red China!
AND IT CAN HAPPEN ELSEWHERE!
MAO KILLED 60 MILLION...OR SO THAT'S THE NUMBER I READ....the other accountas of the book don't take this into account..what happened in Russia/china/tibet/Vietnam/north korea can happen elsewhere.....and china grows richer and stronger year by year.

I recently met Palden Gyatso at a Dalai Lama teaching and bought a copy of his book there, mostly as a way to support him. Though I read all the time I rarely finish a book as I usually lose interest 2/3 of the way through and move on to something else. But this book was an exception - incredibly interesting and inspiring - I finished it very quickly.

This is a great book. I am an activist for Tibetan independence and knew much about the atrocities taking place in Tibet since 1949, but this book put a face to the facts. I highly recommend this book if you're interested in Tibet, Buddhism, or in learning about a remarkable man who went through horrible oppression and has emerged gracefully.

This book is a testimony to the endurance of the human spirit, able to overcome the most nefarious system perhaps the world has ever known. The fact that Palden Gyatso is able to relay his story to you and me is nothing short of a miracle after what he had to endure for years inside China's prison system undergoing "reformation." The stories of torture, starvation and freezing nights will stay with you forever and make you question how strong your own beliefs are and whether you could do what Palden Gyatso did. I do not wish to reveal too much, but will say that calling the story compelling is a vast understatement.

This book is as important now as ever. China has the 2008 Olympic games and yet these brutalities continue to occur. Not to mention the fact that China is now relocating Chinese into the Tibetan region, threatening forever one of the world's great cultures through dilution of the society and culture.

Buy this book and see both the horrors of mankind and also his greatness in what he can overcome. If you like this book, I would also recommend Ama Adhe's book from a woman's perspective in the same system. We often hear the word hero, but rarely is it so appropriate as it is in describing these amazing individuals.

This is an excellent resource for those who already volunteer or want to and don't know exactly where to start. Even if you don't volunteer with any of these 202 examples, you'll certainly be inspired to find your niche to help others. The contact information about each group is very helpful. John's last chapter, 20-point Front-End Alignment" was an added bonus of inspiration.

I'm a retired manager from one of the major automakers. The business community has changed greatly over the past 35 years and has become more socially conscious. A Global Force of one provides practical and feasible ideas to implement projects with meaningful results.The bigger the company the harder it is to implement company wide programs this books shows how individual plants and offices can make a difference. Easy to read and well organized it can be read and re-read almost anywhere. I recommend this book to all management trainee's and middle managers.

I teach a social problems course at a large urban community college where practicality is of the essence in designing a course syllabus. This text introduces students to practical, exciting ideas for combatting the social problems of our communities and is a touchstone for a generation of young people entering society with a desire to do something worthwhile with their lives. I highly recommend this book for teachers, parents, and those interested in persoanl growth.

I would like to thank the author for writing a book to inspire people and create a more caring world.

I think my most telling response to this book is that while it is supposed to get you excited about getting involved...I read it, put it on the shelf, and don't feel any more empowered than I did before I read it (which says just as much about me as it does about the book). While I agree with the intent of most of the highlighted programs, I don't feel ready to start a community program so I would just move on to the next page. Nothing really jumped out and made me say "Wow, that sounds amazing. YES! I want to support that program!".

Some similar books that I enjoyed more are: (1) How to Make the World A Better Place and (2) The Better World Handbook which discussed how you can integrate your values and actions on a daily basis and make a difference in many areas of your life (e.g. money, shopping, community, food, politics) instead of just through volunteering or helping to set up a new community, business, or school program (like most of Global Force of One did). If you want to read a book to inspire you and combat your cynicism I would also recommend Soul of A Citizen. After reading it I immediately went and volunteered in my community.

These books are more accessible to the amount of effort you are willing to put in and did a better job of meeting me where I am and encouraging me to taking positive personal steps to improve the world and live a more fulfilling life.

Good luck improving the world and living a life worth living!

John Boal's BE A GLOBAL FORCE OF ONE is one of the best resources I have ever found for community service learning projects. As a teacher of CSL, it's important to know what other projects are going on and how to modify them to fit your own school, agency, or club's needs. This should be used as a regular textbook in any formal CSL program on either the middle or high school level--it is in my program!