Biography Books

the best and funniest of the 3 archie and mehitabel books offered period how could you not love a book written by a cockroach on a typewriter by slamming his head on the keys one at a time and skipping punctuation and capitalization of letters because comma well comma archie is a cockroach with a not so big reach and only one head to slam keys with period what would you leave out if you were in his same situation question mark
much is still relevent today comma especially the references to the scopes monkey trial period
and mehitabel comma why comma the song of mehitabel is simply one of the funniest poems ever written period garrison keiller lists it in his book good poems period

When I was in high school, ovefr sixty years ago, I used to read Dan Marquis clever column in, I think, the New York World Telegram and found it a fascinating piece of imagination. Coming back to it now, nothing has changed. In telling the story of the typewriting cockroach and the wayward cat he touches, with great humour, so many of our human foibles and hopes too.

It's a bit of a stretch for todays kids, but I think they can imagine a mechanical typewriter and once they get a hold of this the fantasy should grab them.

A classic book from an author who thoiught outside the box - you'll love it.

Anyone who hasn't read Don Marquis' stories of the adventures of Archie and Mehitabel, have missed what is doubtless one of the world's greatest pieces of humorous literature. These stories delve into history to pull out hysterically humorous aspects of incidents regarding such characters as Cleopatra, and apply them to the lowly day-to-day events in the lives of a cockroach who operates a typewriter, a cat that complains she cannot understand why she is blessed with so many of those damned kittens, and a dead rat that receives glorious last rites by being filed in an alley ash can. No words can do justice to Don Marquis' fantastic imagination and his equally fantastic sense of humor. Anyone who misses this work is to be pitied! A. D. Holcombe

This is classic humor - and even though it is nearly 100 years old, this is still funny and interesting. In fact, Mehitabel's refrain has become my mantra: "wotthehell wotthehell toujours gai I always say, there's life in the old girl yet."

This powerful work is at once inspiring, frustrating and captivating. Kozol draws the reader into a world called Mott Haven that is filled with substance, love, service and hope. He poignantly describes the lives of children while blasting the manner in which we have chosen to deal with our most needy sectors of society. Kozol's gifted and powerful storytelling reminds us of several truths:

1. Segregation is potentially a bigger problem today than ever. White flight, private schools, school choice, home-schooling, virtual schools and lack of equitable access to technology are widening the gap.
2. Inequities in education must be addressed with the underlying belief that every child has the potential to achieve his/her dreams. Society must be responsible and held accountable for creating conditions ensuring that this occurs.
3. Teachers and students must all be able to work and learn in optimum conditions that safeguard and ensure dignity.
4. Although children appear to be resilient, we must protect their innocence, ensure they have the chance to dream and be inspired by their eternal optimism and hope. The real heroes of today are those who spend time with our children, listening to and nurturing their dreams.
5. We spend too much on our prison system and must figure out a way to divert that funding to education and healthcare so we can be proactive rather than reactive.

Kozol manages to convey the realities of inner city education by illuminating the complexities behind the daily challenges facing teachers and parents. His manner of connecting the problems to the institutions and practices that society has created to deal with those who do not "fit the system" provides a wake-up call to all of us who are working to make a difference in the lives of children. Kozol shows us that the system we have created is nurturing itself instead of helping people to break out of the vicious cycle characterized by lack of quality education, health care, meaningful work opportunities and dignity. We can no longer ignore the problems in the inner cities of America, not just because it makes economic sense but because it makes human sense to individually develop our most precious resources - our children. Community leaders, parents, educators, and corporate leaders should put this compelling book on the top of their "must read" list.

In Ordinary Resurrections, Jonathan Kozol deviates from his usual "gloves off" attack of the issues facing minority children. Instead of building the case against the inequitable system with facts and figures, as he has in previous work, he has chosen the subtle but effective approach of a storyteller. He paints a very descriptive portrait of the victims of continued segregation and racism that may inspire those in positions of influence to make more compassionate decisions regarding the lives of the children they serve.

Things that scream out to me from Kozol's book(s):

1) Incarceration vs. Education (do the math!)
The incarceration industry is thriving on blind public support. If taxpayers knew they were paying on the average ten to twenty times more to incarcerate supposed perpetrators of victimless crimes than it would cost to educate them, I'd bet they might even overlook their racist fears. The corporate/federal mentality that chooses to decide early on what these children will bring to the economy seems to prefer them as a product in this system versus potential contributors to something greater.

2) Resilience (despite our conditional "help")
In their innocent naiveté the children neglected by the system remain courageous, hopeful, and resilient. This resilience may diminish as they weather the inequities of the system that oppresses them, but it is often the attribute that enables them to succeed regardless of our preaching and teaching. Just imagine what heights they might reach if they continued to be nurtured as they are by the caring individuals in their lives now.

3) Compassion (essential)
As a beneficiary of white male privilege his reflections from the other side of the gap are poignant and insightful lessons for those of us too far removed from the reality that exists in many of our cities. Even after this racial inequity is acknowledged it is difficult for most of us to express empathy in ways that ring genuine. Kozol does! He is trusted and welcomed by the culture and community he strives to serve. His stories reflect a model for learning and practicing compassion which, in my opinion, may be the single most important factor in saving ourselves from extinction. Kozol repeatedly demonstrates the importance
of compassion in his work. Listen to him!

4) Racism, segregation, inequality (market view politics)
Racism is institutionalized in the United States despite the hope segregation was ending that the civil rights movements of the sixties inspired. "Kids notice that no politicians talk about this. They hear the politicians saying, "We're gonna have tougher standards in your separate-but-not-equal schools. We're gonna raise the bar of academic discipline in your separate-but-not-equal schools." But nobody says we're going to make them less separate and more equal. Nobody says that." - Kozol interview in Education World

5) Toxic environments (no one to litigate)
AIDS, asthma, drugs, violence, toxic pollution, poverty, malnutrition, lack of medical attention, apartheid economics, and neglect are common elements in the environment Kozol's children try to survive in. Basic needs must be satisfied before we can expect children to be receptive to that which we would have them learn. Kozol is issuing a wake-up call to the complacent masses that are either unaware or in denial that this situation is serious and threatens all of us socially, emotionally, and economically.

In my opinion, implications for educators that may be gleaned from Kozol's book include:
* The extreme importance of compassion in all aspects of dealing with children.
* Recognition that before we talk about diversity we need to spend a lot more
time in the conversation about racism.
* Locking people up is not rehabilitation and in the long run is socially,
emotionally, spiritually, and economically disastrous. Break the cycle of incarceration!

The Bronx has a long history. I'm always bumping into middle-aged and elderly professionals from the Bronx. Their mothers scrubbed floors; they went to City University. They now live in million-dollar condos in Manhattan. The ghetto is a conveyor belt for those who make up their minds to sacrifice their youth for future gain. Today's Bronx looks very much as Kozol describes. The very young are cute and inspiring, I suppose, but there must be a reason he leaves out the teens and their older brothers and sisters. The modern ghetto doesn't put a premium on discipline and learning. Kozol feeds into the victimology, seeing the community suffering from the failures of others to "do" right by them. Teachers know, however, that much would be improved if parents would simply make their children go to bed on time. Crime would be halved if kids were told to come in by 9. Early immigrants left the Bronx for the affluent suburbs, having devoted themselves to their children's education. Today it is rare indeed to meet a parent who has even one book in the house. Funding won't make up for this basic poverty of values.

Ordinary Resurrections is one of the most important books I've ever read and one of the most poignantly beautiful. It is an absolute must read for everyone who cares about children, the wide disparity in economic opportunity in the U.S., and who dares to hope for our future. Kozol movingly brings to life in his first-hand descriptive account the lives and conditions in their own words of children and their families who have been deliberately neglected, ignored, hidden away. This true story of their hope, strength, resilience, and beauty testifies to the dominance of the human spirit in the face of unspeakable abuse by government at every level and all systems that have failed them.

Jonathan Kozal has taken away the protective myth that America's school children are all treated equally, with dignity and given unvarying opportunities. In his latest book, ORDINARY RESURRECTIONS, Kozal's readers get a glimpse into a reality that replaces equal value with present day segregation to children of the poor. Although many in power would like to ignore the disgrace of how our underprivileged students are educationally treated in areas such as Mott Haven, New York, Kozal's first hand account of such inequality calls for a recognition and reformation of America's priorities. Told in the children's words, this book contributes awareness to the desperate need for compassion to and knowledge of the struggles of many American youth. The facts are both shocking and compelling, and will challenge the values one holds to necessitate action on our children's behalf. As Kozal states, the reality is that "...there are few areas in which the value we attribute to a child's life may be so clearly measured as in the decisions that we make about the money we believe it's worth investing in the education of one person's child as opposed to that of someone else's child." Once read, ORDINARY RESURRECTIONS destroys the bliss of ignorance. One is faced with the decision to powerfully act or despairingly ignore.

That's what Helen Thayer said when the natives told her she needed a dog team for protection against polar bears. They said you won't hear the bears when they sneak up on your tent at night. She said she'd take just one and that one was Charlie. And, wow what a dog...not used to humans...not a pet, but a bear dog. Luckily they bonded quickly and he not only saved her life more than once, he also became her beloved friend.

All of her books are great reads and this one is at the top of the list.

I have not actually read this book, but today I listened to the author present the story in person while showing some of the pictures that she took during the journey. It is nothing short of remarkable to witness the sheer determination that made her success possible.

Of course, determination was less than half the battle. Thayer explained that it took her two years of meticulous planning and rigorous training to prepare for every possible contingency she might encounter on the journey. Clearly she could not have hoped to succeed without such detailed and thoughtful preparation.

This story certainly inspired my respect and admiration, not only for the power of the mind to carry us beyond perceived limitations, but also in response to the human-canine connection which was pivotal to the successful completion of the journey. It is heartwarming to hear of the bond that developed between Thayer and Charlie as one sustained the other through the various hardships they encountered.

A great book! It is so exciting that it is very difficult to put it down! After reading it, I ordered a total of 10 copies as presents for relatives and friends.

Great book. Helen Thayer set off in her 50s to walk to the magnetic North Pole. She did it only with Charlie, the polar bear wonder dog, given (sold) to her by the Inuit who were sure she wouldn't survive without a dog team who knew how to fend off polar bears. She finally agreed to taking one dog, who became her true partner in the journey (and afterward). The story is an outstanding tale of what she learned about herself and how she and Charlie so totally bonded, mutually dependent on each other. Helen prepared well and clearly fully respects Nature in all senses. It is also a wonderful tale about Charlie--about the intelligence of dogs we people would see more often if we just give them a chance to be themselves. This is an outstanding book for anyone of any age and hopefully will help more people understand the criticality and fragility of Nature, and the importance of treating animals (in this case, dogs) with true respect, care, compassion, and love. The book clearly shows the intelligence not just of Charlie, but also of the various polar bears Helena encountered (and successfully avoided attack from, without killing them). It also is an excellent book to get people thinking about themselves and their thoughts. Some of the lessons Helen learned, for example, included early on learning to say "no" as well as the importance of remaining positive and in control even when Nature seemed to be in control via a strong storm whirling around her for several days at a time. She includes photos from her journey, which also are amazing. An exciting, excellent book. I highly recommend this for everyone.

I am a big fan of stories of artic adventure, and this is one of the best. In this day of snow mobiles and ATVs, we have a woman at 50 -- author Helen Thayer -- setting out to walk to the magnectic north pole, pulling her own sled and accompanied by an Inuit dog she had only known for a couple of days. On her first day out, she suffers such terrible frostbite of her fingers they become almost useless. (I would have called it quits right there.) Then come polar bears -- one the world's most deadliest creatures. And they keep on coming. Some curious, some life-threatening. But, she continues on her amazing journey, not for fame or fortune, but for scientific information for her program Adventure Classroom. There are some fantastic photos included and very helpful maps. Her writing style is breezy and compelling. It's trimph of the human spirit and the bonding of a dog and companion. What a terrific book.

While the authors are amazing, I'm sure they would agree that is Mother Antonia who makes the book a blessing. Just as in her life, this book will teach you that Christ is alive and each of us must only "follow" and He will be revealed. Read this book. Support her mission if you can. She's just a real person, like the rest of us - but her walk is that of a saint. I just wanted to hug her after reading this book. I'm sorry I missed the opportunity to meet her when she visited a large town nearby.

I read this book in several sittings which is unusual for me. I just couldn't stop and wanted to read some more of this fascinating story. It is a feel good story for the modern ages. If you are reading this you probably know about the former Beverly Hillls mom , twice divorced who was unable to receive Holy Communion from the Catholic Church, circumvented any road blocks and began her service for mankind(the most down and out of low people in La Mesa prison near Tijuana)and our Lord at age fifty. She produced her own habit and eventually was recognized by an official order. She has worked amongst the biggest drug dealers of Mexico, the murderer of Presidential candidate Colosio, the bloodiest of assasins and the peons who are just to poor to live in society and seek refuge in jail(now that is desperate)and the mentally ill. A prison in Mexico is unlike an American prison. Torture is common. She got involded in prison reform as well as changing men. Mother Antonia is unafraid of the toughest and meanest because she is a righteous woman and all who encounter her love and admire her. She lives in prison. She lives the same way the prisoners do. She walks and talks to the hardest of hard core. She gives them hope and transforrms many of their lives through the miracle of faith. This is an inspirational story that will leave you pondering your own existence; it is truly an amazing story that all should read as it will make you feel better about mankind. She is truly a living saint. Oh yes, there is a large print edition of this book available for the visually handicapped. God bless Sister Antonio and all who she touches.

This is a very inspirational book and helps people see how they can still be useful as they get older.

The Prison Angel is one of the most inspiring books I've ever read. Mother Antonia is so amazing that one would question the truth of her story if it weren't for the consistent witness and corroboration provided by all those who come into contact with her. She loves and ministers to everyone without distinction. This is a great book for teaching the golden rule.

Mother Antonia is an inspiration for us to see all people as fellow humans with similar needs - to be cared for, loved, and accepted. I appreciate that she paved the way to be valuable at an "older" age, and she welcomes women in their later years as valuable and able to serve others. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and passed it around among many friends.

Phil Bolsta has done a great job collecting powerful life changing stories for this book. It is an all star line up of authors including Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Dean Ornish, Donald Walsch, Christine Nortrup, Bernie Siegel, and many more. You will find out what moment changed their lives forever. The stories are about life and death experiences, mysteries, heartbreak, sacred moments, enlightenment, and life altering moments. The stories are short and take only minutes to read but are very powerful and the authors really shared themselves completely in telling these stories with nothing held back. These stories have changed the way I think and brought me farther down the road of my spiritual quest. Thank you Phil Bolsta for compiling such an inspiring collection of stories from some of the spiritual leaders of our time.

We probably all have them- moments that seem to change our perception of reality. Sometimes these moments register and sometimes they are so fleeting that we miss them. Sixty Seconds gives the reader the opportunity to peek into the transformative moments of some highly notable folks.

There are several small things I love about this book. First of all, its size. It will fit in your pocketbook or briefcase easily, so it can travel with you. Another thing I love is that each individual story is only 3-6 pages long so you can finish a whole story when you have just a few moments available. I really appreciate that the author gives us a glimpse of each story in the table of contents, so you can easily decide which story to read first.

Here's my favorite part. Reading this book is like attending an afternoon get-together with some of the most remarkable people in the world, getting to speak with each of them and quickly establishing such rapport with each of them that they share a truly intimate life experience with you. I don't know about you, but my invitation to that afternoon get-together has arrived at the house yet. Reading this book is truly the next best thing.

I recommend Phil Bolsta's valuable collection of inspirational stories, `Sixty Seconds' to anyone who's interested in what's really important in life. It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day business of getting through the week. We've all got bills to pay, lawns to mow, and dishes to wash, but that's not why we're really here.

When we take the time to recognize the hand of God in our world, our lives are so much richer. When we put love first, life is bliss.

Sixty Seconds - One Moment Changes Everything by Phil Bolsta is one of the most amazing books I have read. This book has a collection of inspirational stories 45 individuals ranging from athletes, spiritual authors to doctors and entrepreneurs. This book has opened my horizon about what inspiration truly mean to our journey in this Earth. I find myself reading through the book having moments of joy and sadness. The joyful stories tell us how to live our lives more fully. The sadness and pain certain stories shared gives us an eye opening experience of how the worst thing happened in this life time can be the best teacher. The most profound experience I have while reading I was reading these stories is that I felt I know these individuals more than I know some of my friends.

The book is sections as follows:
* Glimpses into the Unknown - Life & Death Moments
* Glimpses into the Unknown - Mysterious Moments
* Living Life - Heartbreaking Moments
* Living Life - Sacred Moment
* Insightful Incidents - Life-Altering Moments
* Insightful Incidents - Moments of Enlightenment

The beauty of this book is that if one is drawn to a particular story or the kind of work the person was being interviewed on, Phil Bolsta provided information for the readers to find out more about them. We all are on this special journey. It is great to see 45 sign-posts in this book to help us venture.

It is very hard for me to pick which stories I love the most because all of the stories either deepens what I have learned or widens my perspective of life.

If I truly have to pick, I would say James Autry and Sally Pederson's life-altering experience (their child who has autism) is one that stood up the most. Although I have not had children yet, I can deeply felt how this experience has changed this couple's life and their purpose. Sometimes life seems to take a wrong course to make us realize our soul purpose. For this couple, it is about championing for the disabled. For James Autry, it made him realize he wanted to be a better father by being physically and emotionally available to the child. I realize what a profound gift it is when the "seemingly worst thing" that happened in life has changed James Autry's heart to want to do the right thing for this child.

For me as a reader, this story broadened and widened my perspective about disability. How many times do we judge somebody who looks and moves a little different than we are? Then, offers "sympathy" to them and their family because they are different. Then we are scared to be connected to them because we do not understand (nor do we take the time to understand) their needs. We all are human beings that long for compassion and understanding from each other. Yet, many humans decide to use "sympathy" and "avoidance" to treat the so-called "disabled", refusing to see the Abled side of them. My learning lesson from this story is to commit myself to treat the so-called as "disabled" as "Abled", offering curiosity and compassion towards their lives. Nobody likes sympathy but everyone longs for understanding and compassion. That is what I learned out of this story.

To read this book, I suggest reading it from the chronologically because that seems to offer a deeper inspirational experience. I suggest reading it a couple stories at a time, soaking and reflecting on them. I do not suggest skimming over because it is really hard to have a deepening or inspirational experience that way.

Thank you for reading my review.

There's a pervasive and seductive belief that we can single-handedly restructure reality on our own terms, to conform to a preconceived and preferred plan of how our destiny should manifest. However, unexpected events invariably foil these well-crafted plans and thrust us in dramatically different directions - the central premise of Sixty Seconds.

Some of the Sixty-Second stories relate to pivotal and heartbreaking events, and while others are ostensibly less profound, what emerges is the truth that every moment carries significance when we awaken to the reality of its essential purpose. It's quietly listening to the inherent wisdom of the still small voice of a moment that graces us with a life-changing, liberating, and transformative opportunity - which might otherwise be overlooked or dismissed.

Sixty Seconds is a coveted invitation to a private party with 45 of the most extraordinary individuals, who share highly-personal and poignant stories of how unpredictable moments impacted their lives, forever changing them. Each storyteller's authentic voice animates an atmosphere of intimacy. I felt as though I were sharing privileged conversations with wise and trusted confidants.

But what actually renders these renowned and respected storytellers so extraordinary is their commitment to elevate their own ordinary events to a higher octave of meaning.

In addition to these magnificent, entertaining, and revealing stories, Sixty Seconds also features an elegant foreword by Caroline Myss, and wonderfully insightful commentary by Phil Bolsta that introduces each group of stories throughout the book.

Simply put, Sixty Seconds delivers a master class in wisdom that belies the simplicity of its humble title.

This book so totally ROCKS. Just read it. This Rutledge guy is one heck of a writer and the whole story is just a mind blower.

Man I got to disagree with that Maggie persons review totally. This book not only puts down violence and destruction it offers a great solution for solving such problems in our big inner cities in America. Also it has nothing to do with the type of violence of 9-11. So whoever that Maggie was obviously didn't read the book at all. Its a great book with an important message for the world, LOVE one another! A really astounding story and deserved the nomination it got.

Brilliantly portrays a life and place most Americans can only imagine. Beginning to end...a riveting account of one of America's worst urban nightmares.

- Brett Peruzzi, Ebooks Reviews

The sad and prescient thing about this amazing book on modern gang culture in a major inner city is the fact that even though the writer's experiences in Compton and Watts and South Central took place over a decade ago, he predicted twice (on pgs. 358 and 380) that the situation on the streets would only worsen as time goes on. And it has. This story, written from an insider point of view (a WHITE guy--running with Black and Latino gangsters, no less!) is just stunning, shocking, brilliant. The way he writes really TAKES YOU THERE. It was clever how he got inside, beyond frightening what happened during his year there, and amazing how he got out alive to tell the story. If this book isn't made into a movie...then "Hollywood" is losing out on a ton of cash, and society is missing out on a sociological treatise that tells how to understand and solve a growing, worldwide, big city phenomenon which, as the author states, is only getting worse. Simply "wow". (one last thing: [...] got the author's name wrong!--it's M. Rutledge McCall).

Brilliantly portrays a life and place most Americans can only imagine. Beginning to end...a riveting account of one of America's worst urban nightmares.
- Brett Peruzzi, Ebooks Reviews

I loved loved this book....I checked it out at our local library and read it cover to cover in two days...Thats a record for me...I love that this woman took a sensible approach to her weight loss and over a course of 4 years, took the weight off. I find it frustrating when all the books tell of 100+ weight loss in a matter of 10-12 months...It made me feel lazy and inadequate to have lost 60 in a year...but not anymore having read this book. So many of the things she went thru I can relate to and know that there is light at the end of the tunnel gives me so much added motivation to keep doing what I am doing and it will pay off...It has already...Definately a book to read over and over again:)

This is a wonderful book showing some ups and more downs of the scale. This woman shows by example in her experience that if we don't follow a food regiment 100% you can still attain your goal of loosing weight. It is really refreshing to read that you can make a goal even when you slip away from it now and then, but you have to not give up. A good read hard to put down.

I bought this book on Saturday and finished it on Tuesday. I could hardly put it down. I also weigh what Sandra did and then some. This book was really motivating and I saw so much of myself in it so I could relate to it. It really gives me hope and shows me I am normal. I have been going to T.O.P.S. since April 2001 and have lost over 30 pounds and began backsliding. Now I see that may happen from time to time and I just need to stay motivated. Thank you for this book.I am a 37 yr. old widow with 2 children and really need to stay on track to be here for them and I think this book will help me.

I enjoyed the spirit with which this book was written. By the time I finished I felt as though I knew Sandra and her wonderful supportive family. I was cheering her on throughout the book. Not only did she lose weight for herself but she chose this time to help others and start up aerobic classes for women who feel left out at most health clubs. Her relationship with Richard Simmons made me smile. They had such mutual respect. It is wonderful that she accomplished what she did, helped others and at the same time wrote an enjoyable uplifting book.

In particular I liked the way she did not hold back her feelings or her problems. She tells it "like it is". I recommend this book even if weight loss is not the goal. She puts a positive spin on other things as well.

Not only is this book the bargain of the year, but it is literally the best diet book ever written. This lady tells her story from the beginning to what is going on today. It is like reading her diary. There are no gaps to the story-which I really appreciated. She tells you every step she took to lose the weight including what exercise she did along the way. She also tells you how your family and friends will react to your weight loss. For anyone who wants a "Step by Step" account of how a friend lost her weight, this is a "must" read. After reading Sandra's book, you feel like you are her friend. Very inspiring with an honest approach to weight loss. I can't say enough about this book!!

An excellent book for someone looking for answers about life after death. Mr. Ireland shares with the reader his own experiences in searching for answers to this question after the death of his son. He relates his story in a manner that is inviting the reader to vicariously experience the grief and pain one feels in losing a child. I highly recommend this book to anyone on a spiritual journey.

[[ASIN:1583942513 Soul Shift: Finding Where the Dead Go
I want to thank you Mark for choosing to "Make a Difference" in this world by writing this book. I lost my seventeen year old daughter in a fatal car accident three years ago. I understand the pain that you have gone through. I too have been looking for answers to the way God has laid our journeys out for us. I have had some of the same experiences that you have had since then. But when you see life from a different perspective, you understand that they are still there and the love still continues which in turn gives you hope. You confirmed this for me in writing. I thank your father also for helping to pave the way. A truly remarkable and well written book for anyone who feels they have love and lost or wants to understand the connection between our world and the shift to the eternal world.

I feel the book Soul Shift is a must read for anyone that has either lost a loved one or has questions about what happens when people die. Mark Ireland leads readers down the path of his own personal tragedy but turns the series of events into a journey of hope that all is not over when you pass from this physical world into a world that is not understood by most physical beings. His ability to relate to some of the skills and talents that his father possessed and to apply those principles to gaining answers or at least potential answers around the death of his young son makes for a story that is hard to put down once you begin reading. I recommend this book to anyone but in particular to those that feel they have an empty spot based on the loss of a loved one. Reading this book can create hope that the spot that feels so empty may not be as empty as you think.

I found this to be a very interesting and informative look of life after death. I can personally connect with the writer on his loss of someone close and longs to know if their loved one is ok and are they really still with us. Mark has shown that the human spirit lives on after the body has departed this earth. I would recommend this book for anyone who is trying to find closure and some healing on the loss of someone they love.

I found this book to be very helpful, especially if you have had recent deaths in your family. It is a wonderful book. The book is an easy read, once you start reading it you can not put it down.
I can not say enough about it except buy it & read it. Way to go Mark Ireland! You have been a great help to me & I know to many others.
Thank you Mark!

Judy Wilson

This is a good example of a start up and how much work is involved. By highlighting the ups and downs, it paints the real picture of a start-up, not just the glam.

If you wanted to read a definitive true story about pre dotcom, bubble and post bubble trials and tribulations, this is the one, sinc eat the end they built a solid profitable company. I chuckled at all the characters that McVickers met with the language that was used when reason left the industry to be totally replaced/driven by greed. . For those of us lucky enough to enjoy that whole wild ride, this book brings it all back. The start-up struggles and financing on debt. Placing bets on directions with your own well being/family. The people are all there, reluctant angels, greedy guys, lazy guys, arrogant amd humble types, disaster hires, reluctant hires wanting a big piece of the action, VCs, investment bankers, handlers, hold-up artists, PR pros, Barney deal makers, aggressive Competitive cos and their VCs, Take no prisoners sales guys/CEOs. This is all played out from the point of view of a fairly humble technical guy who just wanted to do something good. And the money stories, they all were happening. This is well written, easy to follow and a good pleasurable read. If you are in start-up and looking for something big, read this one!

This book covers many aspects of the entrepreneurial process. Written in a journal-style, the book takes on more the form of a dramatic novel, covering the growth of McVicker's company, Neoforma, from their beginnings as a poor internet start-up, all the way to their IPO. McVicker navigates through the convoluted process of starting this business, and provides a tremendous amount of insight into his experiences. The names in the book take on life as McVicker describes them interacting in the start-up process. Well written and packed with information, this is a good read for anyone interested in starting their own business.

Starting Something captures the rocket ride to IPO in a truly remarkable way that makes the reader feel he's riding co-pilot. I found the discussion about their venture investor, Venrock Associates, to be of particular interest because it appears that "Bret," the Venrock Partner, was given additional equity in Neoforma after Venrock's investment (pp. 308-310). The problem with this kind of thing is that Bret works for the limited and general partners of the firm, not himself, and he took equity right out of their pockets.

Is there any way to justify Bret's actions here? Please, tell me that I'm missing something here.

I fully admire the guts it took for Wayne to start a business, I fully admire the hard work he and his employees put in, and I fully admire his candor, since there was a lot in his book that deserved to be told, especially on the company-investor relationship side. But I couldn't help noticing that whenever he spoke glowingly of the company's progress and achievements, he measured them in terms of employee growth and fundraising stats, rather than REVENUE or PROFIT.

Here's why:

1999 - $1 million revenue, operating loss of $51 million
2000 - $10 million revenue, operating loss of $219 million
2001 - $3 million revenue, operating loss of $273 million
2002 - $4 million revenue, operating loss of $81 million
2003 - $11 million revenue, operating loss of $65 million
2004 - $13 million revenue, operating loss of $62 million
2005 - revenues finally started growing for real, because they bought some with their own stock, and then were acquired by another company end of 2005/beginning of 2006

Total for the six full years:

Revenue = $42 million
Losses = $751 million

That basically means the company spent $793 million in order to get $42 million of revenue. Think about those numbers for a second. If you're providing a service, and people are paying you 5 cents for every dollar you spend, well, maybe that's not such a great business to be in.

This book's an engaging and well-written chronicle of one of the shining examples of bubble era craziness. I'm not at all downplaying the truth or value in the general lessons, in the growing pains & emotional reversals of fortune Wayne goes through, and I'm not trying to pin the blame on him for all the missteps. I just hope that aspiring entrepreneurs who read this book balance it out with one on a business that worked, because there are a lot of those that make for interesting reading too, and luck isn't the only thing that distinguishes their trajectory from this one.

Great read for people who love to travel (and eat) off the beaten path. Probably should add that it's often from a female point of view. Loved the recipes.

Linda Ellerbee is a little older than me but I can still relate to her view on the world. In her book, her experiences take us to far away places where she meets fascinating people. She tells of her time in Greece where while she lives as a local for a month, British tourists experience Santorini from the seat of a tour bus. I will never travel as a tourist again. Yet, she remembers to bring these experiences home - linking them with her past and present. Her "take the bull by the horns" approach to life and travel may not be for everyone, but it sure has inspired me to look at life a little differently - make things happen, don't wait for it to happen.

Linda writes just the way she speaks and when you read this you feel like she's talking directly to you. This is a book that you never want to end. It's a memoir about travel and food and friends and lovers and misadventures - and she has done it all.
Most of the time she travels alone - she prefers that so she's forced to talk to the people where she's visiting. Occasionally she goes with a family member or friend to revisit a place from their past. She's been to some places that you've never heard of but want to go to after she describes it. Linda says that `our travels are not always the voyages of discovery we say we seek, but rituals of reassurance.' What fun!
When Linda gets together with her girlfriends, she reminds us that to women girlfriends are not a luxury they are a healthy necessity. They sit around and talk-talk-talk and even though they are now women, they feel like a girls again. And her holidays will remind you of your own and others when she describes how despite tradition, love, hope, passing time and sweet memories the holidays will always be messy.
She tells us about becoming a grandmother and says she will be available, understanding, and weird - because as a mother she was mostly weird. She plans to take her grandchildren places and show them things and give them wings. We all wish we had a mother/grandmother like that. I especially related when she talked about giving her children cookie dough to eat. My girls still keep a roll of cookie dough in the refrigerator for emergency sugar fixes.
And the food - she makes it part of every story and it all sounds so good. She even provides you with recipes.
One delightful thing she tells us (and she tells us quite a lot) is that `sometimes in life, if you're lucky, you are where you most want to be at that moment'. And wouldn't we all like to do that at least once.

[...].

Ellerbee creates in words the literary equivalent of the best dinner, the best trip, and the best dessert you ever had. Whether heartwarming or heartbreaking, her adventures around the world making strangers into friends (and meeting herself in the process) are truly memorable. She makes you long to break out of the tedium of your own life and discover the world as she has. A delight.

Ellerbee writes just the way she speaks, and when you read Take Big Bites, you feel like she's talking directly to you. This is a book that you never want to end. It's a memoir about travel and food and friends and lovers and misadventures. She has done it all. Most of the time, she travels alone. She prefers that so she's forced to talk to the people where she's visiting. Occasionally, she goes with a family member or friend to revisit a place from their past. She's been to some places that you've never heard of but want to go to after she describes them.

"Our travels are not always the voyages of discovery we say we seek, but rituals of reassurance," she writes. What fun!

When Ellerbee gets together with her friends, she reminds us that, to women, girlfriends are not a luxury, they are a healthy necessity. They sit around and talk-talk-talk, and even though they are now women, they feel like girls again.

Her holidays will remind you of your own and others when she describes how despite tradition, love, hope, passing time and sweet memories, the holidays will always be messy.

She tells us about becoming a grandmother and says she will be available, understanding, and weird because as a mother she was mostly weird. She plans to take her grandchildren places and show them things and give them wings. We all wish we had a mother/grandmother like that. I especially related when she talked about giving her children cookie dough to eat. My girls still keep a roll of cookie dough in the refrigerator for emergency sugar fixes. And the food... She makes it part of every story, and it all sounds so good. She even provides recipes.

One delightful thing the author tells us (and she tells us quite a lot) is that, "Sometimes in life, if you're lucky, you are where you most want to be at that moment." And wouldn't we all like to do that at least once.

by Doris Anne Roop-Benner
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women