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V Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

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Good Hope Road (Tending Roses Series #2)
Published in Paperback by Amazon Remainders Account (2003-04-30)
Author: Lisa Wingate
List price: $16.00
New price: $11.09
Used price: $2.74

Average review score:

great - timely service
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-21
great - timely service... I had no problems with my order or receiving my book.

THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-07
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It is well written and the characters really come to life and feel like they are family and neighbors. A tornado destroys many homes in a small Missouri town where people live just as you and I with good and bad times in their lives. There are many hard feelings among them, but this tragedy brings out the best in people and many changes happen in their hearts and they come to depend upon each other and make changes to go forward to the future. Sometimes we need to suffer loses before we realize what is most important and that we only have one life to live.

I thought that this author's first book "Tending Roses'was very good, but this one is even better. I can't wait to read the next books in this series, "The Language of the Sycamores", "Drenched in Light" and "A Thousand Voices",

Amazing story of how triumph can come from tragedy
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-10
Good Hope Road by Lisa Wingate is her strongest book to date. After the entire town of Poetry, Missouri is destroyed by a tornado, the people within it are changed to their cores as well. Jenilee Lane has lived her entire life ducking blows and trying to stay unnoticed. Eudora Gibson, her elderly neighbor, suffers from a bad case of judging others until Jenilee saves her life. The entwining stories of Jenilee and Eudora are woven together until as one strong cord, both women pull themselves out of their former selves and find a better future. Jenilee's idea to pick up all the photos and papers she finds on the road, in her yard and fields and try to return them to the townspeople who have lost so much is moving, especially after how she's been treated by them throughout her life. Wingate captures the essence of a family caught in the cycle of abuse and trying to break free. The scenes between Jenilee and her brothers are especially poignant. The dialogue is extremely well done. This book is peopled with characters that everyone in a small town knows, and after finishing the book will be sorry to leave.

All About People Coming Together Helping Each Other-A+
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-15
This is the first of Lisa Wingate which I have ever read. Now I definitely want to read more of her books.

Jennilee Lane and her family were the "poor folks" on Hope Road. Her mother was ill with depression, and later had terminal cancer, and her Dad was a loser as well. The family struggled just to eat. The other people in the small neighborhood were middle to upper classed people. Eudora Gibson was a big gossip and spread awful rumors about people to whoever would listen to her gossip. And then there was the lawyer's family, Marcella, of whom were big snobs.

All of this changed, when in the beginning of the book, a tornado hit hard and many folks lost their homes and precious items. Many lives were taken, some spared, and the whole neighborhood had to come together all living in a shelter together.

Jennilee saved the life of Eudora, and her granddaughter Lacy, who lost her parents and won't speak to anyone. While they are in this shelter together, Jennilee does a lot to help rescue items people have lost by posting pictures up on a board. She cooks, cleans, and helps the injured as well during all of this disaster. People gradually come to love and admire her, even the very haughty Dr. Albright.

On the other side of this coin though, Jennilee has lost part of her family, (Dad and brother Nate), and can't imagine where they are when the storm destroyed their town. She fears the worst that they were seriously injured or even killed, and as the story continues, what happens comes to light, and whether they are lucky to have survived remains to be seen. Jen's older brother Drew is finally coming around as well, but Jennilee holds a lot of resentment there as Drew left when her mom was dying and they needed him there.

It is just a good 'down-home' type of book. I look forward to seeing what Wingate's others are like.

I truly adore this book
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-10-24
After reading Ms. Wingate's two romances, I picked up Good Hope Road. Surprised it wasn't a romance, I almost tossed it, but the writing was so beautiful, I couldn't. This was a wonderful tale of reconciliation and survival populated with marvelous character that give real hope.

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The Heart Aroused : Poetry and the Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America
Published in Paperback by Doubleday Business (1996-06-01)
Author: David Whyte
List price: $15.95
New price: $4.95
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $15.95

Average review score:

Mixed feelings about this one
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-02
I have some real mixed feelings about this book. On the one hands I really like how Mr. Whyte used such unconventional ways to get his point across (he uses poetry to point out the flaws in the corporate world), but on the other hand, a lot of the points in the book made me scratch my head and go 'huh?!'.
The material is very deep and even where there is supposed to be just a small, simple message, Whyte seems to make it complicated so that the meaning looks to be more profound.

detoxing corporations
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-23
How much of our corporate productivity is impeded by pettiness and posturing in the workplace? Seems a corporate healer like David Whyte is needed to stand for finding and reminding folks of a different bottom line.

Connections Found!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-15
Whyte has a unique capacity to make powerful connections between the inner core that fills us with emotion and caring and the places we do our work, sometimes even at the place where our job is located, though not often. His observation that we leave as much as 55% of our true self "in the car" each day when we go in our office to work is so powerfully true. I dare say there are few among us who cannot relate to that feeling. And yet, it is the 55% of ourselves that the company we work for really wants and needs but rarely gets. Unfortunately because of the patriarchal environments that many organizations (not always corporations or even private sector businesses) create we all too often find no real fulfillment in the workplace. That is sad because I never have read any mission statements that pronounce "We ABSOLUTELY are not going to have fun or like one another around here." That makes me think that the realized, oppressives outcome are not intentional. However, we often find ourselves working in and hating very dysfunctional cultures, even if not by design. Whyte introduces the concept of hope in a effort to replace the all-too-present doubt and hegemony of the workplace. We may not be able to express ourselves freely at work but Whyte allows us some freedom to dream of that possibility during our reading of this book.

Heart Aroused
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-04
Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant! If you have a soul, buy this book. If you are not sure....buy this book. This book is an excellent exploration into the meaning of life + my job the incubus = a poetic awakening. David Whyte is a wonderful philosopher.

The Heart Aroused
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-07
David Whyte writes in a truly inspiring way. When I worked at the Monterey Bay Aquarium many of us read this book as we struggled to grow better as an organization. This book was the catalyst to many personal "AH HA!" moments. Not just for me, but for many of my colleagues as well. From there I found myself in love with poetry again too. David's poetry is powerful and meaningful. The heart aroused is your own, and worth coming back to.

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The Heart of a Soldier: A True Love Story of Love, War, and Sacrifice
Published in Hardcover by (2005-12-29)
Authors: Dana White and Kate Blaise
List price: $25.00
New price: $4.27
Used price: $2.42

Average review score:

Exactly what its subtitle says
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-10
Kate Decker and Mike Blaise were high school sweethearts in a small town in middle America. They both chose Army careers - Mike as an infantryman who later became a warrant officer and helicopter pilot; Kate as a commissioned officer via ROTC. Their commitment to both their marriage and their careers challenged them often, but never as much as when both were deployed to Iraq. Theirs became a combat marriage at that point, because Kate's "support" role required carrying her weapon 24/7 and placed her as close to Mike's Kiowa helicopter base as one mile. So she was there, near enough to have been laughing with her husband in his quarters a few hours beforehand, when a flying accident killed him. It happened so close to their scheduled departure for home, at deployment's end, that Kate's belongings were already packed up and ready to accompany her unit.

Politics has nothing to do with this book, although Kate Blaise makes no secret of her beliefs and her feelings where the war is concerned. This is just what its subtitle says, a story of love, war, and sacrifice. I found it a remarkable testament to how much times have changed (Kate is a generation younger than I am, you see), in that a woman can live the life she has chosen and consider it her duty as well as her right. But it's equally a testament to the unchanging nature of those things that matter most in life: love, faith, family, and - yes, again - duty.

Well worth reading. Glad I did!

Mundane story until last 3rd
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-17
Until the end it could have been story of thousand of soldiers,
and cloying in its sweetness of Missouri people and a theme of "people dont cause their own accidents" trying to avoid responsiblity.

Should take last part of book and make it its own storyb but not a novel, a short story!

Im sure G Bush would love to be absolved of responsbility like this book does in spades.

Beautifully Written
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-27
I was an Army Brat growing up so when I saw this book at the PX (AAFES) while visiting my parents I knew I HAD to read it. After reading Kate's story, I feel an incredible amount of appreciation for everything that our service men and women sacrifice and endure. The amount of loyalty Kate and Mike have for this country is what being a soldier is truly about.

Amazing True Heartfelt Story
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-07
Reading this story I felt new compassion for those who serve in the military. Most of us know someone either in the war or associated with the military. Only a few know what it is really like. One of those people happens to be Kate. Heart of a Solider is a one of a kind story that will make you think about the sacrifice others give to bring us freedom and others wanting freedom. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about life in the military, beliefs, or just wants to read an incredible story. From small town Macon to the Big Apple this book is for anyone. Once you pick up the book you will understand.

Absolutely amazing!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-26
Kate Blaise is an amazing woman and author. I met Kate a few years ago thru my college roommate. Never did I realize everything that she had been through. Reading her accounts of life and how she carried through her trials and tribulations was very uplifting. I met Kate's husband one time, but through her writings, I feel like I knew him all along. The love story between her and Mike and her passion for the Army was told from the perspective like no other. Thank you Kate for sharing your story!

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Incantation
Published in Audio CD by Brilliance Audio on CD Unabridged (2006-10-02)
Author: Alice Hoffman
List price: $19.95
New price: $10.92
Used price: $9.66

Average review score:

A Quiet Jewel
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-19
What happens when a young woman (16) learns that her entire life has been a lie? This is what happens to Estrella di Madrigal in Spain during the Spanish Inquisition.

She watches as those around her are arrested, tortured, and put to death because they are Conversos (Jews who have converted to Christianity). She feels for them but is happy that she and her family attend the Christian church headed by Friar DeLeon and that her brother is a seminarian.

Estrella's best friend and neighbor is Catalina. They have been close since birth but it is Catalina's cousin Andres, who lives with Catalina's family, that ultimately causes the rift between the two girls. Catalina has always believed that she and Andres would be married. But Andres sees Catalina as a sister while he looks at Estrella in love.

With the horrors of the Spanish Inquisition as a backdrop, Estrella soon learns from her honored grandfather that she is Esther, that her entire family are Marranos (Jews converted to Christianity but who practice judaism in secret). Because of Estrella's love for Andres and his for her, Catalina and her family betray the Madrigals; Estrella watches from the shadows of the crowds as her family is first denounced, then tortured, and finally put to death. She is the only one to escape.

This book is short but packs a mighty punch. Easy enough to read in one sitting but don't, no matter how much you are tempted. Take time to digest what you are reading here. Although meant for the younger reader, most adults should find this a compelling story. A word of caution: the descriptions of the torture of the Marranos is very detailed and vivid and may not sit well with the squeamish.

Different from Alice Hoffman's other novels, I found this one nevertheless equally as good. Ms. Hoffman hasn't disappointed me yet.

Amazing
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-30
When I first picked up the audio book from the library, I was nervous that it was only three CDs. When I found out it was for young adults, I grew more nervous. Then I started listening and fell in love with it. It's an amazing story. The writing is simple yet powerful. The narration is amazing. The entire story is heartfelt and deeply moving. I loved it.

Amazing
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-05
This book is one of the most amazing books that I have read. I could not put it down from the time I started reading it. It is both easy to understand and follow. The story is an incredible story of love and betrayal.

The Inquisition alive
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-07
This is not a book for the sqeamish or for younger kids. That being said, it is a wonderful read, vivid and gripping, for adults and teens. It calls up events of the time, both in daily life and in its look at a group seldom mentioned, and offers readers something that lingers after the text is done. The young adult readers in my classes have been devouring this and passing it from one to the next so quickly, my book signout can hardly keep up.

Incantation
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-06
This book was very short, but really amazing. It took me back in time to the Spanish Inquisition (as you can see by the summary) and it gave me some insight on what it was like to live during those times. There was no good court system, and people were scrutinized for just being different. Basically, if you weren't Catholic you were trash.

In the beginning, Estrella has a good life. She has a wonderful, if a bit strict, family, and she has a best friend that she loves with all her heart. But things begin to change when Estrella starts to get attracted to her best friend's cousin. And things get even worse when Estrella finds out that her whole life she was raised thinking she was Catholic, only to find out that it was just an act and she's really Jewish.

This book was wonderful, truly. I couldn't put it down. There was some romance in it, but mostly it was about a family who struggled to stay true to their faith, but stay alive at the same time. I was really sad, and there were some memorable passages that I will never forget. The writing was fantastic, and I found that I liked this book much more than I really thought I would.

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Inconsolable: How I Threw My Mental Health Out With the Diapers
Published in Paperback by Seal Press (2005-08-31)
Author: Marrit Ingman
List price: $14.95
New price: $10.25
Used price: $7.92

Average review score:

Read this if you ARE pregnant!
Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-15
The book starts out with, "Don't read this book if you are pregnant" (or something like that). I was six months pregnant with my first child, yet steamed ahead anyway. I am glad that I did. The description of the insanity, temporary or otherwise, that can be brought on brought on by modern motherhood that Ingman paints is exactly what a parent-to-be like myself needed, because it prepared me for the worst, and let me off the hook from the overambitious expectations that I had (elaborate birth plan that did not go as planned? check. Dreams of cooking my own organic baby food now making way for Gerber jars? check). The writing had a way of taking me to the absolute depths of her experience while at the same time injecting humor and compassion that made me feel like everything was going to be all right. I didn't expect to laugh out loud, but I did many times while reading.

This book is WAY more complex than any review can possibly hope to convey. It's personal, and political; funny, and sad. While reading, you realize that a lot of the problems Ingman faces are not just parents' issues, but women's issues. Are the mothers crazy or is the world crazy? Read and decide for yourself.

I'd would rename it "Unreadable"
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 14 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-20
I think pretty much everything that the author has to say can be (and is!) said in the first 30 pages or so. After that, it's bits and pieces, loosely strung together but without a goal in sight. Neither a great resource for those dealing with PPD nor a good comic relief.

this should be required reading for everyone considering parenthood
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-11
"Inconsolable" is smart, funny, and heartbreaking. This book should be required reading for any woman considering motherhood--it rips off the layers of Hallmark sentimentality and reveals exactly how agonizing post-partum depression can be. Frankly, it made me want to send my mother a bouquet of three dozen long-stemmed red roses.

This is a brave book written by an astonishingly talented writer Whether or not you're considering having a child, this book will change the way you think about motherhood, pregnancy, and mental health long after you've put the book down. I will never play Nine Inch Nails without thinking of Marritt ever again, and man, I play a lot of NIN.

Thank you for this book, Marritt.

pivotal
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-11
When I suffered from debilitating depression after the birth of my 2nd daughter, I searched everywhere for something to grasp onto. Anything to grasp onto. Somehow I found this book. All of a sudden, here was someone like me - someone else who wanted to drive off a bridge. I felt like I had finally made a connection and I wasn't alone in this anymore.
I can honestly say that this book was pivotal in my (LONG) recovery. It is what ultimately encouraged me to push through, connect with others and reclaim motherhood. Marrit's accounts of early motherhood are real, moving, poignant, and honest. I highly recommend this book to any new mother - if you aren't suffering from PPD yourself, you might be able to understand and reach out to someone who is.

Thank you Marrit!
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-20
If you are a mom and you think you are loosing your mind, read this book!! You'll find out that you are not alone. I think all moms feel this way at times but most are too worried about what people will think if they admit it. Props to Marrit for being brutally honest.

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Journey to the Heart: Daily Meditations on the Path to Freeing Your Soul
Published in Paperback by HarperOne (1996-04-05)
Author: Melody Beattie
List price: $15.00
New price: $11.18
Used price: $9.98

Average review score:

Great Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-20
I had her first book and really like it, but this one is better! The entries are short, but are incredibly motivational and offer a great deal of food for thought. They are a perfect way to end the day on a positive note! I would reccommend this to anyone.

I don't know how she does it...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-07
...but every day I read this book, the meditation is timely and sometimes so relevant to my life situation that I can hardly believe it. I bought this book as a special gift to myself this year, so it is the first time I have read it, each day in order- and I can hardly wait until tomorrow to see what comes next! This book is a true blessing, a pleasant surprise, and honestly amazing at times. I will be looking forward to reading it in the years to come and plan to purchase several as gifts for Christmas presents this year. Kudos, Melody! And, thank you, for writing this very wise and insightful (and almost magical) inspirational work.

Inspiring
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-12
This book was recommended by my yoga teacher. I have found such peace and comfort in reading the daily meditations. This was exactly what I needed in a time in my life when I was searching for peace and acceptance. It is well written and has something in it for everyone. The stress of living is put in perspective by her observations and encouragements.

Bring Peace to Your Life
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-15
Melody's beautiful book of daily meditations invites us to go on an inner journey of self-reflection. The entries are inspiring and thought-provoking and encourage us to slow down and take time to enjoy each moment. She gives great advice on how to change the way we think about the way we live and bring more peace and joy to our heart. This book would make a beautiful gift for a frazzled friend or loved one.

Finding Your Heart
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-28
I have read this book on a daily basis for over 10 years. Ms. Beattie's thoughts and feelings about life has helped me to live life in more thoughtful and meaningful ways. On rare occasions (twice), I have bought the book again to share with very special people in my life. That is why I ordered 2 books recently. One Journey to the Heart: Daily Meditations on the Path to Freeing Your Soul for my friend and one for me (my original copy is wearing out!).

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The Last Men Out: Life on the Edge at Rescue 2 Firehouse
Published in Hardcover by (2004-06-01)
Author: Tom Downey
List price: $25.00
New price: $14.41
Used price: $8.73
Collectible price: $25.00

Average review score:

"Better than fiction" type of non-fiction
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-05
Great story about the history of one of America's greatest firehouses. Whether you are a veteran firefighter, or just looking for some exciting true life stories, you will enjoy this book. It explains firefighting in terms anyone could follow, while weaving in stories of inspirational courage and brotherhood. Certainly it contained one of the more touching recounts of 9/11 that I, as a firefighter, have ever read.

A must read for firefighters
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-27
Tom Downey has written an honest and true account of life in a New York City firehouse. With a keen eye and great observational skills Downey has documented a world that most people will never enter or understand. He brings to life the men and their experiences working in the busiest rescue company in the city. Not since Dennis Smith's 1972 book "Report from Engine Company 82" has an author captured the true essence of the firefighters world. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the FDNY. These men are a throwback to the war years of the late 1960's and early 1970's - a quickly vanishing breed.

The Last Men Out
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-31
I read this book in three days. I have not read a book for enjoyment in years. Once I picked it up it was over. The stories make you TRY to relate to your own house. At the risk of sounding gay, It becomes a tear jerker.

Motivation
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-13
I am a firefighter in a department much smaller than the FDNY. We do not run many calls and I was starting to get unmotivated and complacent. After reading this book I remembered the brotherhood of firefighters I am in and gained a new love for my job.

awesome
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-09
the most moving book I have ever read.It takes the good with the bad. No sugar coating, all honesty.

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The Last Single Woman in America
Published in Hardcover by Dutton Adult (2008-01-31)
Author: Cindy Guidry
List price: $24.95
New price: $6.99
Used price: $4.75

Average review score:

A strong, witty voice for women of all ages
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-29
Cindy Guidry lives in Neverland. Living and working in Los Angeles is difficult enough; try dating there. Guidry is a smart, funny, sexy woman who is trying to get in touch with her own power as she approaches 40. She's knows it's in there, somewhere. But it's hard to feel powerful when you live in a town where everyone is judged by appearances, and most of those are plastic.

I really enjoyed Cindy's voice. This is a book written by a clever woman who realizes that most of the men she meets are bombarded with too many choices on a daily basis. They can no longer make a decision about anything, especially the most important one of all, the decision of commit to a mate.

Guidry takes her readers on an enjoyable ride through Hollywood as she starts to put the pieces of her life together (accompanied by a Dave Matthews soundtrack) all the while feeling like she's the Last Single Woman in America.

Insightful and funny
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-20
She may get stuck with the easy "chick-lit" label, but Cindy Guidry has written a book filled with enormous humor, wit and poignancy -- and a well-earned understanding of relationships between men and women. Her trenchant observations -- on her own life, the men in it, her career, her family -- take no prisoners, including herself. More importantly, I loved her voice: the one of that smart, way-funny girlfriend who always tells the truth, no matter how uncomfortable, and god bless her. Men will be pleasantly surprised by their un-chick-lit treatment here, if they ever read it (mine have, and responded overwhelmingly positively -- "She gets it!"). Definitely a worthy read.

No Gen X here - It's ALL Generation Cindy Guidry!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-15
I have never found a book in which the writer (and narrator in this instance) seemingly gave forth so many of my own thoughts. I always considered myself to be a little too jaded, cynical, or critical, and am now glad to see there is a whole generation of us. Cindy Guidry shows there is really nothing too depressing about not knowing what you want to be when you grow up and, guess what?, there are lots of us out there. To heck with Generation X, it's Generation Cindy Guidry all the way!!!

Having been a former lover and devout follower of the series "Sex in the City" and having had to settle for vacuous attempts to fill that time slot or reruns on TBS ever since, I am looking forward to seeing this book and the idea behind it coming to life on HBO.

Read this now!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-14
You get it all here..answers to the dating Universe and some.. I laughed, i cried and i was shocked at the honesty..very refreshing indeed!
.. highly recommended from this Goddess (and not just a chick read guys).

If You're a Guy
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-19
If you're a guy and you cringe that this might be another MEN SUCK book written for only women to read and rally together around the flagpole of self inflicted injustice, this is the book for you. Although she has her complaints about men, this is a refreshingly fair-handed, often sympathetic book about both men and women and their attempts to find and understand each other in this isolating cyber-world. While there are bestsellers as well as entire television networks dedicated to the proposition that MEN SUCK, Guidry offers the possibility of individual empowerment and an unflagging belief in Love, all the while making you laugh out loud about waxing and nail polish and cats and other things men don't generally care about. Men really do want to know what women think, and Guidry tells us in a way both entertaining and enlightening.

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Love At Goon Park : Harry Harlow and the Science of Affection (Science Matters)
Published in Paperback by (2004-02-03)
Author: Deborah Blum
List price: $16.00
New price: $7.62
Used price: $5.37

Average review score:

what we learned - what we still have to learn
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-30
When Harry Harlow started exploring the science of affection it was in the face of disregard and opposition in the world of medicine and psychology. But he was able to show that affection is vital to the proper development of the newly born, as too is the measured rejection of the newly born's parents when the time is right. Consequently we now encourage the bonding of parents and children through physical handling. (Perhaps more affectionate and supportive friendships outside the family have developed as a result also.)

These were great insights for society and yet Harlow did face opposition. Just when he was saying the role of the mother (and father - but he was less vocal about that) was vital to the upbringing of the baby, the womens liberation movement was trying to get women more freedom - more equality on the basis of being the same as men. How could this new emphasis on the importance of the role of parents (principally women as men were traditionally the 'bread winners') be tolerated? To me, however, there is a mistake in this. We should not be treated equally because we are the same - but for the very opposite reason - because we are all unique. If we are to get the best from each unique individual then each individual must have equal rights and opportunity. Unfortunately Harlow's approach to opposition was often rude and confronting.

After his death Harlow's research faced another challenge - this time from the animal liberation activists. Harlow had done his experiments on monkeys principally, and these experiments necessarily had damaging (and surprising) results for the animals experimented on. Harlow did care for the animals and provided for them as well as he could in difficult circumstances - for example, he always tried to 'restore' emotionally damaged animals. Although we may now regret the methods he and his students used, and certainly not want to repeat them for the sake of student exercises, we should not lose sight of the vital information that was uncovered.

Deborah Blum's book is engaging and revealing - especially concerning the history of human behaviour with regard to affection and love. It is surprising how recent (1950s) some attitudes were that are now totally overthrown, at least in part because of Harlow's work.

But does psychology have more lessons to learn from Harlow? It is my belief that this is so. I recently had a workplace experience where I was confronted by a workplace bully. But immediately I knew this bully was not picking on me - this was just characteristic behaviour that was applied to everyone they worked with. All the stories and rumours I had heard - and continued to hear with more clarity - suddenly had greater presence for me. To overcome my distress at this situation I used the free staff counselling service offered by my employer. Perhaps in doing that I was already demonstrating my capacity to manage, to cope. What, however, of my colleagues who I now had insight to the terrible behaviour of the bully for them? Harlow would not have been surprised that I had bonded with these people - to some more closely than others. But the psychologist/counsellor understood nothing of this - as long as I was dealt with (the immediate client) nothing else could be done. But the only thing that could really be done for me was to smash all the bonds I had built with my colleagues so that I was no longer concerned for them. Was that reasonable?

And what of psychology offered to one of a married couple privately from the bond that links them. What is the risk that this will actually prise apart the bond that needs to be strengthened or at least maintained? I'm not sure how psychology should handle these matters but it continues to alarm me that the insights of Harlow are still being overlooked in areas where they should not be. Is it the impact of the womens liberation and animal liberation movements that have denigrated the research sufficiently to block its use in other areas?

other recommendations:
'Workplace Monsters' John Clarke (Random House Australia)
'Conditions of Love' John Armstrong
'A Crystal Age' W H Hudson

Even the book's cover will break your heart
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-03
Fifty years ago I had psych classes at the UW, and I helped tend the rats in 600 N. Park. I learned about Harry Harlow, Carl Rogers, and schools of thought in Psychology. Now, finally, I understand and see the importance of what was going on here.

Deborah Blum has clarified the conflicts in behavioral science during the first half of the 20th century as my instructors never could. She has given human faces to the names that were listed in the semester timetables, but whom most students never saw. And Harry Harlow's flaws are not whitewashed, but they are understandable.

Younger readers will be aghast at the parenting style that was advocated by child health professionals over 50 years ago. Many of us, although we were not neglected or abandoned, were not cuddled and made to feel cherished. Harlow, among others, was able to disprove the validity of a sterile upbringing in creating a human adult.

And it is truly a page-turner, well written and captivating.

Great purchase
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-04
This book was in great shape and is an excellent read for those who want to understand

Fascinating Look at Harlow's Research
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-15
This is one of the most interesting and well written books I've ever read on this or any similar topic. To anyone who studies or has studied attachment, Blum offers an amazing look at how this early research changed the face of psychology. To anyone who has read countless poorly written descriptions of boring research studies, this book is an oasis.

I don't believe Blum has portrayed Harlow through rose-colored glasses. On the contrary, anyone reading this book might even wonder whether Harlow's neglect of his own children was a good thing, given his lack of compassion and indifference toward the suffering he caused. My copy is well-worn and has been loaned out many times. I highly recommend this book.

Great topic, lousy subject
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2004-09-27
This is an extremely interesting book in terms of underlining how damaging scientific fads can be. The early twentieth century fad of data and cleanliness may well have led to the deaths many children as cleanliness was preferred over attention.

Unfortunately, Harry Harlow is less interesting, and provides an abominable contrast to the subject. Harlow ignores both wives and his children in search for - as he wrote in his school's yearbook - 'fame'. He becomes a chain-smoking alcoholic. Bizarrely, Blum emphasises Harlow's visionary understanding of love with, at times, an almost 'here comes superman' manner. She appears incapable of reconciling her argument that Harlow is the scientist of love with the fact that he ignored his wives and all his children!

If anything, I read the book as reflecting one man's selfish, desperate desire for achievement and fame. Thanks to his interest in monkeys, he and his students seemed to fall over the answer. Not exactly visionary.

A good read though, reflecting the pitfalls of faddish thinking, and also how scientific discoveries (if the fact that a child needs its mother is a discovery) occur. The book also reflects how difficult it can be to refute incorrect arguments.

V
A Midsummer Night's Faery Tale
Published in Hardcover by Simon & Schuster (1999-10-25)
Authors: Terri Windling and Wendy Froud
List price: $18.00
New price: $9.18
Used price: $6.21

Average review score:

Another great Froud book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-06
Just like The Winter Child and The Faeries of Spring Cottage this is very lovely book. Both adults and children will enjoy the pictures and lovely story. This is a must have for all children and Froudians.

Spectacular Wendy Froud debut!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-12-02
Wendy Froud is every bit the genius as her husband. This book is absolutly enchanting. Her dolls and her vision coupled with Terry Windling's adorable story create a world that young and old will want to escape to time and again. A must have for all fans of Frouds and faeries.

Well written, positive story for children
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-05-12
An excellent book for children. My daughter loved the heroic faery. The illustrations are first rate. After getting this book for my little girl, I tried out Terri Windling's "The Wood Wife" which is written for more adult readers. I am glad I stumbled onto Ms. Windling's work. Both books were excellent. She is a very good story teller.

Wendy Froud the Master of Faeries
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-12-01
The book refers all to faeries, the story is good but what I was interested on was the art. Wendy Froud created the dolls for the story and since my interest is doll making, this was a great book full of details. She has another book named "The Winter Child" in which she uses the same dolls but there is different story line. If you are interested in books with great pictures, this is the one or if you enjoy reading good stories to children you will greatly enjoy it. Wendy Froud is the wife of Bryan Froud the great illustrator of "Good Faeries, Bad Faeries" and "The Faeries' Oracle".

Find the Sneezle in yourself
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-15
Sneezle, you ask? What exactly is a Sneezle? Well, Sneezle is our little root faery hero, that's who! This is a wonderful book with a very good lesson that teaches us that everyone in life has been put here for a reason. Sometimes it may seem that certain people in life have better luck, are more beautiful, are thinner, have a better voice, etc but this book shows us that there is something special in everyone, even when we least expect it. Sneezle shows us that the pure of heart will always prevail over the forces of evil.

The artwork in this book is also PHENOMINAL (please forgive me if my spelling is incorrect.) Every time I look at the pictures, I find something new. The creatures, the landscapes, the settings are all GLORIOUS! Although this is a "children's" book, I highly recommend it for both the young and old at heart.


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