Williams Books

Good read for anyone that wants to see what can keep a marriage together for a few decades. Also, great perspective on why they are both of historical significance and should be more praised as icons.

I love Ossie and Ruby. Their story is inspirational. They are true survivors. I loved hearing them tell their story in their own words. It was funny, touching and at times heart wrenching what they went through. They are true icons of not only African American history, but American history.

I am so glad I read Ruby Dee's biography on the internet or I would have never known that she and her (late) husband, Ossie Davis, had written memoirs together, recounting their 50(+) year relationship. This book is a combination of genuinely warm and humorous passages, as well as insightful, deeply profound and moving chapters. They literally have a dialogue together, at some points of the book, even gently (and not so gently) correcting each other on stories and minute details that the other omitted.

Not only is this book wonderful from an historic point of view (it delves into the Civil Rights Movement and Dee's and Davis' role in that, as well as their experiences with racism, discrimination and the struggle to succeed in their craft, as actors of color--particularly African-American actors), but we also get a sense of how these two great individuals came to be the amazing actors/writers/producers/directors that we know today. While Dee always knew she was going to be on stage, Davis was initially going to become a playwright (though, fate had different plans). Together, they had children, grandchildren, and multitudes of life adventures (with plenty of bumps and u-turns along the way). Some may be surprised (and shocked) by the fact that Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis had an open marriage, when their jobs took them on the road and away from each other. Surprisingly, this brought them closer together. This was unexpected, to me, and it was intriguing to read their take on that (controversial) marriage choice that they made mutually.

I really reccomend this book, and I think more people should know about it. These people are legends in their craft, and they are not only wonderful actors, but very talented writers. I look forward to reading Ruby Dee's "My One Good Nerve" from which she adapted a touring show by the same name, in 1996.

I just had the pleasure of reading this marvelous book. This book is done with class and shows celebrities do not have to write memoirs that are full of trash. I have always loved Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee. I have always said people who have been married for many years usually have had many ups and downs in their relationships. It just goes to show if you have faith and are not willing to give up easily you can have a relationship of longevity and is an inspiration to others. An excellent book. They may have made mistakes but in the end they are truly role models. My heart and prayers go out to Ruby Dee in the loss of her lover, friend and colleauge Ossie Davies. Ossie Davis and Ruby together were a class act and they have written a celebrity memoir with class.

Legendary husband and wife actors Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee tell, with much seriousness, whimsy and candor, their respective humble beginnings, their ultimate meeting and romance in the theater, and the struggles they faced as actors, as well as African-Americans in a time of civil and political change. Though they both sought success on the stage and screen, they were also influential in achieving rights for actors, as well as African-American during the Civil Rights Movement.

The pair mingled with the powerful on the Broadway stage (Howard da Silva, Lorraine Hansbury, etc.), rising stars of the movies (Sidney Poitier, Marlon Brando, John Cassavettes, Richard Widmark, to cite a few), and political powerhouses like Paul Robeson, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Never afraid to voice their political views, the pair even became "persons of interest" during the Communist "witch hunts" of the fifties.

Davis and Dee also reveal interesting tidbits about their married life. Speaking of their "open marriage" is quite a surprise but as one reads on, it is discovered that "infidelity" was not something that was not the norm, just an understanding that should something occur outside the bonds of marriage, it would be honestly admitted.

The book's format allows each of the actors to reveal his/her take on common events in their lives. Both come across as truly unique yet complimentary and complementary of the other.

An informative appendix at the book's end provides the reader with all the theatrical, television, and stage productions, along with audio performances, made by them individually or together. Of course, it is incomplete, considering that that book was published six years ago, and both have had additional performances to add to their lengthy career.

Even though Ossie has since passed on, this reminiscence is a fitting tribute to him, as well as homage to both their marriage and their talents as thespians.

Wow, it's really hard to know where to begin with this book. It is excellent in every regard. It's especially relevant today and especially for us in the U.S. as we tend to think more in terms of "us" and "them" and truly people the world over aren't that different: they all want happiness for themselves and their families. Steven, with no experience traveling outside the U.S., decided to strike out and literally do the unthinkable......
Take a long walk
Around the world
That took 4 years
And to do it alone.

The writing is excellent, the story is spectacular, and if you haven't read it please do now. It's more important now than ever to realize that we're all family on this planet. If you ever want to read more, then head to Steven's website at theworldwalker.com and read his Letters From Steven dispatches and drop him a note while you're there. He LOVES hearing from people that have read his book.

I know this for a fact, I'm his webmaster (so yeah I am biased).

This book is hard to put down. It shows there is still a lot of kindness left in this world.

My ex-husband just completed walking the Appalachian Trail, so I tried to locate Steven's WORLDWALK book to give to him. While Steven's walk took 4 years & my ex's trip took 4 months, I still felt sure it was the same type of exciting adventure. I was amazed at Steven's story when I read it, & like Lou, I also heard him speak--his story couldn't be any more exciting than the fiction novels that I usually read. Guess I'll have to loan him my signed copy.

I'll admit to having a penchant for nonfiction. However, the next two sentences from Chapter 18 of Worldwalk stopped me COLD (not easy to do).

"I sensed a pocket of time and space where the past still weighed heavily on the second hand of the present. Where, instead of being trampled under, history was allowed to crumble away at its own pace."

They, alone, are worth the price of this book.

If you don't learn from, appreciate humankind more, and enjoy this book, I will remain forever in awe of an unreachable person who happens to occupy this planet at this time.

Do yourself a favor and curl up in your most comfortable place and allow Steven to "do the walking" for you - not through the Yellow Pages, but Around the World.

This work has been around for a few years now and is one of those I kept meaning to read, but never seemed to get around to it. Thanks to an Amazon Friend who read my "wish list," I received this one on my birthday...Thanks Terry! Anyway, as I suspected, I have missed out on a great read for all of these years.

Worldwalk by Steven M. Newman is the true story of a young man, who at the age of 28, left his front door on a small town in Ohio, and walked around the world alone. This was not one of those walks with a gigantic support team or financed by some company or cause. This was a walk undertaken by a guy who wanted to see the world, to meet its people, who lived simply off the charity of others for the most part, and who sincerely wanted to learn. It is actually more of a pilgrimage that a journey. While it is certainly an adventure of the highest sort, it is so much more.

To begin with, this is one very lucky young guy. I have been to many of the places he walked, alone, with no support, no guide no special language skills and no special help. I on the other hand, was usually with people, heavily armed people, as I was myself, and I was still fearful many times. There is absolutely no reason that he should not have been killed a dozen times over, either through exposure, accidents or human intervention, i.e. robbery or murder. His journey began in Ohio, on April 1, 1983 where he walked east. He, in his travels passed though Scotland, Ireland, England, France, Spain, several countries in North Africa, Turkey, Greece, some of the Balkans, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Australia and the Western United States. He actually crossed around twenty countries. Steven Newman gives us a first hand account of the country, and more importantly profiles of the hundreds of people he met on his journey.

This is a very inspirational book. Newman pretty well proves his beginning belief, that is, that people all over the world are a pretty nice lot, and that despite cultural differences, religious differences, races, creeds, histories, and we are all pretty much the same. Most of us are down right good and a few of us are bad.

The author has told of his four year journey through simple prose, almost always upbeat, almost always realistic. I feel the author was a bit naïve at times, but perhaps that was an advantage and perhaps that is one of the things that allowed him to complete this spectacular journey. I was quite struck with the author's faith, not only in his God, but in the goodness of mankind...a rare thing these days.

I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the various individuals the writer encountered on his journey, and the record of the conversations he had with these individuals. I also enjoyed his description of the physical challenges he faced on a daily basis. This was truly inspiring.

Now this walk took place over twenty years ago and you would think that some, or most, of the material might be a bit dated. Not so! I suppose the one part of the book that did discourage me some what is that not all that much has changes in those twenty years, and if anything, things have gotten a bit worse. Still good people, but, as usual, poor governments. This is a very enjoy able read and I do highly recommend it. It is one of those books that you will hate to put down.

A 1950's folk singer and wild woman's memoir of her love affair with the Colorado River and Glen Canyon before the Glen Canyon Dam flooded her canyon. She tells of floating the river and exploring intimate side canyons on small personal trips.

This is one of the best and most special books I have read. Katie Lee really gives you the experience of Glen Canyon--it's beauty, wildness, and uniqueness. I fell in love with the place through her words, and felt her loss deeply when the damn dam was built. This act (the building of the dam) was truly a dark time in our history. I thank Katie Lee for sharing her thoughts and feelings and cheer her for her openness in those closed times.

Katie Lee has written a beautiful & powerful love story & funeral song to a place some considered the most beautiful on earth, now drowned under Lake Powell. The book is largely exerpts from Katie's river journals from 40+yrs ago & has an immediacy that left me feeling like I was in Glen Canyon with her. She mentions that she shared early drafts of a fiction version with Ed Abbey, who told her to just write her own story. That she couldn't make up anything better than her own experiences. Ed Abbey was right. I devoured the book in one emotional sitting, then spent the rest of the day wandering aimlessly with dreams & visions of lost desert canyons in my mind.

Katie Lee has given us a wonderful glimpse at a lost treasure. Her discriptions of the river and side canyons tell of her love of this lost world. My 2nd greatgrandfather went through Glen Canyon in 1872 with the second Powell Expedition and Katie has given me some feeling as to What he saw and the places he visited. I never understood what a treasure Glen Canyon was to Us till I read her book. Thank You Katie Lee

Katie Lee has led a remarkable life. But while she may be a fine story teller for a live audience, she is a poor writer. I found it a slow book to flog myself through- despite an enormous interest in the subject. Too bad she couldn't have put her ego aside and sat down with a professional writer. I can think of several women writers of the west that would have been a boon to the project. I look forward to the Katie Lee biography from one of them.

A mix of some biographical material and wrought with episodic details of the life of my beloved Mata Amritanandamai, the author does a tremendous job in first person narrative of exposing the reader to the "force of nature" that is Ammachi. Here is a being that has a 4th grade education that teaches, instructs and consoles lay people, other religious practitioners, and nuclear physicists alike. I know I have never seen, nor has mankind I think, ever seen anything like Amma, a diabetic Mother, THE Mother, who donates 100% of her Self, 100% of the time; to the uplifting of her children. An incredible 5 star - book about the infinite star: Ammachi.

This book is an excellent introduction to Ammachi's life - especially for a Westerner. For those who already know Amma, the offical biography by Amma's senior disciple might be better.

This book also touches upon the fact that downfall of Indian civilization occurred at the hands of unfriendly external cultures. Notably Arabs from the present-day Afghanistan and later from European Colonials (please note - I draw a distinction between a European and a racist European colonial).

Even a strong economy like America's will collapse if it comes under sustained terrorist attacks over a period of 100 years or more. In a similar fashion the reason for economic depravation of India was not mismanagement by Indians (as another reviewer has written) but sustained attacks on India by violent and unfriendly cultures. A person who wins a war and kills thousands of people cannot be stamped culturally superior to the person who lost the war (on contrary, the more violent and brutal a culture is, more likely it is to go on a successful rampage).

Lastly, one must note in Vedic culture there was no place for skin color and such nonsense. Most of India's ancient saints were black in color (from the description written by their followers).

Casteism was a social order, not a hardened discriminatory practice. In fact the sage who compiled Vedas and wrote Mahabharata - Veda Vyasa - was born to a fisherwoman and not of high caste. Another example is Valmiki - the sage poet who wrote Ramayana - he was a hunter who lived near a forest, but who undertook great penance and became a sage. Through ages Indians and people who respect Indic culture have revered them.

The hardened casteism came about because of external influences in later periods, even then brahmins have never burnt lower-castes or people of other religion at stakes as has happened elsewhere.

This book is written by an American scholar who is working on her thesis about Women's spirituality who falls in love with Amma, the Indian Saint. She tries to keep her scientific hat on as she begins her journey, but Amma's power is so strong that she becomes changed and has her heart opened by Amma. For me, this is the power of this book. This author has a true and strong voice and her doubts and questions mirror my own search. I so enjoyed her way of presenting sometimes shocking facts with grace and an evenhanded tone--but still, her love for Amma shines thorough every page of this story. This made me fall in love with Amma and this book! I've bought dozens of used copies at Amazon and on ebay to give to friends and they all adore it. I hope it comes back into print soon!

I was on vacation in India for a month and I visited a niece of mine. While talking to her I heard the chanting of Bhajans from the neighborhood and I inquired as to what was going on. She reported that in the neighborhood was a house where the devotees of Mata Amritanandamayi gathered every week and prayed to her in front of a framed photograph of hers. I was curious and went in to ascertain it. There were about 50 men and women seated in front of her picture, chanting hymns. It was an eye-opening experience for me. Earlier in the week, I had passed through the front of the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Cochin and had heard from many about the facilities over there. Now, I decided to learn more about this person considered a saint in India.

Reading through this book helped me to situate the phenomenon of Mata Amritanandamayi. No doubt the book is trying to depict in an objective light this charismatic woman, Amma (Mother) as she is understood and looked upon by thousands of her devotees. As a miracle healer, prophet and mystic she has established her fame. Her world tours have attracted attention to herself as an incarnation of the Divine Mother. By now she has grown into a big institution worthy of attention by the world. Judith Cornell by this book is presenting her along with her ideas and gifts to the western world. She tries to bring in personages familiar to the American readers, like Padre Pio, Bede Griffiths and C G Jung in relating to the ideas and message of this Hindu saint. She also refers to the black Madonna and the Christian understanding of Virgin Mary the Mother of God. The Catholic and Orthodox Christian belief in the Blessed Mother is very different from the concept of the Divine feminine found in Hinduism, though there are some comparisons possible. What Cornell ends up doing is to bring the East and West closer. The story of the rise of Sudhamani, an ordinary girl from the family of a poor fishermen couple on the coast of Kollam, India to the world renowned Mata Amritanandamayi is fascinating. Her story is told as it is known and spoken of around her birthplace, by her family members and her devotees around the world. Her ideas are presented in simple words, understandable to the ordinary folks, though they are typically Hindu in their perspective. The Hindu pantheon could absorb any number of seers and sages as incarnations of the Divine. So there are repeated mentions of Buddha and Jesus Christ in the book.

I found this a valuable book, useful for anyone who wants to know more about the saints and sages of the land of India. It gives one a somewhat objective look at the phenomenon of Mata Amritanandamayi along with her humble past, her mystic experiences and her compassion for the poor; it provides one the opportunity to hear the various opinions of many of her devotees deeply touched by her. All these contribute to the immense popularity of this saint of today, whose activities in favor of the poor are widely recognized.

Judith Cornell has written a beautiful, many layered biography of Ammachi. It is an incredibly difficult task to convey the depth of Amma's mission with the words of a finite language, yet Judith has more than succeeded.

It is a blessing to know Amma, and a gift to know the life she lived before I was even born. For others and myself who were in India during the time that Judith was writing this book her offering also has the added gift of recounting what we all experienced. It is a rare blessing.

I am especially thankful that Judith wrote this book. It was very timely to retell Amma's life story and to place it within the context of our changing times (especially with what women have achieved and still must work to gain).

Amma is "Healing the Heart of the World" in giant acts, and also in reaching within the very core of each individual, healing the personal wounds and sufferings of this world.

In the wake of what we now face in our present world there are few books other than this one that have the power to bring insight and change on a global level.

This is one of the best kid's picture books ever - my children loved all of Joyce's books - but Bob, Santa Calls and Meet the Robinsons are their favorites - even now at ages 18 and 22, they both agree that Bob Rocks! We have now bought William Joyce's books for the next generation of kids in our family.

The book Dinosaur Bob is a great book for many reasons. It is a great book because it is funny. I think it is funny because it is about a family on vacation and they stumble upon a dinosaur and the parents actually say the family can keep the dinosaur as a pet. They name the dinosaur Bob. When the family gets back home everything is going well until Bob becomes too wild and the police are going to send them back to the Safari where he came from. Then their dad has an idea to get him back and everyone is happy again. Dinosaur Bob is great book to read because you might like dinosaurs and wish you had one of your own. I would recommend this book to any age because I am a fifth grader and I love this book and you will too.

I can't say enough good about WIlliam Joyce. He's one of my two or three favorite illustraters. His drawings are so detailed that you can almost see individual leaves in his plants and bushes. Besides, his unbelievable technical ability, he also is extremely inventive. On one page in this book, the dinosaur and his friends aren't shown except in their shadows and like in all his books, the colors seem almost too bright to be real.

Both story and illustrations are absolutely first-rate. My children had borrowed the original edition from the library several times so when I found this edition I bought it immediately. It's been a family favorite for several years now. Buy it and you too can go through your days humming "The Ballad of Dinosaur Bob."

...Dinosaur Bob is one of those children's books you just read over and over to your kids. It is funny from start to finish, with Bob the Dino and his family the Lazardos. My boys loved it as kids and will pass it down to theirs.

This book is one of the best sf books i have read in awhile. The book satarts with Max who is a great character who says absurd things for no reason at all (but they dont give a reason :( ) Max has to protect a girl named Sasha from the corpies and the greenies and the book keeps you in suspense the entire time. During the book as Max destroys everyone that tries to get Sasha and reminded me of Vin Diesel for some weird reason (maybe its the whole badass bald headed thing) Well this would be wonderful if it became a movie and i recommend it to anyone who likes science fiction.

I have no complaints about this sci fi adventure and this isn't normally my genre at all. I read this book because I like "bodyguard" stories (usually I read them from the romance section). I enjoyed the deteriorating high tech world (and solar system) that this author created. It sounded suspiciously familiar, as if it's truly just around the corner for Earth in real life. And the bodyguard, Max, was a pleasant surprise. As a "chrome dome" who'd undergone brain surgery that he doesn't remember, suffering brain damage of unknown origin, he was surprisingly self-effacing and humorous. The book is a real page-turner because you're so willing to follow Max wherever he goes. And I enjoyed the little twist in the story concerning the young woman he's guarding, a protectee who's curiously able to defend herself. I hope this author has this turned into a movie soon!

This is a really good read. It keeps you exceited the whole time. In the beginning, it seems slow, but then outta nowhere! Bang! Sasha's gone, and Max has to go after her! MKuch action and advetnure, and defintely a good story. It keeps you guessing about Max's plates. Its also funny, too, when Max messes up and says things like "001000101010101" or "And how do you know that XXX672TTT?" ot "Deederwomp." or "Gaberscam." Read it! Now!

Well, when I first started reading it, it sounded pretty cool. But the action just started out of nowhere! Bang the girl was gone. And then all the travelling and action. The characters are very interesting, especially Max Maxon, who wants his memory back. Read this book! you won't regret it.

I've been a fan of William C. Dietz's work for awhile now. And I've always thought of Bodyguard as his best. When you consider he's the creator of the incredible Legion Of The Damned series, this is no faint praise.

What sets Bodyguard apart from most science-fiction is the book's heart. I can't remember the last time I read an action-driven story (sci-fi or other) with characters as well-drawn as these. I defy anyone who picks up the book not to feel pity for the hero, Max - a one-time efficient military man reduced to scrounging for living due to a head wound. And the novel is sprinkled throughout with little character moments which set the book apart.

Most science-fiction, being plot driven, doesn't bother with defining the characters. They are just there to move the story. Not so with Dietz and certainly not with Bodyguard. It is one of the best novels I've read in years and I can't recommend it highly enough. The same goes for the rest of Dietz's work especially Where The Ships Are and, of course, the Legion Of The Damned series. Bodyguard is a great read!

It can be hard enough to come to terms with family and identity when one is not adopted. Imagine growing up the transracial adoptee of a white family in a tiny working class town in rural Massachusetts (read: all white). Moreover, you are biracial and subject to putdowns and jibes by "full-blooded" members of your race. This background makes up the first part of Catherine McKinley's compulsively readable memoir. The second part is her search for her roots, and her reckoning when she finds those roots and they are not quite what she expected.

McKinley has a superb ear for dialogue and mood. Moreover, The Book of Sarahs is so full of suprises that sometimes it's like reading a thriller. McKinley starts out by giving us her fantasy of her birth mother that carried her through her youth (most adoptees have one)...and part of the fun of the book is seeing just how different reality is from her fantasy, again and again. McKinley also writes with wonderful humor and subtle characterizations that make it difficult to dislike anyone in her book despite their foibles. Finally, I can't agree with other reviewers that McKinley was cruel to her adoptive family. Her adoptive parents clearly understood her journey, and by the end of the book she intimated that she had resolved her issues with them.

Don't miss this one...one of the best I've read this year!

This book touched me to the core! Catherine's story is searingly honest, human, passionate and moving. Inspite of being extremely busy I could not put it down from the time it was delivered until 3am when I had finished it. This tour de force not only addresses issues of adoption, identity, race and prejudice but also how one's environment and circumstances affect one's own perception of events and experiences. It is the best book I have read in years!

I beg to differ with some of the other customer reviews posted for The Book of Sarahs. Reality is messy. Members of the adoption triad--birthparents, adoptees, and adoptive parents--share a complicated, emotionally charged relationship from the moment the adoptee is born. There are one thousand and one reasons why birthmothers feel that relinquishment is the best possible choice for their child; there are just as many reasons why adoptive parents choose to raise a non-biological child. But the adoptee has the most to gain or lose. In my twenty-six years as a birthmother, I am continually amazed by the infinite variety of paths triad members have traveled, yet we're all connected by the same feelings of uncertainty, wistfulness, and longing for what might have been. Thankfully, adoption today is much more open, kinder, gentler; many studies have documented the impact of adoption on all triad members, and there are fewer black holes than there were a generation or more ago. Catherine McKinley's personal story of life as an adopted Black child raised in a white family and predominately white community will captivate readers. One does not have to a member of the adoption community to appreciate her search for self. Ms. McKinley's prose is a pleasure to read, a beautifully, richly written story of relationships that readers will find hard to put down.

Catherine went searching for the truth and she found it. It was reality and not a made up story with a happy ending. I believe that she was very self serving in telling the story. I felt she did not really appreciate the parents who raised her, until the very end. I wondered how they felt after reading this book. She certainly laid out all her complaints about them. I personally could relate to her mother, who was doing the very best she could for a rather unappreciative daughter.
On the other hand, I think I gained some insight to what it was like to grow up black in a white world, not easy at all. I'm glad she was able to tell this story with as much depth and clarity as she did.
This story also brings to light the plight of the children of a middle class woman who had several children and didn't choose to acknowledge or care for them. What about birth control? Yes, she was mentally ill, but I wonder if we can excuse her for that.

In the last several years I have done the research that reunited my husband (in his 60's) with the birth mother who gave him up. The search was very interesting and it was a miracle how it all came together. The story has a bittersweet ending, since his birth mother passed away within a year of their reunion.

This is a great story and I couldn't put it down.

This book tells the tale of Catherine McKinley's search for her birth parents. McKinley, who is biracial, was adopted at birth. Brought up in a White family, she found herself drawn towards African American culture in her search for building her own identity. As an adult, questions about who she was and how she came to be gradually took over the focus of her life. In this book, she details how she searched for her birth parents and eventually found them, as well as other family members.

From reading the blurb on the back cover of the book, I had expected the book to focus more on McKinley's experiences of growing up as an adopted biracial child. I have very little experience myself with issues relating to adoption, and I had no idea how consuming the questions of identity and family can be for an adopted child. Prospective adoptive parents might learn quite a bit from this book about how adopted children may have an unquenchable thirst for knowing their birth parents, a thirst that can taint relationships between them and their adopted family members if not handled appropriately. Adoptees, on the other hand, may be quite interested to read how McKinley proceeded in her search, and how the results of her search compared with her dreams. The emotional issues concerning adoption are never easy to reconcile; after all, every adoption starts with a tragedy that has resulted in parents having to give up their children. The children and all of their parents, both adopted and birth, must spend the remainder of their lives putting the pieces back together.

I was honored to be a witness to some of the early discussions between Ed Brooke and his former colleagues and staff as this book was being written. As you read this special book you will also feel like you have been granted a front row seat to the making of history. At a time when political fundamentalism was starting to again flex its ugly muscles in our government, Senator Edward Brooke was a voice of moderation and wisdom for both Democrats and Republicans. This book, by one of the great politicians of our time, reminds us what political leadership can (and should) be like. More Ed Brooks are needed in our government today. I have known Ed and his family as both his priest and friend since 1982, and I can honestly say that Ed Brooke is, at the core of his being, a caring, compassionate, and courageous man of faith with a wonderful sense of humor. He doesn't talk about "family values;" he lives them! I strongly recommend BRIDGING THE DIVIDE to all who appreciate the history of our wonderful nation and who value the dedication and skill of men and women like Senator Brooke. They have truly made our country a better place.

The Rev. Dr. Prentice Kinser III, Author of Limitless Living, A Guide to Unconventional Spiritual Exploration and Growth

I had the good fortune to serve in the Massachusetts state senate as a Republican during Senator Ed Brooke's second term. Though I was more conservative than he, he always unstintingly leant me his support, help and advice. His defeat in 1978, aided by right-wing Republicans, was a great loss to the Commonwealth, the country and, not least to the Republican party. Increasingly the crazies in each party are dragging the process toward the fringes. But elections are won nationally by center-right coalitions or center-left coalitions. The collapse of the center in the Republican party portends renewed Democratic dominance of American politics. A Republican party without room for the talent and convictions of an Ed Brooke will increasingly marginalize itself.

There are some great political stories in Bridging the Divide, not least about Hillary Clinton, and you will get your money's worth from reading them. But this book should be read by everyone who cares about the future of the Republican party--and the nation. The increasing mean-spiritedness of both parties, and the increasing focus on narrow wedge issues, creates a great danger for the Republic. Just as the Democrats need more centrists, the Republican party needs more men and women like Ed Brooke. Where are they to come from?

Robert A. Hall
Author of "The Good Bits."

"Bridging the Divide" is a fantastic read, a portrait of the nation's first African-American Senator and the only black person in that position - thus far - to be re-elected. The book profiles Senator Edward Brooke's life and emphasizes his incredible ability to connect with people despite racial or political barriers. An African-American, Episcopalian, and Republican, he was sent to the Senate and maintained strong support from the people of Massachusetts, a state with a large white, Roman Catholic, and Democrat population.

Senator Brooke's writing is full of great references to how far our country has come in the battle against racism and destructive politics. Whether the Senator is describing his controversial decision to jump into the Senate race, or the day he jumped into the Senate swimming pool with Strom Thurmond, his words are poignant, intellectual, and awe-inspiring. You are sure to laugh, ponder, smile - maybe even cry.

One need not be a history buff or political powerhouse to enjoy this book. It is a fantastic read for those who love their country and enjoy learning about the type of people that make our nation so strong. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and recommend it to all of my friends. If you're looking for a good read this summer (or for any time of year), "Bridging the Divide" is it.

Leave it to Massachusetts to send the first Black Senator elected by popular vote to Congress. The heavily, 98% white Democrat State overwhelming supported him for the state's highest National Office even though he was the "Republican" candidate. Senator Brooke was elected in a landslide by the voters of his liberal state because he had already proven he was an honest, hardworking, devoted, corruption-fighting Attorney General for the Commonwealth. Once in the U.S. Senate he continued to prove he was a wise man with strong core beliefs including his devotion to the Political Party of Abe Lincoln. He was responsible for many important civil rights laws. One of his bills gave women their own credit. They no longer had to have their husbands okay to borrow money and get their own credit cards. Senator Brooke had gone from being a U.S. Army officer leading the Italian Partisans behind German lines during WW II to become a strong, outspoken Statesman Senator. Congress very much needs more peacemakers like Senator Edward Brooke. This book is a fascinating read. Readers can't help but finish the book and still be utterly amazed that Republican Brooke was ever elected to any office in Massachusetts. Unfortunately, he has proven to be one of a kind so far. But there is always hope for the future.

As I was reading a newspaper article about this book recently it occurred to me that I hadn't heard Edward Brooke's name in a long time. After finishing his book, I'm glad I remember him. Though not from Massachusetts myself, I did follow his career when he was in the Senate.

Senator Brooke writes forcefully on a number of issues....the racism he faced growing up in Washington D.C. and which followed him into the U.S. Army in the Second World War, his political losses before he finally won a race and especially about his family. With particular care he tells us of his difficult first marriage and his loving second one, complete with an estrangement for many years from his two daughters.

While getting into "Bridging the Divide" it became clear that Edward Brooke was a man of discipline and high principle. I was just about to ask myself why he never made it onto the U.S. Supreme Court when Brooke says that President Nixon actually considered him for a seat on the high court. Brooke turned it down to stay in the Senate, feeling he was too young to take on a judicial role. It's too bad because I think he would have made an excellent Supreme Court justice.

Edward Brooke is reminiscent of the days when the Senate was a kinder place. There are very few people in his category these days....moderate to liberal Republican. His was part of the Republican party I remember growing up...one that has changed drastically. Senator Brooke's contributions to our country have been many and I'm glad he's still around to write about it. "Bridging the Divide" is a book I highly recommend.

I remember the national climb of Kinison in the early to mid 80's and saw his breakthrough showing on the Rodney Dangerfield young comic show and also Kinison's own HBO special that shot him to national prominence. This guy was a comic GENIUS of his time.
This book by his older brother and manager Bill Kinison is a very good insight to the man behind the comedy, shortcomings and all....

I happened to pass by this book at a book store a few years ago. I started to peruse the pages, and before I knew it, I was absolutely hooked. If you're into celebrity biographies, you will definitely love this one. You'll learn about Sam's experiences with various other celebrities and rockstars: his on-and-off again friendship with Howard Stern, his fascination and tumultuous affairs with porn stars and strippers (e.g., Seka and Jessica Hahn), his love for rock and roll, and best of all, his childhood and family and how he developed his trademarked primal scream.

Shortly after I read this, I happened to see the E! TV True Hollywood Story, which felt did not do the man justice, and didn't even touch on his last great love affair.

Not only this, but the book has transcripts of some of Sam's most popular comedy routines. If you loved Sam before, you'll love him even more with this book.

As I write this review, I'm sitting here listening to an old tape of Sam Kinison appearing on Howard Stern's radio show with Malika and Amy Lynn in 1991.

It's hard to believe that the upcoming April 10, 2006 will mark 14 years since the world lost its last true comic genius. In BROTHER SAM, penned by his brother and fellow preacher Bill Kinison, Sam's life from the humble beginning to the tragic end is recalled in full detail by a man who was by his side for the vast majority of it. While many books about standup comics turn into a simple recount of every but they'd ever performed by the halfway point, BROTHER SAM is different. All of the familiar names from Kinison folklore are here: Seka, Malika and Sabrina, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Rodney Dangerfield, Howard Stern, Jessica Hahn... the list goes on.

While the public perception of Sam is that of a screaming renegade former preacher that ridicules Jesus and runs around high and/or liquored up 24/7, Bill tells a vastly different story. Sam is presented as a man who is not perfect but loved those around him. He loves God just as he did while in the ministry but hates the hypocrisy of the Jim Bakker's and Jimmy Swaggert's of the world of money-hungry religion. He did drugs, drank like a fish, and had more women in his bed than most men could ever imagine, and yet after a couple of health scares in 1990 and 1991 he made the effort to slow down, reinvent himself, and turn his life around.

As a Kinison fan who has several of the classic bits virtually memorized, reading the final chapter entitled "Sounds of Silence" was incredibly difficult. It's in those final pages that Bill recounts his eyewitness account of Sam's final hours of life, including the head-on collision that took his life. The ironic twist is that the driver who struck Sam's car was, in fact, a teenaged drunk driver... and it's that fact that resonates with every Kinison fan to this day.

Sam's impact remains with everyone who ever enjoyed his work. When we see the commercials for hunger organizations, we all think (or say), "There wouldn't be world hunger if you people lived where the FOOD IS! YOU LIVE IN A DESERT! NOTHING GROWS OUT HERE!". We still fire off an occasional "Oh OOHHHHHHHHHHHH!" for no good reason when we see something that provides us with proper motivation. He was one of a kind. He was a legend. He is truly missed.

Thanks Sam.

Sam Kinison was more than comedy, he was always a very loud voice of reason during bad times. He was also the Rock N' Roll comedian. I first bought his Louder Than Hell tape 16 years ago. I thought it was a rock tape, much in the vain of Guns N Roses or Motley Crue with interesting songs, because that's how he looked. If you would have told me it was stand up comedy I never would have bought it. I listened to it, and I laughed and laughed. I bought everything else Sam I could get my hands on. With the exception of Brother Sam, only because I could never find it. Thanks to Amazon I now own it. The book is great. Although there are no surprises. I always understood Sam, and in my view he lived his life in the open, for better or worse. I admire the fact that Bill didn't try to make Sam's life seem rosy, as is the case with many celebrities after they die. Bill did what Sam would have wanted, just laid his life on the line as it really was. It also has a lot of Rock N' Roll references so it is a trip back in time in that regard as well. Sam took no prisoners. He held no cow sacred. He offended every side equally. All while being a former minister. Most importantly he laughed in the face of tragedy. The best comedy always comes from pain, and Sam made that pain not only bearable but fun. I just wish Sam was alive today. There would be laughter in things we have forgotten how to laugh at. Sam touched it all. So while it is considered un American to laugh at the hypocritical self righteousness of our leaders today, I can always read this book, and listen to the voice of Sam (alot of his material is printed in here.) laugh, and remember the guy who gave comedy and the world a shot in the arm.

Sam Kinison's comedy was hard to understand -- if life had never kicked you in the crotch. I couldn't stand the guy, and I didn't think he was funny, until I myself hit some of the same lows he described in his over-the-top routines. This book evenhandedly describes the often sad, heartbreaking life of a very funny man. We miss ya, Sam.

The book is very useful. However, the Latin phrases are probably no longer necessary in the U.S. legal practice.

I've noticed one error that is carried over from one edition to the next: in Index under the entry "in error" look for word "fallacioadmit." I speculate that a portion of text disappeared and fallacious was merged with admit. The words that follow admit do not appear to belong in the "in error" article.

This book, now in its fourth edition, is an essential companion to Black's Law Dictionary, Garner's Legal Usage book, and other essential legal reference books. Great for law students, lawyers, judges, paralegals/legal assistants, and just about anyone else dealing with legal language. This book gives alternatives to stilted, overused, and misused, language. Worth the price (especially if one compare it on a site like Nextag, Shopzilla, and others).

"Good luck," my employer wished as he handed me a plane ticket and a tome of a background packet. I was leaving on a critical six-week business trip to an alien state in the midwest. No problem - except that five days prior the law review had accepted me as one of three evening division 2Ls for candidacy and my first case abstracts were due in twenty days. Hmmm . . .

From my hotel room, I scanned, identified, analyzed, condensed, reviewed, and rewrote the abstracts. Then did it again. And again. And again. But I was missing something. I was missing that "oomph" that propels a reader when reading legal material. And I didn't know what to do.

I decided to take a "creative" break down at the local (bookstore). Of course, I immediately gravitated to the law section of the store and, before you could say "double espresso, please," I had found it! Burton's Legal Thesaurus.

I opened the pages and my heart fluttered. Over 5,000 entries, legal synonyms for any legal term that came to mind, definitions, an overview of federal "plain language" requirements, associated legal concepts, and the list goes on! I wiped away a tear.

I rushed back to my hotel room and my fingers began flying over the laptop. My abstracts sang with power and precision! I could feel the reader compelled - nay, helpless - to turn the page! Burton's Legal Thesaurus had saved the day! I was now a jurisprudence scholar!

Eh, not really. But it really helped out when I didn't have access to my usual materials. However, one thing of which I can assure you, I'll be using this thesaurus for the rest of my career. If you've ever tried to write a legal document with a conventional thesaurus, you've probably felt the same way I did - close, but not close enough. But where do I find "close enough"? Read some more cases? Subscribe to a half dozen law journals? Hang out with the professors? This book definitely dispenses with that problem. You'll find everything you need to write a work filled with persuasion and vigor contained within its pages. If you're not that creative with legal lingo (as I, obviously, am not), you need to order it now. Frankly, you're putting yourself at a serious disadvantage if you don't.

This is the legal thesaurus that all my law professors suggested. So far it has been very helpful in research and writing.

Next to case law, I find Burton's Legal Thesaurus indispensible in writing appellate briefs. I only wish it were available in a downloadable form for use with my word processing program.