Lincoln Books

This is a very interesting book. Most of us know something about what is beneath the oceans, but most of us know nothing about what is is beneath the earth. This book discusses the importance of earthworms, including where they should be and where they should not be. It is a book that every human being should read, now that we are, at long last, beginning to appreciate what we have left of the magnificent air, water, and earth that we inherited.

I prepared for a difficult read when I started into this book. I was not aware of Ms Stewart's journalistic abilities. Wow! Did I get a surprise.
The book is chock full of useful information, but it is presented in an entertaining and most readable way. I started reading for information and kept on to the end for pure pleasure.
Dividing the topic into logical but intriguing sections, the writer investigates all aspects of earthworms, thoroughly. She has a personal approach that is enthusiastic without being over the top. I found that not only did I learn facts, but I was made to think more deeply and widely about all aspects of earthworms.
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in gardening or horticulture - in fact to anyone who would like to understand the natural world better.

I purchased this book in the hope of finding an essay I read many years ago. I didn't find the essay. However, what I did find was an entertaining book about earthworms. The book is an easy read, filled with thought provoking facts and a new found appreciation for what these "little guys" do for all of us.

Amy Stewart manages, in a delightful blend of research and chatty prose, to convey the drama of the not-so-simple earthworm. I'd never considered that worms had thinking processes. Nor had it occurred to me that those cute little crawlers (YES, I consider them cute!) might, in some areas of the USA, be considered detrimental.

Ms. Stewart (no relation to me, by the way) has accomplished what so many backyard gardeners fail to do. She has asked Why? She has found the answers. She has put them in easily-digestible form for the rest of us. Don't we all need to know that earthworms can successfully be used in managing waste-treatment? Wouldn't it help if we all knew the different types of earthworms and what their strengths are in the yard/gardenenvironments?

THE EARTH MOVED is fun and thought-provoking at the same time. Definitely five stars, especially for gardeners.

Amy really did some great research here. I like the way she laid out all the details and drew so much on Darwins' studies. I don't know much about Darwin, which will change of course, but I'm amazed at what he discovered like how the worms have the ability to bring objects underground no matter what the size, a possibility of a thought process when picking stones to cover their borrows and chosing leaves to bring into thier borrows. The part about Darwin sticking a stink beatle in his mouth when he was young is hilarious! I also am estonished to know that worms can be a draw back to an environment as well, like how their consumption of leaves on forest floor can be a disadvantage to new growth of trees and plants, something I didn't know was possible. But not alot of people do know it or think of it.
Anyway, if you compost using worms like I do, or are just curious about them, read this book. It may even answer questions you might have about them as it has for me. Example: What happens when a worm dies? How do they mate? Wanna know? Then read and enjoy!

This book is a complete biography of Mary Todd Lincoln starting out with her grandparents which surprised me. This book is not an overview of Mary's life it is very detailed. I think it is a fair account of her life and there are some things I never would have guessed. I must admit I haven't finished the book as yet it is not one of those books you finish off in one afternoon, but I have read enough of it to know that a 4 star review is accurate.

very comprehensive study of a woman who began life as a spoiled child, but got kicked in the butt by life. she sedated herself with extravagance and meaninglessness. one of the most tragic things in her life was the betrayal by her son, who used his influence to have her declared insane so that he could obtain control over her money. that had to be as painful to endure as the assassination of her husband and the deaths of her two younger sons. i feel nothing but empathy for this poor woman.

This is the seminal biography for Mary Todd Lincoln and one of the best biographies you will ever read. After reading dozens of books about Mrs. Lincoln to write my novel about her insanity trial (A Warrant For Mrs. Lincoln), I always came back to Jean Baker's book for information and insight into the Lincoln family. If you have an endless fascination for the Lincoln family, this book is a must.

Mary Todd Lincoln had a rough life. From the early death of her mother to the treatment she recieved from her stepmother, to her husband's assissination and was committed to an asylum by her own son. Reading the biography it was hard not to feel sorry for her. I knew naturally (as everyone) about her husband's assissination but I was surprised about how hard the rest of her life was. Her son Robert committed and she had to fight to get out of the asylum. Her early years Mary spent having to put up with a stepmother who wanted her husband's first set of children completely forgotten. Poor girl.

Couldn't put this book down.....Jean Baker wrote a truly remarkable narrative non-fiction. I had previously read another fictional "Mary" book and was surprised to see that both books were similar in historical data surrounding her (Mary's) life. One can only imagine losing so many children and then one's husband, and NOT being driven to doing odd things. The psyche is a strange science marked by extraordinary and mysterious sensivities to outside pressures.

For a Civil War unit, here is another quality Civil War historical novel by G. Clifton Wisler: Mr. Lincoln's Drummer and Red Cap. This book is based on a true story about ten-year-old Willie, who became a drummer in the Union army. The class will want to look on a map the various locations that are mentioned. The language seems easier in this one compared to Red Cap, although this book is also 5th grade reading level.

This book was set in the time period of the Civil War. I thought it was interesting overall, but sometimes the war vocabulary was a little confusing and hard to follow. If I were more familiar with the geography of the area, it may have been easier to understand. If you like to read detail about historical wars, this book does that for the adolescent reader. I liked the main character, who showed s lot of bravery and character.

I read Mr. Lincoln's Drummer. This book is historical fiction. This is a high 5th grade book. There is a lot of gore and sadness. You would love this book if you like to learn about the children of the Civil War and if you like to read gory books. The story takes place in Vermont and on the battlefields in the South. You should NOT read this if you don't like reading about blood or sadness in a book.

I read this book in the summer of 1999. It opened my eyes to history and I have now developed such a love for history and deep interest in the Civil War that many have called me a "Civil War Buff" and now actively take part in Civil War re-enactments with a Confederate artillery unit. Now I'm much older. Mr. Wisler, thank you so much for this book. It has truly changed my life.

P.S. I met you once at the Missouri Literature Festival a few years ago. Thanks for being so nice! (A lot of the other authors were pretty mean to us)

My spirits weren't lifted when we entered the anchorage off Fort Monroe. A sea battle had taken place there recently, and the U.S.S. Cumberland, a big sailing ship, had been sunk by the rebel ironclad Merrimack. The Cumberland's masts still stuck up above the water, and a flag blew bravely from one of them. That both saddened us and cheered us. I couldn't help thinking about the drowned sailors, but that defiant flag put us in a fighting mood.

In G. Clifton Wisler's Mr. Lincoln's Drummer, ten-year-old Willie Jonston joins the Civil War as a drummer boy. His job is to signal retreat, breakfast, and other things. The Confederate general, Robert E. Lee, is a tough fighter. The general for the Union, Ulysses S. Grant, is just as strong. In the beginning, Lincoln isn't doing very well. He lost the first few battles. By the time Willie came, the war had gotten very rough. One day, the battle of the two ironclads took place. The Union lost many battles. Will Willie survive this dangerous war, or will he fail? Although the main character in this book may be a boy, this book isn't only for boys. Girls that are interested in the Civil War may also like this book because that is what this book is about. This book is probably best for fourth graders because in fourth grade, we learn about the Civil War.

I remember having to memorize The Gettysburg Address in elementary school as part of my history class. This books contains a lot of documents from eye witnesses who were present several days before the dedication through several days after Lincoln's famous speech.

This book is very educational and a few parts gets a little boring, but overall it is worth the read. I believe all school children should be required to memorize and give the speech in class like I had too. Properly educating children on historical American facts are so important today. We have too many liberals trying to re-write our history.

I found this an interesting, but possibly flawed book.

The history and detail was fascinating, as was the examination (and inclusion!) of Everett's speech, of which I'd heard, but had never read. The description of Gettysburg immediately after the battle, and in the days surrounding the dedication ceremony was truly a window into another era.

However, as the book continued, and the instances of "Good, God fearing Republicans, struggling to save the country" and "Bad, pro-slavery/appeasement-minded Democrats not caring about the Union" mounted, I felt I was reading a political text that was slanted to support the current national situation, and not a dispassionate historical examination of the events of a century and a half gone. Other reviewers have mentioned this occurance as an interetsing coincidence. Even though I'm a Republican, I was jarred by the tone.

As a result, my enjoyment of the book was lessened, as was my trust of the text and the author's use selected references.

An interesting book, but too interpretive for my tastes. Read it, but have a pinch of salt ready.

It truly is amazing that so many words and books can be written about a speech that is but 272 words long. Gabor Boritt's book is an enjoyable and easy read on Lincoln's most famous speech.
Much of the book deals with the immediate aftermath of the terrible Gettysburg battle with the author painting a vivid picture of the terrible scene which must have greeted the eye on July 4th.
It is interesting that the famous address did not get immediate general approval. Boritt shows that the speech was almost forgotten until the 1880's.
As with most Lincoln supporters, the author attempts to show that the speech was not written on the train to Gettysburg and that Lincoln gave the speech considerable thought. The truth is no one knows, but a good argument can be made for the proposition that Lincoln must have given it little thought prior to the event. Who in their right mind is going to travel from Washington to Gettysburg and DECIDE to present an address of only 272 words. The words came from the heart and from years of experience and empathy. Just as Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech was somewhat spontaneous (although a very similar speech was presented at Cobo Hall, Detroit some weeks previously), there is strong circumstantial evidence that Lincoln put this speech together at short notice.
I have no idea why the book is sub-titled "The Lincoln Speech that Nobody Knows," but Boritt does provide a number of slightly different versions of the speech in the appendix. Most of the differences are minor to put it mildly. The author's description of how the speech initially got little response but grew to be appreciated over time to be a work of genius is well developed.
Paradoxically, the most enjoyable section of the book is the full text of Edward Everett's speech which I read fully for the first time. You can appreciate why Everett was seen as a great orator because of his ability to paint pictures with words although his two hour address can hardly be described as uplifting. Almost all of the speech was taken up with a chronological history of the events at Gettysburg (spoken from memory) and the aging orator failed to properly commend and eulogize the thousands who had given their life on the adjacent battlefield.
The book has copious appendices, bibliography, notes which provide a rich resource for serious students of Lincoln and Gettysburg. Overall, an enjoyable not too studious read on the topic.

The Gettysburg Address was delivered by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863. The battle had been fought in July but now a National Cemetery was to dedicated honoring the Union dead who had died that the United States might live.
What a day it was ! A beautiful autumn crisp with the promise of a warm sky sailing serenly over the sight of the bloodiest batlle in American history. A day when the renowned orator Edward Everett spoke for over two hours drawing analogies between Gettysburg and those men who died to preserve Athenian democracy. Everett gave a detailed account of the battle emphasizing the legitimacy of the Union effort. He also spoke with insight on the superiority of the federal government to which the individual states pledged their loyalty.
And then...after the bands and the songs, the prayers and the cheers were silent the sixteenth President of the United States rose to speak. He had a mild form of smallpox; had lost his son Willie to death in the White House and had a son Tad who was ill back home in Washington DC.
Lincoln spoke his 272 words concluding with his immortal words, "''that the goverment of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth."
Lincoln drew on a lifetime of study to produce this masterpiece. The Declaration of Independence; the oratory of Webster and Clay, Shakespeare and the Bible all played a role in his crafting of the speech. If the Emancipation Proclamation was prose genius then the Gettysburg Address is poetry sublime in its assertion of indivdual freedom and the right of human beings to breathe free air.
The speech was neglected, for the most part, by contemporary press accounts. Only in the 1880s when the movement to reconcile NOrth and South picked up steam did it take on an importance in the American heart that has never been usurped, The GA inspired black fighters for Civil Rights as the twentieth century led to a cry for racial equality in our nation. Men like Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela in South Africa were inspired by Lincoln's words.
Boritt's book is divided into several sections. The first two hundred pages deal with the account of the night and the day Lincoln spent in Gettysburg in 1863. We learn of the horrific battlefield casualties and see closeup the preparations made and the carrying out of the ceremony on November 19th. Other sections deal with the five authentic copies of the Gettysburg Address; the complete text of Edward Everett's two hour oration that day; an extensive bibliography and notes. Professor Boritt also shows us pictures of the drafts as written in longhand by Lincoln.
The book is also a fascinating look into how the Gettysburg Address achieved mythic fame since it was first uttered on that November day. In a moving final chapter we read the address in the context of a 9-11 obervance of the attack on the World Trade Center.
As long as our United States lives we all pray that the Gettysburg Address will be there to inspire us to work for equality and justice for all of our citizens regardless of race, religion or political affiliation.
Boritt is one of the best scholars on the life of Lincoln and the Civil War era. Anyone who teaches the Civil War in the classroom should make use of this outstanding work of scholarship and love.

Boritt's 'Gettysburg Gospel' is one of the very few Civil War books that I could not get into. Stylistically, this book is way too haphazard and unorganized to be considered one of the best books in the Lincoln cannon. Boritt falls into the trap that Garry Wills fell into in his "Lincoln at Gettysburg." The two authors try to be over-elegant and verbose because their book itself is about one of the greatest triumphs of the English language rather then a singular event. Boritt (and Wills for that matter) would be better to just write in a plain, inelegant fashion without the grossly excessive verbiage which permeates this book. Wills, in all fairness, can get away with it, but the more academic Boritt has a difficult time indeed. For example, Boritt writes early on in describing the dead on the battlefield: "Others even pulled bodies from shallow graves. A weapon is worth a great deal. Who cares who the dead man was? Who was it? Dead." This kind of useless prose brings the momentum of this book down time and time again.

For Civil War enthusiasts themselves, many already knew that Everett went on for a very long time before Lincoln delivered his address. One of the things that surprised me was the lack of analysis of the address itself. That disappointed me because the book was subtitled as: `The Lincoln Speech Nobody Knows." In order to get a fresh analysis that Wills does not offer in his book, the reader will have to turn to the appendix to get the several versions of the address. Overall, more focus and less sentimentality would have made for a leaner, more coherent account of the making of the address and it's meaning through the last 140 years.

This is one of my favorite computer books of all time. I enjoyed it as a way to learn to use the CGI perl module, several years ago, and I use it from time to time now as a reference. The author presented his material with a fair amount of humor, especially in the examples, and with great clarity. Of all the perl modules out there, I probably use CGI.pm more than any other, with DBI.pm coming in a close second. So, if you're planning on using perl to generate web pages, this book will be very useful. While learning to use the CGI.pm I also read two other books and this book by Lincoln Stein was the most useful and informative of the ones I read.

I gave up on this book after 185 pages. Admittedly, I learned a lot about using Lincoln Stein's CGI module using this book, but it was not always easy. On the upside most of his explanations are clear. However the examples are replete with errors and the typography used for the code listings make it easy to introduce new errors.

This book helped me make the transition to object oriented perl. Oh yeah, and it's filled with all the CGI you'll need. Thank you Lincoln Stein!!

The author has done a wonderful job of explaining how to use the CGIpm module. If you understand the basics of perl, you should be able to go through the bulk of this book. And with just a slight acquaintance with Perl references and anonmous list, you'll be surprised how quick and easy this is to master. This book puts other CGI books to shame because other books shy away from discussing all the cool functions in CGI.pm.

I must confess that I could do virtually none of the programming that I do without Lincoln's fine work, but it's sometimes frustrating with so many broken examples.

Once you figure out the syntax, you'll be OK. There's a lot of easy-to-find reference. Make sure you test very small sections of code on their own and insert it into your programs when you get it working. Then refer to your working programs (copy & paste) when you make others.

Again, much credit needs to be given to Mr Stein, but Paul DuBois' Book MySql and Perl For The Web explains CGI.pm much better (you'll still need Stein's book if you're going to be serious about CGI) with examples that really,really, work, extreme attention to detail, and incredible organization.

This is a great book. Hambly's historical facts are always awesome, and she doesn't let us down in this book. Mary Todd Lincoln was so badly torn down by the press and public of her day, and many now see her as simply insane. This book lets us see much more of the reality of her circumstances. It also makes Abraham Lincoln much more "human". They had much personal tragedy in their lives. I know this book is historical fiction, but there's a lot of fact in it as well. Ms. Hambly has used common sense and actual documents and facts to weave this story, and I loved it!

Barbara Hambly's "The Emancipator's Wife" is a remarkably well researched fictional narrative of the life of Mary Todd Lincoln. That she lived with mental illness is not disputed - ample evidence exists to suggest that she was bi-polar. However, history has damned her for displaying anxiety and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, for shopping and relying excessively on "elixers" of the day (which were loaded with opiates and alcohol) to distract, soothe and medicate herself (both practices still commonly used by people to deal with PTSD symptoms and symtoms of other mental illnesses), and for daring to challange the narrow and confining societal role expected of her. I applaud Ms. Hambly for doing such a superb job of keeping these important contextual factors in the forefront of Mary Todd Lincoln's story.

Mary Todd Lincoln lived a fascinating life. She was well educated, connected to national political leaders through her own family and her family's friendships, and was allowed to partake in political maneuverings in ways that most women of her time were not. She lived through momentus historical times in the shaping of governments in several states and of the nation.

She also was an average woman with an average life full of losses due to violence, disease and the dangers of childbirth which were so common during this point in history. She was neglected as a child and had to manipulate and fight with numerous siblings and her step mother for attention. She was socially confined and limited by men and by the many women who subscribed to the male ideas of what female life should be. She competed with other "belles" of her Southern upper class for the attention of powerful men and for the glimmers of power that women connected to them were afforded. She found herself in an unfulfilling marriage and struggled against that reality, wanting desperately to be loved unconditionally, be a priority above her husband's career, and above else be happy. These things do not happen when you are married to an emotionally distant man who suffers from severe and chronic depression. But if Hambly's story is at all representative of Mary's relationship with Abraham Lincoln, it seems that his own struggles with mental illness and childhood tragedy allowed him to love her despite her flaws and to offer sympathy and safety to her when others would not. Their love story in this book is full of small sweet moments. It is easy to understand why Mary so desperately wanted more of him than she got.

The weakness in this book is that Hambly provides details about Mary's day to day life in minutiea at times - slowing the story and droning on uninteresting aspects. But perhaps this is done for effect - it is certainly an illustration of how boring the life of a "belle" who had an education and aspirations of her own could have been. For the most part, however, this is a unique story about a woman who has been greatly misrepresented. Hambly gives perspective and thus life to a woman usually seen as flatly overbearing, unreasonable and annoying. The backdrop of the socio-political and personal realities of Mary's time bring dimension to her life story, and make for a rather interesting and good book of historical fiction.

I am not quite through with this book and shall miss it when I am...it is well told and appears thoroughly believable with appropriate historical detail throughout.I am not familiar enough with the true story of Mary Todd Lincoln but it would not surprise me if this book were reasonably close.A good job.

This was an entertaining and informative read - allowing me a glimpse into American history that I was not familiar with. Though a historical novel I was comfortable that what I was reading had factual information. I was captivated with the book to finish it with eagerness and a feeling of satisfaction. I have passed it on to friends.

The Emancipator's Wife
by Barbara Hambly

Premise: The life and times of Mary Todd aka Mrs. Abraham Lincoln.


Review: Weirdly enough I have seen a couple of reviews on this book that complain that there's not enough info on Lincoln or battles, etc on the Civil War. My take on that is "Huh?" Did they not read the title? It's called The Emancipator's WIFE. This is not a book about Licoln or the war, though both are definitely involved. This is the story of Mary Todd Lincoln. The thing I like to say most about this book is - WOW. It was a totally eye opening experience. While a work of fiction, it does have a lot of historical research involved and it is presented in a wonderfully entertaining manner. You get to see the issues facing that time period from all sides and can view the complexities not normally discussed regarding slavery, the Civil War, and the wide ranging opinions on what solutions would be best for all involved.

Even more amazing, is the view into the shackles placed on women, by men, society, and women themselves. The concepts on medicine and the female anatomy are astounding. And the legal rights of women considered odd/insane by male relatives totally disturbing.

This is the story of a strong woman, dealing with internal and external difficulties. I found it riveting and incredibly fascinating. Kudos to Hambly for tackling this subject! If anyone can make history come to life, it is definitely her!

This is perhaps his best novel so far. Lots of twists and turns. It's one of the great ones you can't wait to get back to. Very current and very disturbing, in an area we should all get very disturber about.

Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs, two of my favorite partners in crime solving, return in a very satisfying and entertaining thriller. This time around they're looking for an elusive criminal who uses peoples personal data to frame them for the crimes he commits.
I think Jeffrey Deaver fans will find this novel to their liking. Both topical and eye-opening. Identity theft and data mining, two subjects that will get you thinking after reading this.

Although I found it slow and rugged going at first, I found that I was utterly fascianated about 1/3 of the way through. This book is about identity theft, and it is really scary! We all know that all kinds of information is out there about each and every one of us, but I don't think we realize the scope of this, and we certainly don't realize the dangers! In this book Lincoln Rhyme is after a particularly devious killer that uses information and identity theft as part of his arsenal to gain power. It is not an easy book to read since some of the stuff that occurs is particularly frightening (as in how easy it is to set a completely innocent person up as a scapegoat or to steal everything that person has). This is the ultimate conspiracy theory book, and it's frightening in the fact that it does hit so close to home. Trust Jeffery Deaver to open up our eyes on this very timely issue! I highly recommend reading this book if you are a lover of thrillers because it will keep you guessing until the end.

I have always been a fan of Jeffery Deaver and my favorites are the Lincoln Rhymes series. This to me, so far has been the best. You can't put this book down. Can't wait for the next.

The Broken Window: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel (Lincoln Rhyme)
Jeffery Deaver does it again with an inventive well researched thriller. I judge a book according to the amount of sleep I loose reading it. The bags under my eyes are now the most prominent feature on my face. Get it as soon as possible and I dare you to put it down. I think I'll go take a nap!

This is perhaps his best novel so far. Lots of twists and turns. It's one of the great ones you can't wait to get back to. Very current and very disturbing, in an area we should all get very disturber about.

Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs, two of my favorite partners in crime solving, return in a very satisfying and entertaining thriller. This time around they're looking for an elusive criminal who uses peoples personal data to frame them for the crimes he commits.
I think Jeffrey Deaver fans will find this novel to their liking. Both topical and eye-opening. Identity theft and data mining, two subjects that will get you thinking after reading this.

Although I found it slow and rugged going at first, I found that I was utterly fascianated about 1/3 of the way through. This book is about identity theft, and it is really scary! We all know that all kinds of information is out there about each and every one of us, but I don't think we realize the scope of this, and we certainly don't realize the dangers! In this book Lincoln Rhyme is after a particularly devious killer that uses information and identity theft as part of his arsenal to gain power. It is not an easy book to read since some of the stuff that occurs is particularly frightening (as in how easy it is to set a completely innocent person up as a scapegoat or to steal everything that person has). This is the ultimate conspiracy theory book, and it's frightening in the fact that it does hit so close to home. Trust Jeffery Deaver to open up our eyes on this very timely issue! I highly recommend reading this book if you are a lover of thrillers because it will keep you guessing until the end.

I have always been a fan of Jeffery Deaver and my favorites are the Lincoln Rhymes series. This to me, so far has been the best. You can't put this book down. Can't wait for the next.

The Broken Window: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel (Lincoln Rhyme)
Jeffery Deaver does it again with an inventive well researched thriller. I judge a book according to the amount of sleep I loose reading it. The bags under my eyes are now the most prominent feature on my face. Get it as soon as possible and I dare you to put it down. I think I'll go take a nap!

I did get one useful idea from this book (write your speech in lines like a poem), but I gave up on it (which wasn't hard) when he quoted John Paul Jones as saying, "I've just begun to fight." If he can't even bother to make sure his quotes are right, I don't think I have much to learn from this guy.

Jones ACTUALLY said, "I have not yet begun to fight." And even if we learned that quote wrong in school, it's a whole lot better, and he should have talked about that.

I'm not too impressed by credentials like writing speeches for Eisenhower. Speaking now is a lot different, and I need tools I can use, not politically biased vitriol and outdated examples.

I'm not really a "reader" or a "book reviewer," but I must say , I have really enjoyed this book.

Twenty-one tricks of the greatest communicators and change makers of history by an author who wrote speeches for five American presidents. Five!! Imagine the experience of the author. Many of the 21 techniques are truly amazing. For example, Churchill's method of preparing a speech for the ear, Napoleon's power pause, or how to use effectively statistics in a speech. I'm convinced that applying and mastering only a few of the 21 techniques will supply the reader with the presence, poise, and power to electrify his or her talk.

I would title this book, "The language of leadership". It's content is excellent and well organized. It teaches ways to speak and act like a leader and therefore command such authority through the power of the spoken word.

The chapter titles all begin with "Power", but the author practices what he preaches by getting across the information in a well organized and easy to get through manner. If you look at the highlights in each chapter and skim through, you get the jist of information, hence making it easy to comprehend in a day.

Every chapter has its content and then real life examples from the author's experience. The examples are both historic and contemporary, very useful, convincing & often interesting, although ocassionally unecessary to get the message accross.

The criticisms I've seen of this book are that it is patronizing or too long winded or redundant. I don't find any of these things to be true. I however admit, that instead of reading the book cover to cover and sentence by sentence, I read it as any executive would read a proposal or document - skim to get the highlights and then go back in for more detailed reference when needed. I got a great deal out of the book this way.

I purchased the book for a Dean of a Business school and a high power executive. While skimming through it, I found myself quite absorbed. Since then, I've found myself continually thinking back to what I read there and I ended up buying myself a copy for reference and one as a gift for the CEO of my company as well.

Makes a great gift for a Type A executive or anyone in a position of leadership of any kind. This isn't just a public speaking book, and it's not about overcoming shyness or a "Toastmasters" type thing. It's about how to make what you say be powerful and effective.

Well written with great examples. Not your typical textbook, which makes for a refreshing approach to leadership classes.