People Books

This beautifully written book is poetry and artwork, sharing a significant story we all need to hear.

Under the Quilt of Night is a wonderful example of poetry following the escape of slaves on the underground Railroad. Excellent example of voice for young writers. Beautiful pictures.

Excellent, very informative and well written, illustrations are vivid and colorful

I use this book on a reqular basis with my 5th grade class when we are discussing slavery and the Underground RR. It is an awesom book. We also read The Barefoot!

UNDER THE QUILT OF NIGHT, written by Deborah Hopkinson, is a wonderful story of the journeys taken by slaves long ago on their path to freedom. A runaway girl flees with other slaves during the darkness of night, waiting, listening, and looking for the opportunity to continue fleeing toward safety. When she spots a quilt hanging outside a house, she knows she's found a safe house in which she will be fed and sheltered. At the end of their travels, they meet freedom.

This is a wonderful story capturing events I'm sure happened many nights during the times of slavery. The writing flows fluidly and is set up in several poem-like passages throughout the book. The illustrations are wonderful, clearly showing the darkness of the night, the emotions of the characters, as well as the symbolic nature of their plight. This is a book I'd highly recommend to parents, teachers, and librarians for older children as everyone should study and know about The Underground Railroad.

Children at the lower end of the projected age range may not enjoy the book as much if reading alone because the colors are more somber than most kids' books. However, if read with an adult or coupled with lessons on the Underground Railroad, it may be more enjoyable to them.

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Voices from Vietnam is a brilliant and riveting collection of images and essays that brought the Vietnam war alive to someone who was born at its conclusion. It is a must-read for anyone who served in the war or had loved ones who did. As the daughter of a Vietnam veteran, the stories in this book have been instrumental in helping me to understand some of the things my father experienced as a soldier in this war. This compelling book shares stories from every possible perspective, yet the themes of pain, suffering, survival and triumph are very much the same. This is a very personal, very human look at the affects of war. I highly recommend it as a tool for healing and for understanding.

The author is gifted with both lens and pen...the vivid photos coupled with poignant stories drags the reader through a twisting maze of emotions.
I believe that this is one of the very best books concerning a generation that is still trying to find it's way or perhaps come to terms with themselves...so many stories, so many unanswered questions....so much pain...so much heartbreak...so many tears.
Each story is filled with a vast spectrum of emotions.
Charlene Edwards is simply gifted...I can say no more to describe her talent.
I am unable to add more for fear of becoming redundant...I lack the words to offer a review that is worthy. I can only say that 5 stars is inadequet.
Eddie Delezen..author of...
Eye of the Tiger
Thoughts Etched in Jade
Red Plateau

Even if you couldn't read the words, the stunning photographs alone in this work would reveal the depth and range of emotion endured by everyone touched by the Vietnam conflict. Each personal vignette carries a similar theme - why were we there, how did the atrocities of the war effect me, where am I today? Sadly, there are more tragedies than triumphs, as with all wars, but so poignantly true in this one. Yet, you must go back with these people, imagine what it was like for them, remember how you experienced those times, and hopefully emerge with a compassionate understanding of what it all meant.

There are other books out there titled Voices from Vietnam, but Ms. Edwards has listened to these particular voices and played them back as a ringing chorus that will move you to forgive but never forget the victims on both sides of this war.

Voices From Vietnam was written by someone who was very young when this war took place, but who was drawn to it and remained dedicated to the understanding of it for the rest of her life.This book is very special because it humanizes both sides and helps us to realize that it was a tragic mistake from the very beginning. Misguided but well-meaning Americans went into the abyss that was left behind by the French colonizers.The people of Vietnam were devastated by over 11 long years of fighting with the Americans .The most powerful nation in the world could not ultimately overpower the determination and tremendous courage of this tiny and poor country.One of the greatest and most profound lessons as demonstrated in this book is that the Vietnamese have forgiven us for the utter decimation of their country and are willing to help us heal the terrible wounds inflicted on both sides.The author introduces us to many people and their stories and shows us that it is possible to embrace your former enemies and work together towards a better future for all.For many Vietnamese the legacy of the war is saddness-the loss of time and place ,of family and friends ,of youth and innocence. If you turn the coin over you find once-young Americans burdened with those same loses.In the end we are a mirror image of each other. Perhaps we will never be able to fully make sense of what we endured on both sides for eleven years.The Vietnamese know they won the war but there was no real winner.The author shows us some of these people and how they have rebuilt their country and extended a hand to us in forgivness and friendship.The many beautiful photographs and interviews tell this story perfectly and for every one of us to understand perfectly.This is an outstanding testimony to the good we all have in us-if only we would try to remember it.

Charlene Edwards has put together a wonderfully deverse and mosaic puzzle that refects the human side of the Vietnam War. She has captured the spiritual and emotional energies of those she interviewed and photographed in her book. The book not only has wonderful photos but the text bleeds with heart felt stories.

Her 10 year quest to share the feelings and images of those personal experiences was a gift to the rest of us. I found myself moved to tears at times, by the images and stories she has introduced us to in her book. I am richer for having had the experience of reading this book.

You should read Wagon Wheels by Barbara Brenner and it is historical fiction. The Muldie boys and their dad were going to the West. They came to Kentucky to make their wood house. In Kentucky, it was a free land. One day the Muldie boys' dad went to find a new place to build a new house. It is a good book because the Muldie boys try to find their dad. It makes me feel very happy to read the book because it was historical fiction. I learned about the Homestead Act and I learned that you can help each other.

This was the first chapter book I ever read by myself. It was a great adventure. It is about a family of black pioneers. I was sad in the beginning when I read that the Muldie boys' Mom had died on their way west. When they made their first friend out west, and learned to make a dugout, the story began to get exciting. My favorite part was when they made friends with a group of Native Americans. Later, the three Muldie boys traveled over a hundred miles on their own to find their father on his new homestead. I was thrilled to read on the back page that my first reading adventure was based on a true story. I would recommend this adventure to any new reader.

This novel is about an African American family who moves from Kentucky to Nicodemus, Kansas during the time of westward expansion. The father left his sons in Nicodemus, while he went on to find a place for them to settle, the children followed. The family has a positive encounter with Native Americans, who give them food during the harsh winter. The family experiences a prairie fire, wild animals. This easy-to-read yet adventurous story about boys of various ages would work well with the informational book about Nicodemus.

The main idea of Wagon Wheels by Barbara Brenner is how the Muldie boys survived when their father went to find free land. The book is historical fiction. The Muldie boys went to look for their father because their dad went to find a place to live better. The important events are that the Muldie boys and their father went to find free land. The Indians helped the Muldie boys by giving them food to eat. I like the book because it was interesting. It was based on a true story. It was good and made me want to read it again. I learned that families help each other when they have a problem.

Another great offering from the "I Can Read Book" series. This book is also a Reading Rainbow Book, and it is a true story!

My kids loved the fact this amazing little story about black pioneers in 1878 is true. Considering that I used to have qualms leaving them alone in the house while I went to our mailbox at the end of our pipestem, they find it fascinating that three boys (8, 11, and 3) were left alone while their father went further west to find a good piece of land to settle. Then he sends a letter with a map and tells them to come find him 150 miles away - which they do. Simply amazing.

Straightforward writing, simple sentences, my 1st and 2nd graders loved it.

It is rare to have someone write their personal adventure book well enough to really be interesting but Helen Thayer reaches that goal admirably. Walking the Gobi if a fascinating read as she details her and her husband's experiences arranging and then completing this trip. One of the things that makes the book so interesting is her ability to write in a style that draws the reader into the experience as a friend. Likewise, her stories of interaction with nomads and border agents are at times very personal and at other times scary. Through her writing you feel her compassion as well as her fears. Walking the Gobi is a fascinating trip and one not to be missed by those with an inquisitive personality.

Excellent! Just an Excellent read. I had read Helen's first book of her solo trek to the Polar North Pole and at that time was in awe of her determination and ability to overcome difficult and dangerous odds. I found this adventure tale even more impressive. Helen starts this trek out with an injured hip and knee from an accident she has just before the trip, but was determined to go ahead with the journey anyway. How this woman walked across the entire length of the Gobi with this injury still amazes me. The pain and suffering she must have endured is beyond unthinkable. I found this story very interesting in so many ways. I learned so much about the ecosystem, the climate, the animals and of the wonderful Mongolian people they encountered along the way. The Mongolian culture was fascinating, the people delightfully friendly and hospitable to both Helen and her husband. The desert trek was grueling but in many ways gorgeous, peaceful, serene and yes ..scary too. If you are a fan of adventure travel narratives, and have read Helen's other books, you will love this and will find you cant put it down as you follow her up, down, and over each sand dune, mile after mile after mile. You will fall in love with the crazy and often persnickety camels that lead their way, you will find yourself extremely thirsty when the two travelers encounter unbearable days of intense heat, you will feel cold when they experience frost in the evenings, and you will at times wonder as you turn each page if they will survive, feeling their fear of death as they walk forward day after day, week after week, feeling every grain of sand invading their pores to the point of suffocation. If you have read Michael Asher's book on his trek across the Sahara, or Charles Blackmore's riveting account of his crossing of the Taklamakan desert of China, then this story is right up your alley.

Walking the Gobi by Helen Thayer

This book is an enthralling account of the fulfilling of a lifelong dream to cross the Gobi desert.

This book relates the various stories of the adventure, however it was the introduction that compelled me to read the entire book. I had selected this book by accident not sure I wanted to read about the activities of a 63 year old woman and her 74 year old husband. After reading the introduction, I was hooked and needed to read on. I thought how incredible the rest of the book must be if their 1500 mile trek through Death Valley and 4000 mile trek across the Sahara were mentioned in a single paragraph under the title of "Preparations", and then knowing that their accident 9 months before their planned departure, which needed two paragraphs to barely mention their various torn ligaments and muscles, ruptures and bruises, didn't keep keep them from their attempt.

Helen Thayer helps us feel the pain, the thirst, and the emotional highs and lows of their journey not only to complete the trek, but even to just survive it. However I think she is at her best when she is describing the many encounters they have with the Mongolian people, from officials to nomads. My favorite passage is when she describes an interrogation when they are imprisoned as suspected smugglers. She becomes irritated after being threatened with being shot and this leads to her chastising the officials with being disrespectful to their elders and shaming them for their rudeness. This description filled me with wonder and admiration for the sheer spunk and determination of this amazing woman.

Read this book if you want to read about an incredible adventure. Be prepared if this book leads you to dream bigger dreams, and leads you also to question any misconceptions you have about the life you can choose to live in your senior years.

I want to invite Helen Thayer over to dinner. Mainly I want to hear her stories again, and more of them. As soon as I closed Walking the Gobi and set it down on my kitchen table, I felt at the same time winded and awed, but hungry for more.

If you're reading this review, I'm sure you've read the synopsis: two people over age 60 decide to walk across 1500 miles of one of the least-studied deserts in the world. And they do it in the summer.

When Helen Thayer sat down to write this real-life adventure story, she must have known that she had something good. After all, the idea itself is impressive; it tugs at the ear and challenges the imagination. But Thayer does much more in Walking the Gobi than recount a long trek in a string of stories or patronize the reader by giving only summary and analysis of the journey's meaning.

Thayer's descriptions are careful and organized, educated and intuitive. She gives us the gift of recreating each day so we can experience them with her. Each day is numbered and recorded with useful detail- pointing out the unique moments that set it apart from the rest and reinforcing the monotonous heat, wind, and regional dangers that made the journey long and at times overwhelming.

Helen Thayer accomplished a truly great feat when she crossed the Gobi, but what's even better is that she wrote a book about it.

Happy adventuring!

Modern day adventurers do exist. This is the first thing the reader will realize wehn reading "Walking the Gobi" by Helen Thayer. Ms. Thayer brings the reader with us as she traverses one of the most dangerous places on earth, the Gobi desert. It details a journey she and her husband made across the Gobi desert. From page one, I could not really put the book down. With her we meet Mongolian tribesman, smugglers along the Chinease border, rare Gobi bears, desert scorpions and the occasional Mongolian bureaucrat. Throughout, Ms. Thayer never lets the reader forget how truly amazing and beautiful this part of the world is. Any expedition like this would be a challenge for any healthy individual, but Ms. Thayer manages her journey with an injured leg throghout most of the book. Through sheer mental fortitude Ms. Thayer wills herself to complete her journey across one of the most hostile environments on earth, on step at a time. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys the spirit of adventure.

I've never read a book with so much substance, creativity, imagination, innocence and passion; so much so that I found my self re-reading some passages because I had to, to absorb it all -- the passion, the leaps of imagination, the super creativity of a genius grade brain, and the innovation of metaphors. The photographs play the same role as a nice bottle of wine accompanying a wonderful cuisine, it make it all flow even smoother.

I could not believe how good and hilarious was I was reading. Kalpanik made me not only feel, but also think and smile. Kalpanik has a curious mix of making complex concepts simple and make us live his life and experiences, make us laugh and yet be inspirational.

This book is a collection of three stories, accompanied with lot of professional grade photographs and covers three places--Davis (a small town near Sacramento), San Francisco Bay Area and San Diego. it also covers three different phases in his life.

He is able to sprinkle the description of these places and phases with a lot of humor, making you smile, laugh, guffaw, chuckle, snicker, giggle and crackup.

The First part is at University of California at Davis, which captures the unique experiences of a young man first time in a new country where he is a foreigner and falls in love, written when the author was 21.

The second part is fast forward to 12-15 years later by which time the author has firmly established in the Technology industry and is a Vice President of Technology in a Silicon Valley startup .He is lot more confident and self assured by then. The story humorously covers the life of a technology leader leading a team working at the cutting edge of innovation.

The third part is another 5-8 years later when the author has moved to San Diego and covers his family, including two lovely daughters. They get caught in the infamous wild fires of San Diego.

In all three parts, the author skillfully combines the colorful, vivid words with equally vivid photographs.

His journey is one of hopes and ambitions, of hard work and courage required to realizing those ambitions and tremendous power and insight. It is thoughtful, and yet he is able to infuse it with his humor very naturally!

A good read! Extremely well written and very thoughtful.

Kalpanik's style is fresh, unique, funny (in a dignified way), vivid and clever. For example, the author successfully anthropomorphizes the state of California! While I have not read another of his other books - I look forward to discovering them in the near future

Being an immigrant myself, I read it with the occasional tear in the eye and several bouts of goosebumps. Words are not enough to describe the feelings of transcendence, enlightenment and plain joy I experienced read this narrative.

Definitely a Must Read!

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R333AIEHUTY4IO Writer is a risk taker, who is able to overcome being a foreign born, accented and is still able to assimilate at different places and befriend natives.

The book starts as a sweet story of a foreign born student who is struggling to adapt to a new culture, missing home and trying to find a balance between the demands of his academic life, and who falls in love. This part of the book shows us Kalpanik as a vulnerable foreign born student, a young person. This beginning provides a good background, and serves as a contrast to the rest of the book, wher we see Kalpanik as an confident executive with a carefree attitude.

Kalpanik is an amazing writer with extraordinarily talent for combining simplicity with complexity and sophistication, writing thoughtful and meaningful material into a book which still comes out as light reading!

The directions are so clear that this can easily be a first cookbook for young marrieds or students living away from home for the first time. To view some sample recipes, go to [website]

The book is MUCH more than I expected when I ordered it because of a printed explanation its contents. It seemed possibly appropriate for some of the "well aged" members of my Sunday School class in need of such things. But the idea of showing, explaining, and providing information about where to buy the tableware (to me unknown) so useful to older people was an unexpected bonus. In addition, having family experience with some of the problems of the well aged, I treasure the variety of recipes given. Now I have found out that the author targeted mainly baby-boomers, who might well use it in connection with parents and grandparents. I think it has universal appeal. Right on!

Anyone caring for an elderly person should be required to read this and refer to it often. Many older persons have very little left but their dignity - let's help preserve that. Wonderful ideas on special utensils for older people who have trouble handling regular silverware and china. Easy to follow recipes and special tips make this a "must have" for caregivers.

Ginny Gordon Walters has assembled a collection of tasteful and tasty recipes that my 79 year-old mother finds nutritional and easy to prepare; whether cooking for just herself or for a family gathering. The general tips, along with the graphics of special utensils, I found very helpful in trying to provide mom with cookware that can make things a bit easier on her arthritic hands. Ms. Walters' brief comments before each recipe seem indicative of someone who has experienced the ways in which this information can help our older generation maintain their quality of life. A valuable tool for our parents to continue to enjoy their independence!

This beautiful and thoughful cook book offers a wonderful selection of "comfort" foods with high nutritional value for the elderly and/or disabled person. Since nutrition is a key factor in health and longevity, Walters has highlighted the needs for certain foods and collected easy-to-make recipes focusing on those needs. In addition, the Introduction and Tableware sections have valuable and innovative tips for those caring for the elderly. I highly recommend this book!

This book is not only a great adventure for middle grade readers, but it is a useful tool for classroom teachers. My class (fourth/fifth graders) read this book for our theme: The Maya. The book gave authentic facts about the Mayan culture and a plausible explanation for the demise of their culture. We used the book as the backbone of several language arts exercises such as: written and oral reports about the Maya, literary criticism of characters, plot, and sequence, persuasive essays on human sacrifice vs. murder and Mayan culture vs. our own culture; and art projects from wood burning to mapping. We studied geography and the rainforest. The students' enthusiasm for this book pushed our curriculum into other disciplines including math. I recommend this book to teachers and to middle grade students.

The Well of Sacrifice by Chris Eboch is an amazing book about a Mayan girl named Eveningstar Macaw who has to save herself and her family from an evil high priest named Great Skull Zero. The story takes place in a fictional Mayan city during the ninth century. Other important characters are Eighteen Rabbit, Eveningstar's father, Blue Quetzal, Eveningstar's mother, Feather Dawn, Eveningstar's sister, Smoke Shell, Eveningstar's brother, Small, the family's Savage slave, and King Flint Sky God, their city's amazing god-king.
I would recommend this book to readers who are interested in other cultures, are studying the Mayans, or just want to try something different. Readers anywhere from ten to twelve years of age would enjoy this book though thirteen and fourteen year olds might like it as well. Girls and boys alike would agree on what an amazing book it is. If you enjoy an easy read, read this book.

I read The Well of Sacrifice, by Chris Eboch, for a school assignment. I thought it was an excellent read. It's about a girl named Eveningstar Macaw. She's a Mayan who lives in the Yucatan Peninsula in the 9th century. While in the jungle gathering plants for her mother, who is a healer, Eveningstar sees a group of savages, probably preparing to attack her city. At the time, Eveningstar's city had been fighting with groups of Indians from islands in the Caribbean, and they called them the savages. Eveningstar alerts her older brother, Smoke Shell, who gathers up a group of men and attacks the savages. Her family is then promoted to noble status, and after the king dies, many people want Smoke Shell to be the next king. But the evil high priest, Great Skull Zero, wants to be king. He makes an order to have Smoke Shell and many other men sacrificed to the gods. Along with her servant, Small, Eveningstar sets out to save her brother and her whole city from the wrath of Great Skull Zero. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone, boys and girls, who is interested in the Mayas or wants a good book to read. I would say it's good for people ages 10 and up, but only because there are some scenes that might frighten younger children. It has a lot of action, and it taught me a lot about the Mayan culture. This was a very entertaining and exciting book.

I read The Well of Sacrifice, by Chris Eboch, for a school assignment. I thought it was an excellent read. It's about a girl named Eveningstar Macaw. She's a Mayan who lives in the Yucatan Peninsula in the 9th century. While in the jungle gathering plants for her mother, who is a healer, Eveningstar sees a group of savages, probably preparing to attack her city. At the time, Eveningstar's city had been fighting with groups of Indians from islands in the Caribbean, and they called them the savages. Eveningstar alerts her older brother, Smoke Shell, who gathers up a group of men and attacks the savages. Her family is then promoted to noble status, and after the king dies, many people want Smoke Shell to be the next king. But the evil high priest, Great Skull Zero, wants to be king. He makes an order to have Smoke Shell and many other men sacrificed to the gods. Along with her servant, Small, Eveningstar sets out to save her brother and her whole city from the wrath of Great Skull Zero. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone, boys and girls, who is interested in the Mayas or wants a good book to read. I would say it's good for people ages 10 and up, but only because there are some scenes that might frighten younger children. It has a lot of action, and it taught me a lot about the Mayan culture. This was a very entertaining and exciting book.

Eveningstar Macaw lives in an ancient Mayan city, where high priests and kings are the ultimate rulers. She helps her mother get herbs from the jungle for her mother is a healer. Eveningstar knows the jungle inside-out. One day she comes upon a group of 'savages' who are enemies of the Mayans. She immediately warns everyone in the city. The savages are caught and some are kept for sacrifice while the others are kept as slaves for the noblemen. Eveningstar met a savage boy in the jungle and named him Small. Evening Star's family took him in as a servant. Eveningstar's oldest brother, Smokeshell is met with much honor after the capturing of the savages for he helps capture them. When the old King Flint Sky god dies,the evil High Priest, Great Skull Zero is left to rule. Great Skull Zero does not want anyone to threaten his spot on the throne, so he calls out a list of men who will be thrown into the Well of Sacrifice. All of these men are noblemen, and are soldiers who are highly respected. Among the chosen men are Smokeshell and Feather Dawn's fiance.(Feather Dawn is Eveningstar's snotty and headstrong sister) Eveningstar quickly figures that Great Skull Zero is only having those soldiers killed for his own greed, and not for the Gods. From there the story takes a great leap from peaceful to dangerous and suspense-filled. Excellent book!

I inherited this book from my recently deceased father (a retired P&G officer), and will soon pass it to my son to help guide him in his beginning business career. Good stuff. I remember the paper products wars in which my father engaged and Mr. Pepper recollects, and have met John and his wife (oddly, not through a company connection). We have little time to "make a difference," as my father drilled into my head, and that drive is part of the P&G tradition Mr. Pepper articulates so well here. What you do matters - a lot - and service can wear many faces. This book might be a little dry reading in parts for those not in the P&G loop (although no more than any general business text), but the principles are nonetheless timeless, and well suitable for digestion by any executive, business person, - or worker bee (like me!) for that matter.

He asked ME what I wanted him to talk about. I sat in awe and fumbled for words. He just wrote a book. I figured I'd point him to the chapter I wanted him to explore with us and then let him run with it. But he sat there in the meeting room of the Freedom Center with his chin on his hand, gazing at me with the most friendly, down-to-earth, and quizzical stare. Parity. His book is personal. He is personal. What else should I have expected when I asked him to speak to recruits at the University of Cincinnati? Personal and powerful. Ordinary and yet extraordinary.

This is no doubt one of the best business book I've read this year. Even after reading the first chapter, I knew I had to give it 5 stars.

John Pepper is the ex-CEO of P&G from 1995 to 1999. He is now the chairman of the board at Walt Disney Company and a CEO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

As you can see from the cover, the book talks on service, leadership, people and values. Throughout the book, you'll be be presented with never ending life experiences from John Pepper over his 40 over years of service in P&G.

The book is divided into three parts, Foundations for Success, Staying in the Lead and How We Live Our Lives.

In the first part, he talked on the principles behind brand building. He drew on numerous examples to make his point.

For the second part, he touched on how P&G was involved in community building and the important role it played for the company.

In the last part, it was about management in general and how he lead his company and what he learned during the years at P&G.

Even though you may not have worked for P&G, after reading the book, you will have a very thorough understanding of the guiding principles of P&G.

John Pepper has produced a genuine and candid work. His true colors shine through, forcing the reader to care about him and grow a respect based on more than just his business achievements. His passion for the community and doing right promote a fresh optimism for 'Corporate America'.

In this long and winding walk thru the modern history of P&G, via the personal learnings of life-long P&G executive John Pepper, the reader is given a glimpse of the Proctor & Gamble Way - the mutual interdependency of personal and business interests.

While the book is presented as a three part discussion of...
* How companies succeed - by creating and sustaining leadership brands, letting the consumer decide, and going for big wins; all of which is primarily a marketing story
* How companies can stay in the lead - by creating organizational qualities; thru values, practices and relationships that support the brands and develop a vibrant community with employees.
* How we live our lives - through intimacy with consumers, competitors and colleagues that builds and sustains passionate ownership amidst a culture of trust and high expectations.
..., it really is an integrated picture of how P&G's guiding purpose, principles and values work to support its position as one of best, if not the leading consumer products company in the world.

Although the book is filled with P&G stories to demonstrate and emphasize its messages, it is not a fast or simple read. It reads a bit like the memoirs of John Pepper, who comes across as a person of integrity, demonstrating P&G's desired 'passion for winning', while showing his learning and caring aspirations. The later is best shown thru a quote of his favorite text of the Talmud: "You are not required to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it." I found the book interesting, but beyond recommending it to P&G employees or alumni and business school graduates interested in working for P&G, I am not sure of just who else might find it interesting.

Dennis DeWilde, author of
"The Performance Connection"

My dad bought me this book after hearing about it on National Public Radio and, at first, I was a bit skeptical.
I mean, who really wants to waste time reading another boring 'How to' book on how to get a cool job?

But really, this book isn't like that at all.
It's factual of course, so you don't have to worry about how much of it is just hot air.
But it's also very comical, interesting, and respectfully realistic.
Not a candy-coater, but in no ways a dream crusher.

What more could you ask for <3?

I don't like bad language but like what this book has to offer. I purchased it for my daughter who is embarking on her new career after college. This is a good read.

Most career books I've read try to herd us into the same jobs without thinking out of the box. There are tons of other interesting, fun and well paying jobs out there that rarely seem to get mentioned. This book lists quite a few examples. It was a blast to read. It really helps expand your thinking and it makes the thought of a career change actually exciting!! And the income figures given are realistic too. Most other career books are way too low for whatever reason.

A great book and a great read!!

I was expecting this to be a lot more in-depth than it actually was. Though it profiled a lot of careers, so many classic ones were missing (lawyer and doctor for example). While it was nice to get an example schedule and salary, I wish there were more tips for achieving the jobs examined.

This book is great! It really opened my eyes to a lot of careers I never would have even heard of.

The technical accuracy and detail of this book is phenomenal. In my experience, most training books that detail technique are too vague to be of practical importance, but this book is the exception. Some of the movements are broken down into forty or fifty elements so that you can go right down the line to correct problems in a logical and sequential manner. There are ample progressive photographs, diagrams and illustrations to effectively guide your training and foster great improvement. I can't think of anything that is missing here from discussions of anatomy and biomechanics, all the way through troubleshooting and Q and A. The writing style is concise and quite lucid. If I could have just one training series to help me with my kicking technique, this would be it.

Author Shawn Kovacich has exploited an important niche in his "Achieving Kicking Excellence" series of martial arts instructional texts.

Shawn is quoted as saying "In an unarmed self-defense encounter, your kicking skills or lack thereof, can be the deciding factor between victory and defeat. In today's society, kicking is not only used more frequently, but it also ranks as perhaps the most versatile and underrated weapon that you have in your arsenal." I agree with him.

I found "Wheel Kick" (volume 2 of 10 in the series) to be so highly detail oriented that it overcame any presupposition of dryness and boredom to which I initially attributed to it. In short, I was "hooked." Laid out in terms that the novice can easily follow and the practicing martial artist can incorporate into his or her regimen, Shawn starts out with the historical background of the Wheel Kick and then introduces the reader to the physical and physiological body movements and mechanics associated with the kick.

Providing tips on conditioning and training, Shawn demonstrates foot movement by foot movement the Wheel Kick's basic principles and then introduces the primary Turning Wheel Kick to his audience and follows with eleven variations; (some of which I have never even heard of!).

Shawn demonstrates the principles of each kick with clear photographs that leave nothing to the imagination. Fortifying the text with chapters on "Warm Up and Stretching," "Training and Practice Methods," "Trouble Shooting Guide," and "Kicking Applications," to name a few, Shawn provides the reader with more than a full understanding of what could and mistakenly be known as a "simple kick."

Totally complete at 220 pages, and chocked with all sorts of valuable information from the "nuts and bolts" of technique description and demonstration to body dynamics, this is without a doubt the "gold standard" by which any examplar of martial arts kicking should be judged by.

This book can stand alone or be incorporated within the series. I rate it at five stars without hesitation or reservation. Well done!


JP

Like all the titles in Shawn Kovacich's Achieving Kicking Excellence series, book 2 Wheel Kick is a comprehensive study of one of the important kicks used in modern martial arts today. The book is incredibly thorough with numerous photos demonstrating the every aspect of the kick in minute detail. Mr. Kovacich knows his stuff and it is obvious that he has spent many hours honing his technique. The book provides an in-depth study of the bones, muscles and mechanics involved in the kicking technique.

In addition, the book contains a wealth of supplemental information on strength, speed and power generating exercises to enhance the technique. There is also a section on stretching as well as the application of the technique.

This book is ideal for any martial artist who wishes to perfect their wheel kicking ability. The beginner will find a wealth of information to assist in developing proper mechanics while the advanced practitioner will glean some vital knowledge from an accomplished teacher.

Be sure to check out the other books in this series. You are sure to find one that addresses the specific kick that you need work on.

Be sure to check out the other books in this series. You are sure to find one that addresses the specific kick that you need work on.

Aaron Hoopes
author of Zen Yoga: A Path to Enlightenment through Breathing, Movement and Meditation

I have just finished reading Wheel Kick, the second book in the "Achieving Kicking Excellence" series. The book follows the same format as the first book in the series and continues with the same quality instruction that the first book demonstrated. Wheel Kick contains great pictures, technical prowess, and is yet another excellent book. Shawn Kovacich has a knack for making the technical aspects of martial arts kicks very understandable.

This book leaves nothing out. It covers everything including the anatomy of the leg, stretching, vital targets, foot positioning, timing, distancing, and the importance of correct recoil. Shawn Kovacich covers variations on the back kick which I haven't considered before, and I have been studying martial arts for 25 years. He also delves into training drills, weight training, speed training, and covers several ways to develop your kicking power. If it has to doing with martial arts kicking, it is included in this book and the Achieving Kicking Excellence series.

Wheel Kick is very well written and easy to follow. So many of the technical martial arts books are so dry and boring that is is a struggle to get through them, but Wheel Kick uses a lot of analogies and great photographs which make it interesting and easy to follow the author's points. I especially found the "did you notice anything wrong photographs" and the trouble shooting section to be very helpful. The pictures really helped to drive home specific points and demonstrated specific mistakes, as well as how a good wheel kick should look.

Shawn Kovacich obviously knows his stuff! I am totally impressed with this book, as I was with the first book in this series, and plan on reading more of the series. I highly recommend this book to every martial artist who wants to improve his or her kicking skills. This series is the best that I have seen.

Dr. Bohdi Sanders, author of Warrior Wisdom: Ageless Wisdom for the Modern Warrior

I liked this volume better than volume one mainly because the writing style seems better. In my twenty + years of martial arts training, I've never met an instructor or master who broke the kicking techniques down to the scale of detail as Shawn Kovacich has done in this book.

I first learned a variant of this kick in Taekwondo and it was called a spinning hookkick. In Taekwondo, if one executed the spinning hook kick as a wheel kick, it was considered poor form. Later when I started training in Kyokushinkai, the kick was called a reverse roundhouse kick and executed much the same way as Mr. Kovacich outlines in this book. However, my sensei allows me to execute it as a spinning hook or as a wheelkick. He makes no distinction and leaves it up to the individual student. The wheelkick is slower and easier to see than a spinning hook, but is still very powerful. As the author explains, the idea of the kick is to go through your target as if you're swinging a golf club to hit the ball off the tee. Everything one would want to know about this kick and it's variations is contained in this book. A very good reference for all serious martial artists.

Now, I would like to comment on some flaws I've seen in this book. On page 184, he explains that when he strikes his opponent on the side of the head and behind the ear, it's not the best target. The side of the head and behind the ear are indeed very good vital points and well placed kicks to these places can easily knock someone out. I've seen it many times in competitions. The other flaw in the book is on page 27 where he illustrates what he considers the best vital points for the wheelkick. I would disagree with him on many of these spots. For example, the point of the jaw is less of a target to a wheelkick than the side of the chin. He makes no mention of the side of the chin as a vital point, only the point of the chin and the jaw joint. All of those points he has in his illustration on the front of the face are not good targets for the wheelkick. The wheelkick is a haymaker type of blow which is more suited to striking the side or back of your opponent's head. One will not often get the opportunity to hit someone on the front of the face with it.