Psychotherapy & Spirituality: Crossing the Line between Therapy and Religion (Perspectives on Psychotherapy series)

Book Description

`There have been many books written about counselling with respect to class, politics, gender, culture and similar issues but, as far as I am aware , this is the first major work to be presented in this country about working with a client's spirituality and the importance this may have.... Is a must for trainees in the field and for those who feel a client's spirituality is an irrelevance'- Cahoots

`This is a textbook covering all aspects of this subject, eg there is a chapter on "why therapists need training in dealing with spiritual issues" and another on "the meeting place and the differences between spiritual direction and therapy". I recommend this book to practitioners in this field' - Retreats

This thoughtful and intelligent book encourages psychotherapists and counsellors to consider seriously the relationship between spiritual experiences and therapeutic practice. It proposes that therapy itself can be seen as a spiritual process and discusses the implications of this view for therapists, clients and the wider world.

Examining the relationship between spirituality and the main schools of therapy, William West distinguishes clearly between spiritual direction and specific therapies. He offers practical advice to help practitioners increase their awareness of spiritual issues, and guidance on the use of spiritual interventions within therapy.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful continuation to an outstanding series

character driven, but a shocking conclusion

Story lacks much of the thrilling characterization/plot development the first book did

Another Very Good Story with Political Overtones

pleasant continuation -- not a stand alone book

Crossing the Line
Karen Traviss
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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The World Before

City of Pearl

Matriarch

Ally (Wess'har Wars)

Worldwired

ASIN: 0060541709
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Book Description

The exciting sequel to City of Pearl, from a talented new voice in science fiction.

Welcome to the front lines, where the first contact between worlds and species has created a flashpoint in the battle to expand across the universe. Welcome to a world where a precarious ecology means the slightest misstep can cause death – or worse ... sometimes from those you even consider friends. Welcome to Cavanagh's Star.

Leading a mission to explore the planet and rescue a lost colony, Shan Frankland crossed the line between human and alien, between honour and morality, to save a world. Now, as four races prepare to battle for control of the planet – and the secrets it holds – she must find a way to stop the coming invasion. But Earth is determined to claim the planet for itself – despite the deadly alien wess'har who protect the world – and have formed an alliance with the rapacious, insectoid isenj. And Shan's former second–in–command will stop at nothing to kill Shan.

Mixing action, intrigue, politics, ecology, and fascinating aliens, Karen Traviss's second novel is an explosive follow–up to her crackerjack first novel, City of Pearl.

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Shan Frankland forever abandoned the world she knew to come to the rescue of a lost colony on a distant and dangerous planet -- a hostile world coveted by two alien races and fiercely protected by a third. But in the course of her mission, she overstepped a boundary and stumbled into forbidden lands. And she can never go back -- to being neutral, to being safe. To being human.

War is coming again to Cavanagh's Star -- and this time, the instigators will be the troublesome gethes from the faraway planet Earth. Former Environmental Enforcement Officer Shan Frankland has already crossed a line, and now she is a prize to be captured ... or a threat to be eliminated. But saving a coveted world and its fragile native population may require of her one unthinkable sacrifice: the destruction of her own ruthless, invading species.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful continuation to an outstanding series.......2007-09-07

After enjoying City of Pearl,I was looking forward to reading Crossing the Line, and I was not disappointed in the slightest!
Having said that, please be aware that this is part of a planned 6-book series, and it would be very desirable to read at least the first two in order for full appreciation. They do NOT, however, end on cliffhangers, which I consider an unforgivable sin.
The book's plot is interesting enough, but for me the characters are what make it rise above the norm. Each faces a number of ethical situations in which "crossing the line" in some way or other is an appropriate metaphor. Eddie the journalist must decide where his professional lines should be drawn; Shan must decide where her allegiance and her love belong; and Aras must decide where his destiny lies.
Locus compares Traviss to LeGuin, Bujold, and Asaro. Traviss shows some of the strengths of each of these writers, a very delicious blend.
Now, for me, on to The World Before!

character driven, but a shocking conclusion.......2006-07-18

In City of Pearl Karen Traviss introduced us to Shan Frankland, an Environmental Hazard cop (En-Haz). Frankland, on the brink of retiring, was sent to Cavanagh's Star II on a mission that because of a Suppressed Briefing she would not remember until certain words and locations triggered the memory. Frankland is a hard woman, a hard cop, and one who has let her personal morality influence how she does her job. She is very capable and when she needs to act, she does not hesitate. On CSII, Frankland discovers the surviving human colony, but also the alien Aras of the wess'har. Aras has been modified by a symbiotic disease called c'naatat which has given him extraordinary long life as well as making him incredibly difficult to kill. It has also alienated him from his own people. He is literally untouchable, and the wess'har are a physical race. Frankland sides in every dispute with the native humans, wess'har, and bezeri over the scientists and military that is under her command on the mission, but there are disputes and accidents and in the end Shan Frankland is infected with the c'naatat. She will be changed by it, making her more and less than human. She decides to remain with the wess'har and to attempt to serve them as she can to help prevent a possible conflict with humanity.

This brief and dirty synopsis brings us up to Crossing the Line, the second novel in the Wess'har Wars. Shan Frankland is adapting to c'naatat and being cut off from humanity. She knows that she would be used to duplicate the c'naatat for human use and the last thing humanity needs is fast breeding humans who won't die. Frankland advises the Wess'har leadership of ways to "discourage" Earth from sending any more ships or fleets to CS2. There would not be much of a book here if there was not a further human intrusion on CS2, so it spoils nothing to say that the potential conflict is not over, and there are personal issues from Frankland's former team to contend with.

Karen Traviss is very quickly becoming one of my favorite science fiction authors. Her writing is sharp and the characters she chooses to focus on are drawn out very vividly. We can tell who is talking or thinking by how they think and talk, even if names are not given. The primary characters have a distinct voice. If I spend time thinking about it, Crossing the Line does suffer from "Middle Book Syndrome". While there is a clear beginning and end to the book (and this is a huge plus), the ending serves to set up The World Before. Karen Traviss writes character driven science fiction. The character of Shan Frankland is central to the story here and she is not a placeholding character which could be substituted by just anyone. Her beliefs drive her actions and her actions are what drive the plot of the novel. Everything that Frankland does is consistent with her character and the good decisions have negative consequences and her wrong decisions have consequences as well. Frankland feels real, all of Traviss's characters do. She even creates a believable alien culture. The pace of Crossing the Line is a little bit odd because throughout the novel Frankland is working to prevent something, so there is a narrative tension but not a real hard driving pace. It's more of anticipation. I will absolutely not spoil the ending here, but I was left shocked by how the novel ended and the "event" changed the nature of where the series could possible go. Very powerful.

There are certain things that I know will occur in the next volume because of how Traviss set up the characters and situation, but I don't know to what extent or how much, and I can't wait to find out what happens next. The joy is in the discovery when books are as well written as the work Karen Traviss publishes.

-Joe Sherry

Story lacks much of the thrilling characterization/plot development the first book did.......2006-04-12

I found myself disappointed in the sequel to "City of Pearls" even though I tried very hard to like it as much. The point of view constant switching is tiresome and untimely. There are too many charactor POV as well. The story line seems subdue and very one sided in charactor development: all women are powerful, dominating, and overly void of emotion. The male charactors are really immasculated: I really liked Aras in the first book and find myself asking, "where is the Aras I meet in the first book." I feel like I have been deceived as a reader. The first book developed wonderful fully rounded characters, subtle messages, and plot. Whereas, this book just blogs along. I think Shan is a different person too in many ways. I like the pov of Lindsey, but I would have rather seen it stick to Shan, Aras, Lindsey and Eddie. Outside of that I do not see the need. The POV of the other aliens I don't buy because we shouldn't be able to get in their alien heads.

I love Karan Traviss writing and has sold many of my friends on her writing, but I will not be recommending this one. I almost feel like she purposely wants to belittle male gender to embarrassment. I like strong female characters, but not to the expense of unrealistcally plowing over males.

There is some good writing in this books and interesting thought, in some places, but not worth the read - perhaps; especially if one did not read the first book.

I was going to read the prequel book "World Before" but now I am reluctant.

Another Very Good Story with Political Overtones.......2006-04-08

I very much enjoyed reading the first book of this series, CITY OF PEARL, even though I vehemently disagree with much of the philosophy presented in it. Whatever the politics, it was a good story. This book has the same overtones but is an even better book. Whatever side of the political aisle you may be on, this is an enjoyable read.

The situation, briefly, is that there is a contested world within a system some small distance from earth. Since there is no faster than light travel, the small distance is measured in decades. The local species is intelligent but aquatic and has no real technology base. They are fragile creatures easily disrupted by changes in the environment. They were almost wiped out a few centuries ago by land dwelling colonists from another planet in the system. That species has problems with pollution and uncontrolled growth. Their population explosion and the resulting pollution almost killed the natives. The native were saved by the inhabitants of that planet's moon. They are a technologically advanced race originally from another star system. They were misfits in the culture they came from. Along with them is a fourth race that has almost a symbiotic relation with the third. This race acts as information brokers.

A few centuries previous, a group of misfits from earth tried to colonize the planet. Because they intended to eventually return to earth, their presence was tolerated by the guardian species so long as they did nothing to alter the environment. They lived well in such conditions until another ship from earth arrived. This ship contained representatives from many of the corporations that now control earth. All were eagerly searching for new biological and chemical agents to take back to earth and make fortunes. There was also an enviro-cop. She had a secret mission. The newcomers are not really welcome but they are tolerated, subject to stringent rules. The researchers, though resent any rules. When the rules are broken, there are lethal consequences.

The cop in charge of the expedition makes friends with the alien guarding the planet. He has been infected with a type of parasite which effectively conveys immortality but which makes extreme adaptations to the body. She realizes that this organism, in the hands of the earth would doom humanity and cause ecological catastrophe. She vows that it cannot fall into earth's hands. She is infected herself, though, and seeks asylum from the guardian species. This is the state of affairs when another ship arrives from earth.

This ship was much faster. Earth is in contact with the species which was wiped off of the surface and, as a result, now has the technology for instant communication. Earth is now allied with the eco-ravagers. The guardians will not tolerate this and will not let samples be taken. Things are ripe for conflict.

The preceding was a synopsis of the first book, CITY OF PEARL. That knowledge is needed to make sense of the second book.

Earth wants the bio miracles they suspect are present on the planet. The guardians are adamant that they will not get them. The ravagers want to encourage conflict so they can set up another colony unimpeded. As the cop tries to keep things calm, people with hidden agendas take matters into their own hands. As a result, cobalt bombs are set off and the native species is destroyed. The guardians are not happy and prepare to call on their home world for help. The prescription seems to be the eradication of humanity in the local system AND on earth. Even the earth born cop cannot help because she was killed by the agents of the corporations. With that, we are set up for the third book.

Though I disagree with much in here, it is a fascinating and complex book. It is well worth the read.

pleasant continuation -- not a stand alone book.......2006-03-09

"Crossing the Line" starts right after "City of Pearl" ended. The plot centers upon a virus, C--, which is transmitted by blood only. C-- is very similar in many ways to mood altering adictive drugs: appealling, makes you happy, try it once and you're stuck with it for life, and the negative consequences are horrid. S--, a human, has been exposed, as has an alien A--. Some humans have heard rumours that S-- carries C--. Knowing only the good and none of the bad, they desperately want C--.

The genre is hard science fiction, characterizations are decently developped, and interesting new technologies abound. The overal mood is that of a Drama, with a lot of introspection and social commentary. The book swaps focus every couple pages between many, many, many viewpoints, so the plotline is badly fragmented. The disjoint flow is by far my largest complaint. The author's prejudices are strongly stated, including negative views of large corporations, humans, and omnivores. You'll enjoy this novel more if these radical opinions don't come as a surprise.

Overall, "Crossing the Line" is well written and entertaining. If you enjoyed the previous novel, you'll get your money's worth. Hopefully, Karen Traviss will stop publishing sequels soon, and write something truly independent.

Average customer rating:

A Darker, Harder Anton
another fine thriller by Mckinzie
Can't Wait To Read The Next Installment!
HUH????
deserves 10 stars!!

Crossing the Line
Clinton Mckinzie
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0440240816
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Book Description

Clinton McKinzie writes powerhouse thrillers that are like nothing you’ve ever read— novels that crackle with raw emotion and brilliantly explore the nature of risk: the risk that lovers take, adventurers seek, and men and women live with on both sides of the law. In an unforgettable new novel, set against the breathtaking Rocky Mountain landscape he has made his own, the acclaimed author of Trial by Ice and Fire brings back Special Agent Antonio Burns and his renegade brother, Roberto—two men who have chosen very different lives, now coming together to make a treacherous descent into a world of loss, betrayal, and terror.

Antonio Burns is a cop, not a saint. Having earned the scornful nickname “QuickDraw” for a shooting that went very wrong, the Wyoming narcotics agent is fighting for redemption and holding on to his family with all the strength he possesses. His brother, Roberto, is another story. His quicksilver heart, hair-trigger temper, and unquenchable hunger for adrenaline rushes have landed him prison—and make him the right person for an FBI agent with a plan. Agent Mary Chang—cool, collected, and always under control—wants to go after Hidalgo, a murderous drug lord who has moved his operation from Mexico to a Wyoming canyon. In Roberto, Chang has found someone who can penetrate Hildago’s heavily guarded crime ranch. And she has found a man who can quickly take her to her own wild side.

Now, while Mary and his brother watch over him, Roberto goes to work for Hidalgo for the promise of a free pass from prison. But Roberto can’t stay withany script for long, and soon starts making up the game as he goes along. With Antonio sure that his brother is taking the ultimate death trip, and Chang guarding a secret of her own, the perfect plan starts to veer wildly off course. And no one is prepared for the dark forces that are about to engulf them—or the final betrayal that will send them to the dizzying heights and abysmal depths of love and loss. A novel that plunges like a knife, Crossing the Line is vintage McKinzie: brilliant, breathless, and utterly impossible to put down.

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

Antonio Burns is a cop, not a saint. Having earned the scornful nickname “QuickDraw” for a shooting that went very wrong, the Wyoming narcotics agent is fighting for redemption and holding on to his family with all the strength he possesses. His brother, Roberto, is another story. His quicksilver heart, hair-trigger temper, and unquenchable hunger for adrenaline rushes have landed him prison—and make him the right person for an FBI agent with a plan. Agent Mary Chang—cool, collected, and always under control—wants to go after Hidalgo, a murderous drug lord who has moved his operation from Mexico to a Wyoming canyon. In Roberto, Chang has found someone who can penetrate Hildago’s heavily guarded crime ranch. And she has found a man who can quickly take her to her own wild side.

Now, while Mary and his brother watch over him, Roberto goes to work for Hidalgo for the promise of a free pass from prison. But Roberto can’t stay with any script for long, and soon starts making up the game as he goes along. With Antonio sure that his brother is taking the ultimate death trip, and Chang guarding a secret of her own, the perfect plan starts to veer wildly off course. And no one is prepared for the dark forces that are about to engulf them—or the final betrayal that will send them to the dizzying heights and abysmal depths of love and loss. A novel that plunges like a knife, Crossing the Line is vintage McKinzie: brilliant, breathless, and utterly impossible to put down.

"A very good thriller: the series best so far."
   KIRKUS REVIEWS

Customer Reviews:

A Darker, Harder Anton.......2007-09-24

I have to wonder at the personal turmoils of an author when his work takes a sudden, dark turn. The Burns brothers I've come to love are back again, this time with wild brother Roberto having turned himself in after escaping prison, and now working with the feds in an operation to take down drug lord Jesus Hidalgo-Paez, known for brutally murdering informants and their entire families. `Berto's younger brother, Wyoming state agent Antonio Burns, is in on the operation, ostensibly to keep volatile Roberto in line. They get their spying station downriver from Hidalgo's compound set up and send Roberto, an old acquaintance of Hidalgo's, in to gather information to hopefully put him away for good.

Anton loses his objectivity almost immediately when he realizes the level of danger his beloved older brother is in. He has every right, however, when he learns the two feds running the operation have gone rogue and have sent his brother into harm's way without the permission of their superiors. Anton's every instinct is to pull Roberto out as fast as he can, but when they have difficulty obtaining a warrant, the feds push `Berto harder and put him at more risk instead.

What happens next sends Anton on a dark journey into the deepest parts of his soul, and we begin to see that the more straight-laced brother may be just as destraillado (unleashed, as their mother says) as the wild brother he always idolized. It is no wonder he goes there, as the very foundations of his life are shaken and he begins to open his eyes to things he did not want to see.

Though I cannot fault this novel for its darkness, which seems to reveal a deeper part of Anton's character, I found myself wishing I could reach into the book to give him a much-needed hug. Things will have to start looking up for the tougher, harder Anton in the next installment of the series, simply because he got taken so low this time out.

another fine thriller by Mckinzie.......2005-09-13

Excellent concept,excellent characters and very credible plot, until the very end.

Still a great read!

Can't Wait To Read The Next Installment!.......2005-07-12

Although I don't quite get the rock-climbing mystique, the two (anti-)heroes of the book, Antonio & Roberto Burns, are interesting enough to want to read more. The plots are essentially incidental to the relationship between these two polar-opposite brothers and their relationships with the law and justice. Although it is Antonio who is the de facto 'hero' of these books, it is his unpredictable, out-of-control, wildman brother who is the more fascinating character. I rated this book with 4 stars instead of 5 because of what happens to Roberto at the end, a fate far too extreme and unfair for the character I've come to appreciate. I can only hope that in "Badwater," the next installment, some of the horror visited on him can be reversed or mitigated so that he participates fully as a well-drawn and compelling character.

NOTE: I couldn't wait for months for Badwater to come down in price and ordered it full price from Amazon: the only book I've ever done so with, and for the reason that it begs to be read NOW! :)

HUH????.......2005-06-30

Once again an author ASSUMES we've read his/her previous books. This book started ... where? when? and so slowly. Who is the main character? What's his/her name? I have no clue where in the world these people were and certainly not what time frame. Present, future or past? I'm happy that the author is a rock climber, but I don't care. If I wanted to read a book about climing - I'd get one. This was supposed to be a mystery but there was nothing to suck me in and ask questions. I got to about page 30 and when the FBI lady started cleaning the bathroom, I gave up. I simply was not engaged enough to continue reading. I still didn't even know the main character name and quite frankly, didn't care. I mean, if you're on a secret mission and want to hide, why would you bring a dog? Hello, they bark!

deserves 10 stars!!.......2004-11-08

This book was SOOOO Awesome. Why there are only three reviews so far I do not know. I have read every book in this series and I have to say it is the best series I have ever read besides Patricia Cornwall's Kay series. I love Antonio Burns and in this book, I got to love his brother Roberto also. We were introduced to Roberto in previous books, but never got to know him well until this installment. This book was probably the best in the series, but they are all amazing. I will read this series again and again, and this is a book worth owning at hardcover price. The author is so talented in his writing that it blows you away. He makes everything so real and exciting that all you can do is read until the end and be disappointed that the thrill is over. This is one of those rare books that I became so involved in, not only the storyline, but the characters who are so well developed, that when I had to put it down to do something in "real" life I was in a fog and disoriented because my life had become Antonio Burn's life. I could not think of anything except getting back to the book. I can't wait until his next one. This story was more emotional than his others and it had me crying more than once and even laughing. I ADORED it. You will not be disappointed.

Women Composers And Music Technology in the United States: Crossing the Line

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Women Composers And Music Technology in the United States: Crossing the Line
Elizabeth Hinkle-turner
Manufacturer: Ashgate Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

History | Business & Culture | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0754604616

Aging and Disability: Crossing Network Lines

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Aging and Disability: Crossing Network Lines

Manufacturer: Springer Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Gerontology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Eldercare | Aging Parents | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0826155650

Book Description

There is a growing population at the intersection of aging and disability who increasingly rely on old community service systems for care; systems that currently cannot handle the increase in demand and the crossing of the care-boundaries that have been set-up between the aging and those with disability.

In response to this need, Michelle Putnam has edited this volume to reflect the current research and conferences, facilitate collaboration across service networks, and encourage movement toward more effective service policies. Professional stakeholders evaluate the bridges and barriers to crossing network lines, the 2002-2004 Missouri case study identifying facilitators and barriers to working across aging and disability service networks is included and examined, and a chapter on current websites, agencies, and coalitions provides the much needed tools to bring collaboration into practice.

Book Description

As W. E. B. DuBois famously prophesied in The Souls of Black Folk, the fiction of the color line has been of urgent concern in defining a certain twentieth-century U.S. racial “order.” Yet the very arbitrariness of this line also gives rise to opportunities for racial “passing,” a practice through which subjects appropriate the terms of racial discourse. To erode race’s authority, Gayle Wald argues, we must understand how race defines and yet fails to represent identity. She thus uses cultural narratives of passing to illuminate both the contradictions of race and the deployment of such contradictions for a variety of needs, interests, and desires.
Wald begins her reading of twentieth-century passing narratives by analyzing works by African American writers James Weldon Johnson, Jessie Fauset, and Nella Larsen, showing how they use the “passing plot” to explore the negotiation of identity, agency, and freedom within the context of their protagonists' restricted choices. She then examines the 1946 autobiography Really the Blues, which details the transformation of Milton Mesirow, middle-class son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, into Mezz Mezzrow, jazz musician and self-described “voluntary Negro.” Turning to the 1949 films Pinky and
Lost Boundaries, which imagine African American citizenship within class-specific protocols of race and gender, she interrogates the complicated representation of racial passing in a visual medium. Her investigation of “post-passing” testimonials in postwar African American magazines, which strove to foster black consumerism while constructing “positive” images of black achievement and affluence in the postwar years, focuses on neglected texts within the archives of black popular culture. Finally, after a look at liberal contradictions of John Howard Griffin’s 1961 auto-ethnography Black Like Me, Wald concludes with an epilogue that considers the idea of passing in the context of the recent discourse of “color blindness.”
Wald’s analysis of the moral, political, and theoretical dimensions of racial passing makes Crossing the Line important reading as we approach the twenty-first century. Her engaging and dynamic book will be of particular interest to scholars of American studies, African American studies, cultural studies, and literary criticism.

Customer Reviews:

Insightful, thought-provoking.......2001-04-20

As a student of literature, my interest in this book was mainly an attempt to broaden my horizons in the area of cultural study. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I found the book fascinating; particularly the chapter, "Mezz Mezzrow and the Voluntary Negro Blues." This was one of my favorite areas of the book, simply because it was so thought-provoking. Is "passing" possible? Can someone "become" something that they, biologically, are not? The reader will have to read for him or herself and then decide. Wald poses many interesting questions regarding identity -- what makes us who we are?

The question of "passing" can be applied to so many areas of our culture, and this book offers a starting point for anyone interested in cultural studies. The prose, while academic, is not overly dense or intimidating. The examples Wald utilizes cover run from a classic "Saturday Night Live" skit, traveling a wide range of other cultural phenomena from literature to music -- instances accessible and recognizable to the reader.

All in all, a very useful book, and well-written.

Average customer rating:

Also dissappointed

Overego'd Spoiled Brat!

Great promise as a driver does not make great reading

Ego Crazy Can't Stop Talking About How Great She Is.

Great role model - excellent read for young women

Danica--Crossing the Line
Danica Patrick , and Laura Morton
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Danica: A Photo Tribute to Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick: America's Hottest Racer

John Force: The Straight Story of Drag Racing's 300-mph Superstar

Janet Guthrie: A Life at Full Throttle

ASIN: 0743298144
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Book Description

"Writing this book is an opportunity to share my story of overcoming all the challenges of being the only girl successfully competing in a man's sport. For fourteen years, I have had to prove my skill as a driver and earn the respect of my competition through hard work, determination, dedication, and perseverance. I want to show anyone trying to succeed that anything is possible and that, though being a woman might describe me, it doesn't define who I am on or off the track."

Danica Patrick's life moves at 220 mph. She drives every race and lives every day like she has something to prove -- and she does. A 5-foot 2-inch,100-pound woman, Danica had to qualify a little quicker and race a little faster than the boys. And that was just to earn the respect she would otherwise be given if she weren't the "girl on the track, driving the princess mobile." She's had to defend herself, her skill, her ability, and her gender. But you don't get to be an IndyCar driver without talent and determination. Even the drivers who stay at the back of the pack are skilled and capable, but the back of the pack is the last place that Danica wants to be -- on the track or in life.

Danica is a small-town girl who had a big-boy dream and a family who helped her believe that anything was possible. She is living proof that if you work hard and aim high, you can do whatever you set your mind to, that you can rise to any challenge, and that what makes you different is what makes you great. Danica shares secrets and stories, tales from the track, and insights into her personal life that reveal the spirit and drive packed into this all-star athlete and woman.

From the exhilaration and freedom she felt when she stepped on the pedal of her first go-kart at age ten through her sensational rookie season that turned Indy racing on its head, Danica invites readers into her life. Danica takes us through her early racing years, competing against the boys she now beats as men, and her time in England, battling homesickness, insult, and injury. She talks about the support of the legendary Bobby Rahal, having the best crew in the league, and adjusting to the frenetic pace and attention of "Danica mania." Through all this, she's been blessed with a close-knit family and has been fortunate enough to find true love.

Danica competes on a man's level and in a man's sport like no other woman in sports ever has. This book details her extraordinary rise from a ten-year-old go-kart champion to a twenty-three-year-old Indy star, and her unique perspective on how to compete in life, how to stand out, and how to get the respect and attention we deserve.

Customer Reviews:

Also dissappointed.......2007-07-13

I like one of the previous reviewers was a great supporter of Danica and her accomplishments on the track. However, like he, I was also soured by the ego and general attitude and tone of her personality. Not as enthused about her as I was earlier

Overego'd Spoiled Brat!.......2006-12-29

I had been quite taken by Danica's exploits on the race track and thought getting some insight about her in this book would be interesting.

Instead I got a book written by a woman with an ego so huge as to almost be unbelievable. She has never won a race in any car series, yet she professes to be talented enough to be the best. Always complains that her losses are a result of inferior equipment.

She professes to owe a tremenous amount to Bobby Rahal for believing in her and giving her a chance, yet leaves his team for next year in hopes of again, "beter equipment." She quit racing in Europe when she felt she wasn't getting good enough equipment and says she hasn't contacted the people who sponsored her there since. Claims they told her maybe she should quit when she was frustrated with the equipment she was being provided. She took them up on it,not realizing that they were perhaps tired of her "poor me" attitude.

I think for someone who has never won a race, perhaps she should show some more loyalty and a little bit of humility.

This is unfortunate as I was really liking her racing and wanted to be a fan, but the book has soured me on her attitude.

Great promise as a driver does not make great reading.......2006-08-11

Danica Patrick is currently THE star and main attraction on the IRL racing circuit, being a 24 year old, good looking driver who shows great promise and who happens to be female. She is currently in her second season on the IRL, but despite several great finishes (including a rousing 4th place at the Indy 500 as a rookie in 2005), has yet to win in the IRL.

I saw "Crossing the Line" (219 pages) at my local library, and the curiosity factor was such that I simply had to pick it up. Danica tells her life story (such as it is, at age 24) and it's nice but simply does not make for great reading. The more interesting pages are when she explains her decision to do certain picture shoots that show off her femininity, for which she (rightly so) doesn't apologize (drawing the line at requests from Playboy and the like). But she doesn't have a lot of life experiences to share, and how could she, at age 24? This book was released in late April of this year, to coincide with (cash in on?) the build-up for the buzz of this year's Indy 500...

All that said, Danica, after teasing with jumping to the NASCAR circuit for 2007, has signed on with a new IRL team for next year, and whatever (big) money they are paying her, I'm here to tell you that she's underpaid, as she is almost single-handedly is keeping the IRL circuit from falling off the cliff. Danica shows great promise as a drive, and I'll be interested to see if she can fullfill those promises, but "Crossing the Line" is not a great book, and I'm being mild.

Ego Crazy Can't Stop Talking About How Great She Is........2006-07-15

I bought this book because I race.....at a much lower level. I was interested in how she came up in racing in Europe. In addition, she is good....rookie of the year is impressive.

However, I had to put the book down after about 20 pages because I could not stand to hear her talk any longer about how great she is. How unstoppable she is...how determined, bulletproof, supreme, brilliant, ultra talented. I was waiting to hear about her experiences coming up as a driver. But every topic change was another opportunity to tell me how incredible she is.
She is good, young, and hasn't won an Indy race yet. I'm sure an amount of confidence is required for a driver.....but she is over the top.

Great role model - excellent read for young women.......2006-05-29

This book is inspiring to all ages and is highly recommended to young women! You do not need to be a racing fanatic to enjoy this book. Danica Patrick is an amazing woman who sets an excellent example that any dream is possible if you have passion, stay focused on your goals and have a good support network. As I myself am a woman working in a male-dominated career, her descriptions of the challenges faced and what it takes to succeed are right-on target. The quantity of photos was a great extra as well as the diary entries. I liked that she responded to complaints by her critics. I gave it four stars because I would have enjoyed fewer inspirational quotes and more tangible details about her car, the typical day, her racing education, etc.

Crossing the Line: A Blue Jacket's World War II Odyssey

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One of The Best
A wonderful little book
A real page-turner!
A wonderful memoir of the life of a young Navy sailor during
A little-known modern classic

Crossing the Line: A Blue Jacket's World War II Odyssey
Alvin Kernan
Manufacturer: Naval Institute Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1557504555
Release Date: 2005-04-15

Amazon.com

Alvin Kernan, seeing no prospects in his native Wyoming, enlisted in the U.S. Navy in the spring of 1941. As a seaman on the U.S.S. Enterprise, he saw the destruction and smelled the fires still burning as the aircraft carrier returned to Pearl Harbor from maneuvers on the day after Japan's surprise attack. Years later he would see and smell much the same thing in Japanese harbors. In the time between, Kernan had some exceptional adventures, which are chronicled in Crossing the Line. This reflective memoir is utterly unpretentious in providing an engaging view of ordinary Americans at war. Leaving the grand historical themes for other writers, Kernan tells us what it was really like for the sailors in the fleet, during fierce combat as well as during some lively recreation.

Book Description

Crossing the Line is a classic coming-of-age account, it achieves the rarest possible right tone for looking back on the self at an earlier stage, less sophisticated, less knowledgeable, but with the essential characteristics in place without apology or impatience.

Customer Reviews:

One of The Best.......2006-02-15

Alvin Kernan has written one of the best books on WW2 I have ever read, and I've read a lot of them. His descriptions of his wartime experiences are crisp, vivid, and relevant.

If any of us are ever tempted to generalize in a negative way about sailors in the U.S. Navy, I suggest they read this book all the way to the end. What Kernan went on to do after the war is just as impressive as what he did while he served Uncle Sam.

A wonderful little book.......2005-12-30

Alvin Kernan was a 17-year-old from a poor family when he enlisted in the Navy in 1941. He was assigned to the carrier Enterprise and was aboard on Dec 7, 1941. He served aboard carriers most of the war, including a tour aboard the Hornet and he was aboard when she was sunk. He spent most of the time with the torpedo squadrons and gives a vivid account of the Battle of Midway. Most war histories are written by or about the leaders and it is unusual to find someone who was there for all the battles but who was seeing it all from the bottom up. After the war, he went to college on the GI Bill (as did I) and eventually ended his career as dean of the graduate school at Princeton. This is a vivid and knowledgeable account of the carrier war from one who was there and is a skilled writer. Anyone interested in the navy in World War II should read this book.

A real page-turner!.......2005-07-25

. When you think of an east coast university professor who specializes in the humanities--Shakespearean literature, in this case--you probably won't be visualizing someone who started adulthood by engaging in vicious aerial gunnery duels with Japanese fighters and otherwise living the stressful, profane, hazardous life of an enlisted sailor on three World War II aircraft carriers, one of which was sunk while he was aboard. Such is the case, though, with retired Yale professor Alvin B. Kernan, author of "Crossing the Line," one of the most interesting and often gripping sagas of navy life that I've read.
. The book came as a surprise to me, on two counts. One, I knew that Kernan had been an aviation ordnanceman on the USS Enterprise during the Battle of Midway, and later an aerial gunner. But I had very little notion of the depth of his wartime experiences, not only as an aircrewman but also in escaping the sinking of the USS Hornet in the Guadalcanal battles and in a harrowing deployment aboard the escort carrier USS Suwanee (CVE-27). Suffice to say in this short review that Kernan earned a Navy Cross, a DFC, and five air medals from inside the turret of a TBF Avenger!
. And two, I had previously read Kernan's fictitious account of the Battle of Midway, "Love and Glory," which I thought was interesting but flawed in a number of regards (see my review on Amazon). For that reason, I was a little dubious about reading "Crossing the Line." Would this be another "interesting but flawed" piece of work that would cause me to keep my red pen handy while I read it? No. Crossing the Line is simply outstanding. Anyone with an interest in WWII naval air action will also want to read this book. I highly recommend it. Yes, there are a couple of minor nits that a very knowledgeable historian might want to pick, but they are so insignificant as to be unworthy of mentioning here. "Crossing the Line" will not disappoint you. In fact, you'll probably find it hard to put down.
. (Reviewed by R. W. Russell, Battle of Midway Roundtable, www.midway42.org)

A wonderful memoir of the life of a young Navy sailor during.......2001-03-05

Alvin Kernan's "Crossing the Line: A Bluejacket's World War II Odyssey" is a wonderful memoir of the life of a young Navy sailor during World War II. Written in a humorous and sophisticated writing style, it provides the reader with a strong sense of what it was like for a young boy to leave his home and spend four years growing up in the midst of a war at sea. I am sure that Kernan's experience parallels that of my grandfather, who left rural Arkansas for the first time ever as a young 17-year old to take part in large Pacific invasions. If only young people today could understand the sacrifice and hard work that these young men faced. Kernan vividly makes his youth come to life with "Crossing the Line." A must read for avid readers of Navy and World War II subjects.

A little-known modern classic.......1999-12-23

The modesty and intelligence of this amazing book are equalled only by the gripping story it tells. One of the best memoirs of youth, war and manhood I have ever seen.

Crossing the Class and Color Lines: From Public Housing to White Suburbia

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The American Dream: Deferred no longer
Excellent review of the best experiment with integration
A good primer on Gautreaux

Crossing the Class and Color Lines: From Public Housing to White Suburbia
Leonard S. Rubinowitz , and James E. Rosenbaum
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0226730905

Book Description

From 1976 to 1998, the Gautreaux Assisted Housing Program moved over 7,000 low-income black families from Chicago's inner city to middle-class white suburbs—the largest and longest-running residential, racial, and economic integration effort in American history. Crossing the Class and Color Lines is the story of that project, from the initial struggles and discomfort of the relocated families to their eventual successes in employment and education—cementing the sociological concept of the "neighborhood effect" and shattering the myth that inner-city blacks cannot escape a "culture of poverty."

Customer Reviews:

The American Dream: Deferred no longer.......2003-02-12

The effect of environmental influences on individuals has long been debated by social theorists and is also a popular topic for literature (cf. Conrad's "Heart of Darkness"). These debates persist because it is usually impossible to decouple the effect of environment from confounding factors, such as income or educational attainment. Generally, it is not possible to conduct a controlled random experiment in which similar individuals are sent to different environments and their fates compared.

The Gatreaux project is such an experiment: poor black families of similar backgrounds were given the chance to move to either suburban or urban locations, and the results were dramatic. The Gatreaux project has thus captured national attention, having been featured on Oprah, the Today Show and in major publications such as the New York Times and the Economist.

Unlike most social programs, Gatreaux has universal political appeal: the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton administrations lauded the program's dramatic results on the lives of its participants, and used it as a model for housing projects nationwide.

The way that the program works is simple:
The Chicago Housing Authority designates a day on which Section 8 vouchers are distributed to the first N callers. On this day, the phone lines are jammed as tens of thousands of public housing residents scramble for a way out of the projects. Applicants are screened by very minimal standards --- basic apartment maintenance and lack of a serious criminal record --- and two-thirds of the applicants are accepted.

Successful applicants are offered a placement in either a city or suburban apartment unit. While candidates can turn down the offer, they know that they were already lucky to be given this opportunity and almost all accept the placement. The program is intentionally very low-profile: only a few participants are moved into each suburb in order to prevent "white flight" and residents move into private market apartment units and have no external markers of being on welfare.

The suburban and urban participants are initially identical: all were selected from the same pool of callers, and were randomly placed into private apartments in either suburban or urban locations. However, the suburban participants find their lives changed drastically by their moves.

While the urban participants mostly remain on the welfare rolls, their suburban counterparts are very likely to find employment and leave welfare. While the urban participants' children are likely to drop out of high school, their suburban counterparts are likely to graduate from high school and even college. In fact, Prof Rosenbaum relates that he met the daughter of a Gatreaux participant attending Northwestern University, where he teaches.

Rising from the desolation of the Chicago housing projects, Gatreaux has emerged as perhaps the single most successful American social program of the past fifty years.

This book is essential reading for people of all political views who dream of helping all citizens fulfill their dreams and the American Dream.

Excellent review of the best experiment with integration.......2001-01-13

In 1965, Black residents of public housing filed a civil rights suit alleging that public housing in Chicago was segregated. they won in 1969. This book tells (part of) the story of the 30 year struggle for relief which followed that victory.

Initially, the court ordered more (non-segregated) public housing built. That did not happen (at least for many years). This book focuses on the secodn remedy tried: the Section 8 mobility program, in which public housing residents were offered Section 8 housing subsidies (not otherwise available) in exchange for their agreement to relocate to white, middle class suburbs.

Admitting that the people who accepted this offer were both self-selected and carefully screened, the authors detail the generally positive effect these moves had on the participants, including much safer neighborhoods, generally better schools, and less racism than would be expected. Given this limited goal, the book covers its subject superbly.

The question which this book avoids is whether this experiment actually benefited the class of plaintiffs who brought the case--or whether it benefitted them more than other possible remedies. For example, what if each member of the class had simply been given cash--in an amount equal to whatever the government spent on the mobility and scattered site programs? What if all of the money had been spent on aggressive enforcement of housing discrimination laws? Similarly, the authors make no attempt to determine why most of the plaintiffs did not want to participate.

All in all, the book teaches some very valuable lessons about the positive effects of integration--proving the experts (Clark, et al) right who opined as long ago as Brown vs. Board of Education that segregation really does inflict harm on children.

Excellent read for anyone concerned about the issues of poverty and race.

A good primer on Gautreaux.......2000-07-27

This book is a good primer on the Chicago public housing desegregation lawsuit known as Gautreaux, and on the mobility program resulting from that lawsuit. Under the Gautreaux mobility program, thousands of families moved from low-income Chicago neighborhoods into white, middle-class suburbs. This book charts the progress of these suburban pioneers--both the good (e.g., safer communities and better schools), and the bad (e.g., isolation and racial harassment). The authors examine the results of studies conducted in the early and late 1980's, studies that focused on the issues of safety, social contacts, schooling, and jobs. The book shows just how radically the Gautreaux families' lives changed--and, for the most part, improved. In so doing, the authors debunk the "culture of poverty" myth--the notion that low-income African-American families are too dysfunctional to seize opportunities to improve their lives. Instead, argue the authors, low-income families can thrive in any "geography of opportunity"--any place where they find real opportunities to improve their lives. This book is best suited for advocates not already familiar with Gautreaux--to a large extent it repackages studies reported years ago. But it is an important book for the general public, and for policy makers who care about improving the lives of society's most vulnerable citizens.

Drunk Driving Laws: Rules of the Road When Crossing State Lines, 2nd Ed.

Average customer rating:

Don't Leave Home Without It

Drunk Driving Laws: Rules of the Road When Crossing State Lines, 2nd Ed.
Dennis A. Bjorklund
Manufacturer: Praetorian Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0967985218

Product Description

An expanded edition providing an excellent overview of every state's drunk driving laws, including what the state must prove to get a conviction, the statutory BAC level, how an arrest will impact your driving privileges, implied consent laws and how they impact driving, your right to a blood test, chemical testing requirements, and what the police are required to do when you are arrested.

Customer Reviews:

Don't Leave Home Without It.......2006-06-14

This is the most comprehensive book on the market to summarize the drunk driving laws of every state. No longer do I have to worry about the laws of each state when I am traveling. I know how much I can drink and still be safe to drive. I know the consequences, punishment, and legal requirements of the police. Everyone should keep a copy in their glove box. You never know when you might need it. I was amazed at how little I actually knew about my home state's drunk driving laws. It was an eye-opening experience to learn about the fines, length of driver's license suspension, and to know my legal rights. As I stated in my title, don't leave home without it. This is the BEST drunk driving book on the shelf!

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