Book Description
Karenna Gore Schiff's nationally bestselling narrative tells the fascinating stories of nine influential women, who each in her own way, tackled inequity and advocated change throughout the turbulent twentieth century.Ida B. Wells-Barnett, who was born a slave and fought against lynching; Mother Jones, an Irish immigrant who organized coal miners and campaigned against child labor; Alice Hamilton, who pushed for regulation of industrial toxins; Frances Perkins, who developed key New Deal legislation; Virginia Durr, who fought the poll tax and segregation; Septima Clark, who helped to register black voters; Dolores Huerta, who organized farm workers; Dr. Helen Rodriguez-Trias, an activist for reproductive rights; and Gretchen Buchenholz, one of the nation's leading child advocates.Gore Schiff delivers an intimate and accessible account of the nine trail-blazing women who deserve not only to be honored but to have their example serve as beacons.
Customer Reviews:
Lighting The Way: Nine Women Who Changed Modern America.......2007-08-03
This is a magnificent book, written by a brilliant and humanitarian author. It is well researched and documented, and it is very interesting and enlightening. Every person in our nation could benefit from reading this informative work. Thank you for this book!
Extraordinary women.......2006-11-10
Karenna Gore Schiff has done us a wonderful service with this book of women whose impact on American life has been profound. Her essays on the lives and contributions of these women are readable and enlightening. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them.
Excellent book.......2006-08-20
This is a beautifully written and captivating look at the lives of strong women who helped change the course of American history. I was extremely impressed by Karenna Gore Schiff's writing ability . All of the women profiled in this book are fascinating Americans and most of them are long overdue for this kind of a tribute. Schiff truly did her research and I was also interested in the information she shared about the strong women in her family--most notably her grandmothers. She dedicates the book to them.
I am disappointed!!!.......2006-04-06
Any college student can write a book as this-- I'd rather read an Encyclopedia!!!
Lighting the Way: Nine Women who Changed Modern America.......2006-03-17
I read about this book in the newspaper and bought it immediately as a birthday present for my daughter. When it came I started to read it and liked it very much. I didn't want to read the whole thing because I think it needed to be brand new for a gift.
Customer Reviews:
Worth it.......2007-10-01
This books illustrations tell a story within the story and is worth every penny spent.
wonderful!.......2007-08-25
Fantastic, amazing, stirring, engaging, empowering. I could go on... This book is a treasure & I am so glad to have it in our personal library. We bought this for my daughter and I thought it was so good I had to read it aloud to my husband that same night. Kadir Nelson is always spectacular in his illustrations, and he once again rises to the top in this book. The story is very moving, and with a few words it accomplishes the task of taking you inside the emotions and the questions, fears, and faith within Harriet Tubman's heart. I am extremely satisfied with this book & happy to give it to my daughter. I hope she shares it with her children some day.
Great Book .......2007-06-08
I am an elementary school teacher, mom of three and children's book lover. This book is visually enticing and a wonderful read. All of my children as well as my students loved it!
super good book .......2007-06-08
The cover says it all...and thanks to a great seller for fast shipping and smooth transaction!
Beautiful!.......2007-05-08
What I most appreciate about this book is the way it incorporates the role faith played in Harriet's life into the story of her leading daring escapes from slavery to freedom. Most of the history we learn in school attempts to secularize the truth about the people and events that we hold so dear, but this book does a phenomenal job in telling a more accurate, unbiased story of a remarkable woman. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson (who is GIFTED!!!!!), this is a welcome addition to any children's (or adult's, for that matter) library. I know am already collecting a slew of books
Product Description
Finally a complete manual for the Universal Pilates Reformer by San Francisco Pilates expert Ellie Herman. This guide is meant for Pilates trainers and fitness professionals as well as for Pilates aficianados who want a deeper understanding for their own practice. This book takes you through classic Pilates Reformer repertoire as well as introducing original exercises developed by Ellie Herman and her instructors over the last fifteen years. Included in this book are: step by step photo sequences, detailed descriptions of over 100 Reformer exercises, proper breathing and specific alignment cues, benefits and contraindications, rehabilitation applications and special tips and imagery.
Customer Reviews:
I like Ellie.......2007-03-02
I like this book and refer to it for Ellie's spin on things from time to time. A bit pricey (especially when Rael Isacowitz' book is now but something like $20 and pretty much rocks), but worth it I think. I also like the Pilates props book she wrote.
Wonderful information.......2006-08-24
As a recently certified pilates instructor I am constantly looking for information to aid in my learning experience. This book is a wonderful tool in my journey. Easy to read and understand I would recommend this to any instructor looking to add to their pilates library.
Average customer rating:
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Humanists and Reformers: A History of the Renaissance and Reformation
Bard Thompson
Manufacturer: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0802836917 |
Customer Reviews:
Thorough and Friendly.......2001-02-05
I have been reading sections of this book for a class in Church History that I am co-teaching this semester, and I love it. Thompson does an inspiring job at making each individual a "real person" for the reader, which is often hard to find in history texts. Also, his in-depth and thorough look at both movements and people never becomes pedantic or tiresome, but rather creates a greater context into which these elements truly make sense. His writing is reachable, clear, humorous - friendly to the casual and professional student of the Reformation. Highly recommended!
Book Description
What business entrepreneurs are to the economy, social entrepreneurs are to social change. They are, writes David Bornstein, the driven, creative individuals who question the status quo, exploit new opportunities, refuse to give up--and remake the world for the better. How to Change the World tells the fascinating stories of these remarkable individuals--many in the United States, others in countries from Brazil to Hungary--providing an In Search of Excellence for the nonprofit sector. In America, one man, J.B. Schramm, has helped thousands of low-income high school students get into college. In South Africa, one woman, Veronica Khosa, developed a home-based care model for AIDS patients that changed government health policy. In Brazil, Fabio Rosa helped bring electricity to hundreds of thousands of remote rural residents. Another American, James Grant, is credited with saving 25 million lives by leading and 'marketing' a global campaign for immunization. Yet another, Bill Drayton, created a pioneering foundation, Ashoka, that has funded and supported these social entrepreneurs and over a thousand like them, leveraging the power of their ideas across the globe. These extraordinary stories highlight a massive transformation that is going largely unreported by the media: Around the world, the fastest-growing segment of society is the nonprofit sector, as millions of ordinary people--social entrepreneurs--are increasingly stepping in to solve the problems where governments and bureaucracies have failed. How to Change the World shows, as its title suggests, that with determination and innovation, even a single person can make a surprising difference. For anyone seeking to make a positive mark on the world, this will be both an inspiring read and an invaluable handbook.
Customer Reviews:
great read on the subject of social entrepreneurs.......2007-02-20
I enjoyed reading this book because it reminded me of chicken soup where every chapter started a new story about someone.
A historical and biographical account of social entrepreneurial heros and heroines.......2006-03-02
I found it inspiring and at the same time intimidating to contemplate the brilliant, hardworking people who inhabit this book. All of them committed their lives, talents, and fortunes to tackle seemingly endemic and chronic social problems, starting small and eventually spreading their good works throughout their nations and even globally. I recommend the book for anyone trying to improve their communities' health and welfare.
Feel better about the world.......2006-02-25
The book has several good stories about good things going on in the world. It's mostly a collection of anectodal items on people in different countries and the challenges they faces. I was surprised on how sometimes such common sense ideas become revolutionary movements. Because the book covers so many countries and problem solvers you don't find out about the people that came before that failed. Its clear that these people are building on others but just now how.
The book is a great study of characteristics that shape a person to become a leader in a national or regional social justice movement. It is quite interestign how people from separate worlds and cultures have such similar traits.
I recommend the book to those that are looking for any broader discussion on leadership and social justice. We used this for our first book in a book club that we started and it was a good lead to other discussions.
A few good people . . ........2005-09-21
This account of one man's efforts to revise the defintion of "entrepreneur" demonstrates the capacity of what can be achieved from small beginnings. Bill Drayton has created a "consulting" firm that girdles the world. Creator and promoter of Ashoka, a foundation dedicated to social change, Drayton uses a highly selective arrangement to locate and encourage people desiring social change. Their efforts, rarely, if ever, depicted in either mainstream media or even specialty publications, are here explained and endorsed. As is Drayton's unorthodox methods. Yet those methods, and the people adapting them to local conditions, have been demonstrably successful. They need further study and application.
Drayton, through Bornstein's depiction, has redefined the term "entrepreneur" from its narrow economic framework into a broader and more flexible environment. Money "profit" is no longer the basis for evaluation. Instead, how widely can a new idea and its promoter[s] affect betterment of the people shunted aside by pure capitalism? Is the multinational the sole or even the major means for offering employment and economic gain? Must the values implied by major infusions of capital, often with restraints tied to the investment, be limited to what firms successful in developed countries decide? Drayton argues that instead of "top-down" economic structures, change for the better should come about by local initiative. How far this idea has spread is exemplified by the map opening the book. From Brazil to Bangladesh, people with drive, patience and talent have made, and are making substantive changes within their communities, regions and entire nations.
The book provides real examples of people who identified a problem, then set about to improve conditions that had come to be accepted by social inertia. His opening example, that of Fabio Ruiz of Palmares, demonstrates how effective one person can be. Ruiz, living in a depressed area in Brazil, discovered how greatly something most of us take for granted, electrical power, could influence a local economy. Ruiz observed the condition of the rice farmers in the state. A steady supply of water would allow growth of successful crops. Erratic natural supplies, often interdicted by highland farmers, meant turning to groundwater supplies. Groundwater means pumps and petrol-driven pumps were expensive. Ruiz instituted an inexpensive method of distributing electricity throughout the area. The farmers provided the minimal investment and performed much of the labour. As electrification spread, farmers produced steady crop returns, reaching a level that led to marketing co-ops and economic independence. The programme meant dealing with banks, bureaucracy and competiton. Ruiz and his associates doggedly promoted their success, finally seeing it adapted to other regions. It's an object lesson for many rural farmers in the developing world.
Drayton's methods require a draconian approach to assessing ideas, programmes and the people behind them. Once an idea is presented, the obstacles and restraints must be planned for. A good suggestion isn't enough. The people seeking Ashoka's support must demonstrate they can follow through and adapt to changing conditions or outright opposition. From Brazil, through Africa, into the Subcontinent of India and its neighbours, back through Europe and North America, his evalution teams are constantly assessing, inquiring, and selecting those individuals and their plans for improvement. Money, of course, must be stretched to the limit. Government funding is a bane to most NGOs, since too many conditions are generally tied to resource allocation. Drayton's entrepreneurs must demonstrate their proposals are good enough to use with local resources. Only that way can they be launched into a project with Ashoka support. These projects aren't limited to developing countries alone. Bornstein shows how these examples may be applied to any community feeling their social advancement is under restraint. The models are clearly spelled out in detail. The only thing lacking in your community is the individual who can clearly identify the problems and find innovative ways of implementing the solutions. Is that you? [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Not a "how to" but "how they did" change the world........2005-09-19
This book has 15 or so case studies on how people, all Ashoka fellows, made significant social impacts on their part of the world. It also spends a significant numbers of pages describing the Ashoka program itself; It is kind of a "cheerleader" for Ashoka which is less interesting than the case studies. The case studies are very detailed and give uninformed readers like me an understanding of how other people have created successful social programs that benefitted their society. If that is what you are looking for, I highly recommend this book.
Book Description
Vast and crowded, rich in irony and suspense, Middlemarch is richer still in character, with two of the era's most enduring characters, Dorothea Brooke, trapped in a loveless marriage, and Lydgate, an ambitious young doctor.
Download Description
On April 10, 1994, PBS stations nationwide will air the first episode of a lavish six-part Masterpiece Theatre production of Eliot's brilliant work, Middlemarch, hosted by Russell Baker and produced by Louis Marks. The Modern Library is pleased to offer this official companion edition, complete with tie-in art and printed on acid-free paper. Unabridged.
Customer Reviews:
A fun read and a good story.......2007-06-20
Remember the first time you read a classic, expecting it to be hard work, dreary "educational" stories, and abstruse language? And then you read it and found out to your delight that good writing meant it was easy to read and kept your interest? Middlemarch is simply fun to read. The language is high, and for some readers perhaps "wordy," but not the type of wordiness that has too many descriptions of things. It's thoughtful. Middlemarch is really an elevated soap opera, with completely filled out and amusing characters, angst filled situations, and lots of interesting history. If you like to read about the Victorian era, enjoy the repression they live under, and like to long for people to speak their hearts when they feel they can't, then you'll like this book. It is very long, but I always appreciate that when it's a good story, and this is definitely a good story.
Brilliant!.......2007-05-29
This one deserves 10 stars, it is really one of the most incredible books I've ever read. I think I've only given a brilliant rating to the Count of Monte Cristo and Bleak House. This is a fascinating character study of the people of Middlemarch, a town in Victorian England. I can't even begin to try to describe the story -- there is Dorothea who makes a dreadful first marriage to an older man, Dr. Lydgate and his disastrous relationship and marriage to the self-centered Rosamund, Fred Vincy and Mary, and much much more.
The way the author pulls her story and characters together is incredible, and the insight into the characters is nothing short of brilliant. To quote from the book jacket and Virginia Wolf "one of the few English novels written for grown-up people."
Just be warned, this is not a sit on the edge of your seat, can't put it down until it's finished type of novel. This is a story to savour and enjoy the multi-faceted characters and the author's glorious prose like a fine red wine or a box of chocolates (or both). If you are looking for high action and adventure, this is not the book for you. Highly recommended for any lover of 19th century English literature, not as dark and brooding as Hardy can be, but the prose is just as lovely, if not better.
too much for me.......2007-05-13
I am an avid reader of many different types of literature, and am used alot of different styles of prose. Despite my past readings however I simply could not enjoy this book. It has a style all of itself. Perhaps other readers enjoyed this highly rated novel, but I did not care for the overall style and the excessive wordiness.
Best Victorian Novel?.......2007-04-13
Most people consider Dickens the greatest English novelist or the greatest Victorian novelist at the very least. While I admire Dickens' abilities, none of his novels that I've read comes close to MIDDLEMARCH in terms of accessibility, wisdom, character development or coherant plotting.
This is not to argue that MIDDLEMARCH is a perfect work of literary art, or at least not in the eyes of today's readers. Many a modern reader will be put off by its length, the challenging vocabulary and complex sentences, Eliot's frequent allusions to political, religious, literary, artistic and philosophical esoterica, her characters' hyperbolic fear of "scandals" (laughable by today's standards), their views on the place of women in society, and Eliot's fussy Victorian "not" phrases that overflow throughout. (A random turn of the pages yields the following examples: "One fine morning a young man whose hair was not immoderately long ...." Same paragraph: "He was sufficiently absorbed not to notice ...." Next paragraph: "... a breathing blooming girl whose form, not shamed by ....") These begin to NOT thrill the reader before too long.
But my litany of minor criticisms aside (and they are minor), Eliot's masterwork certainly challenges GREAT EXPECTATIONS, BLEAK HOUSE and DAVID COPPERFIELD for sheer reading pleasure, and far exceeds Dickens' novels in seriousness of topic and tone. As Virginia Woolf famously observed, MIDDLEMARCH was written for grownups.
The one area in which Eliot clearly cannot challenge Dickens is humor. Dickens was a gifted humorist and created many a character simply to make his readers laugh, whereas Eliot appears to have been mostly uninterested in such trivial pursuits. Perhaps serious Victorian grownups weren't supposed to laugh?
But fear not, if you give it a chance, you too will be swept up into Eliot's MIDDLEMARCH world, and you will find yourself caring a great deal about the fate of Dorothea Brooke, Tertius Lydgate, Will Ladislaw, Mary Garth, and the rest of her pantheon of characters, all of whom, far more than any of Dickens' creations, seem of flesh and blood rather than caricatures on a page.
So, to answer the title question: is MIDDLEMARCH the best Victorian novel? Hard to say, but it gives GREAT EXPECTATIONS an excellent run for the money.
High on my lengthy soon-to-read list: Eliot's DANIEL DERONDA, THE MILL ON THE FLOSS and ADAM BEDE.
One of the Greatest Novels.......2007-01-29
George Eliot was the greatest sculptor of characters. She could do grand magic with words. Through the words of George Eliot, we know each and everyone of the characters in her novel with intimate details and deep sympathy - we could see their faces up close: now they blushed, or darkened, or twitched, or pouted, or lighted up, or looked bewildered. She expressed the most difficult, the most ambiguous, and the most awkward feelings with precision, charm and force. In Middlemarch, the story had a simple, rambling plot, put together to support the cast of characters Eliot lovingly sculpted. Many argue that Middlemarch is one of the greatest novels of all times. Yes, I agree.
Amazon.com
By age 6, Waris Dirie was herding her family's sheep and goats, fending off hyenas and wild dogs as the family carved a path through Africa. She was just twice that age when she ran off into the vast furnace of the Somali desert to escape an arranged marriage to a much older man. Traveling for days without food and water, she made her way to Mogadishu and later to London as a servant to her uncle, the Somalian ambassador. There she wrestled with culture shock and got her first taste of the modeling life that eventually brought her into the public eye. Dirie is resilient, having survived drought, hunger, and the ritual female genital mutilation that marks a step toward womanhood among some traditional Moslems but, argue critics, steals or ruins many girls' lives. "As we traveled throughout Somalia," says Dirie, "we met families and I played with their daughters. When we visited them again, the girls were missing. No one spoke the truth about their absence or even spoke of them at all." As a special ambassador to the United Nations, Dirie has spoken out loudly on this subject and championed environmental causes, too. How much of her sometimes breathless story is gospel truth and how much embellished is hard to say. Like Dirie herself, though, the combination is intriguing, powerful, and unique. --Francesca Coltrera
Book Description
Waris Dirie leads a double life -- by day, she is an international supermodel and human rights ambassador for the United Nations; by night, she dreams of the simplicity of life in her native Somalia and the family she was forced to leave behind. Desert Flower, her intimate and inspiring memoir, is a must-read for anyone who has ever wondered about the beauty of African life, the chaotic existence of a supermodel, or the joys of new motherhood.
Waris was born into a traditional Somali family, desert nomads who engaged in such ancient and antiquated customs as genital mutilation and arranged marriage. At twelve, she fled an arranged marriage to an old man and traveled alone across the dangerous Somali desert to Mogadishu -- the first leg of an emotional journey that would take her to London as a house servant, around the world as a fashion model, and eventually to America, where she would find peace in motherhood and humanitarian work for the U.N.
Today, as Special Ambassador for the U.N., she travels the world speaking out against the barbaric practice of female genital mutilation, promoting women's reproductive rights, and educating people about the Africa she fled -- but still deeply loves.
Desert Flower will be published simultaneously in eleven languages throughout the world and is currently being produced as a feature film by Rocket Pictures UK.
Customer Reviews:
African Princess.......2007-10-10
This book was both heart wrentching and inspiring. It was a beautiful story. I would like to use this book in class. I think it should be a mandatory read for everyone. This woman has become my hero. I plan on reading all her other books as well.
Still a good read.......2007-08-13
I had read an excerpt from this book years ago and when I saw that I could purchase it, I jumped at the chance. It really is a good book and I would recommend it to others to read. If you'd like an even better book, but along the same lines, I would strongly recommend Slave by Mende Nazer.
A Survivor .......2007-07-12
Waris Dirie and Cathleen Miller take the reader through an awakening of one young woman - a desire for a safer life, an exciting escape, difficult journey to a new world, the pain of creating and the rewards of a new life, and still the reader is reminded of the necessity to understand that this is a true story of events taking place - right now - injustices - unspoken until this book. A read for all especially to remind women of the world that, collectively we can move forward to a safer life.
VERY GOOD AND EASY READ.......2007-07-06
I really enjoyed the Desert Flower by Waris Dirie. I look forward to reading her other books!!!!
Read this book and think about it.......2007-07-03
I might have seen Waris Dirie in many magazines over the years, advertising make-up or clothes, a stunning supermodel. Flicking through those pages, without a second thought, really shows how many times we can be fooled by appearances. There's a story beyond any of us and who would have thought that that lovely, proud African lady had such an incredible, painful one to recount.
This is a difficult book to read, not because of its prose, but for its contents, especially the ones related to the female genital circumcision. What Waris had to endure and her accomplishments in life later on, after her escape from native Somalia, are something quite amazing. She is currently an Ambassador for the UN, focusing on the fight against FGC in Africa and in the Western World.
This is a book that will often make you stare into space, trying to come to terms with the reality that Waris describes. It is not, however, written in hatred or spite. The love for her native country and for her family is there, so strong, despite everything. This book is an eye-opener and an educational one, as well as an autobiography.
Amazon.com
Twelve-year-old Craig Kielburger, upset by a newspaper article about the forced slavery and subsequent murder of a child in Pakistan, began in 1995 to research worldwide injustice against children. Armed with the disturbing facts, he convinced friends at his Canadian grade school to form a group to advocate for children's rights. With world-changing zeal, Free the Children gathered information, wrote world leaders, and led conferences on the issue with other youth. Kielburger himself was given the opportunity to accompany a human rights worker through cities in South Asia.
The young man witnessed shocking abuse from which most middle-class Western children have been carefully shielded: he met an 8-year-old girl whose job was to recycle bloody syringes without gloves or other protection, children in a factory working with extremely hazardous materials to provide fireworks for a Hindu religious celebration, and children sold for sex on urban streets. On returning to his home in Canada, Kielburger bore witness to what he had seen and asked a simple, devastating question: "If child labour is not acceptable for white, middle-class North American kids, then why is it acceptable for a girl in Thailand or a boy in Brazil?"
Free the Children is now a powerful organization in support of the world's youth, and this book is sure to be a call to further action--certainly for all young people, and perhaps for many adults who have previously felt hopeless about the possibility of ending abusive child labor and poverty. "We simply do not believe that world leaders can create a nuclear bomb and send a man to the moon but cannot feed and protect the world's children," says the author. "We simply do not believe it." --Maria Dolan
Book Description
In April 1995, twelve-year-old Craig Keilburger opened the daily paper and began to search for the comics page, as usual. But that day, his morning ritual was interrupted when an article about a boy his own age caught his eye.
It was the story of a Pakistani child who, at the age of four, was sold into slavery by his parents. For the next six years, he was shackled to a carpet loom, tying thousands upon thousands of tiny knots, twelve hours a day, six days a week. For this he was paid three cents a day. Amazingly, his will was never broken; he escaped and began efforts to reveal the horrors of child labor. But when this courageous twelve-year-old began to gain international attention, and Pakistani carpet manufacturers began to lose orders, he was shot and killed.
That morning, Craig's life was changed forever. To find out more about child labor, he contacted human rights organizations around the world, and with a small band of his friends from school he formed Free the Children--his won human rights organization. In the weeks that followed, Free the Children took off, fueled entirely by the efforts and enthusiasm of children Craig's own age.
Soon Craig decided that he had to see firsthand the working conditions of South Asian children. At the time he was not even allowed to take the subway alone, but he convinced his reluctant parents to let him fly halfway around the world. For seven weeks, in the company of a young human rights worker named Alam Rahman, Craig journeyed through the world of slums, sweatshops, and back alleys where so many of the children of South Asia live in servitude, often performing the most menial and dangerous of jobs.
In his travels through Bangladesh, Thailand, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, Craig witnessed the shocking variety and extent of child labor, and was transformed from a typical, middle-class kid into an activist. In New Delhi and Islamabad he created a sensation--and learned something of the power of the media--when he famously crossed paths with Canada's Prime Minister Jean Chrtien, who was touring Asia with the "Team Canada" trade mission. By the time Craig returned home, he and the young people of Free the Children had gained an international profile.
Free the Children is a passionate and astounding story. It chronicles the continuing journey of one remarkable young activist--and it is a moving testament to the power that children and young adults have to change the world.
The extraordinary journey of "The Most Powerful Kid in the World"
Craig Keilburger--and the human rights organization he founded at age twelve--have made headlines around the globe and have brought unprecedented attention to the worldwide abuse of children's rights.
Free the Children is the dramatic and moving story of Craig's transformation from a regular middle-class kid from the suburbs to an activist fighting on behalf of child laborers on the world stage of international human rights.
Customer Reviews:
Quality of writing is mediocre, topic is excellent.......2007-05-02
There are parts of the book that are clearly written in the immature style of a teenager (colloquial speech) and parts that have been edited so much that they seem to come from an entirely different person. The overall book is choppy in terms of style, although the organization is excellent.
I would have preferred that the author articulate more clearly his emotions that accompanied his experiences. I would have hoped that his editor/professional writing mentor would have worked on making the story more compelling. I was a bit sad to get to the end of the book and not feel inspired. I felt like it was an "interesting story," but inspirational--not quite.
The captions below the photos should either not exist or tell additional information that is not contained in the text. I was annoyed to read a summary statement below the photo that I had just read on the previous pages.
It would be a good leisure read for high school students (or anyone for that matter), although as an example of good quality writing, I wouldn't suggest it.
An Incredible Journey.......2007-01-09
The Kielburger story is one of an incredible journey that he took as a twelve year old to explore the problem of child labor. The "journey" has continued since then into his discovery of the problem all over the world, in addition to his solution through his organization. They build schools, spread awareness through lectures (and their website www.freethechildren.com), inspire young leaders through their programs, and so much more. This is a story that needs to be told over and over again to whomever in hopes that the world can work together to "Free the Children" all over the globe. Get this book and pass it on to any one and make sure they pass it on....
Enlightening.......2006-12-06
A wonderful book that will give you a firsthand account of the situation surrounding child labor in South East Asia.
I love the Me to We Philosophy.......2006-11-02
Craig and Marc's stories are so amazing. I used to think that I can't make a difference in the world because I am only 14 years old. This book taught me that even the smallest of actions can create a ripple that affects more people than I can ever imagine. The ideas in this book are really quite simple, but when articulated so clearly by Marc and Craig, it just makes so much sense.
The Best book.......2005-07-22
Craig Keilburger is an amazing man and is one of the Worlds greatest heroes. I have learned more from this book then any in the whole world. Even Social Studies!
Average customer rating:
- Not as entertaining as Lynsay Sand's other books.. *Spoilers Warning*
- A pleasant surprise
- Hillarious
- This one is funny!
- Hmmm.....
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The Reluctant Reformer
Lynsay Sands
Manufacturer: Dorchester Publishing Company
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ASIN: 0843949740 |
Customer Reviews:
Not as entertaining as Lynsay Sand's other books.. *Spoilers Warning*.......2007-09-01
Echoing a few other reviewers, this book seems to lack the appeal of her other books (Love Is Blind, The Switch, etc.). I read the whole book through, but only because I usually stick with things to see how they end... Maybe it's because I started this book off with higher expectations, but it seemed bland to me. I couldn't get pulled into the attraction between the James and Maggie. Not until the intimate scene (where you usually get pulled in no matter what!) which is past the halfway mark in the book, and even after that, it wasn't that interesting.
James is a lord who was best friends with Maggie's late brother. With his last dying breath, Maggie's late brother requested James and another of his friends to watch over Maggie for him. Maggie, on the other hand, is an independent young woman who took up her brother's pen name (G.W. Clark) in order to write articles so that she could garner income for the house she inherited from her brother and the family's devoted servants. It seems like Maggie is the sort of woman to get into a lot of crazy antics for her articles, such as visiting brothels, gambling hovels, etc. I think Lynsay Sands decided to use this characteristic to add to the humor of Maggie, but instead of making me laugh like Ms. Sands usually does, Maggie's antics made me think of her as a stupid, silly woman. For example, there is a part in the book where Maggie's life is threatened by some unknown man. Maggie endures an incident where she is beaten and very badly bruised by this man and left to die in a burning house. After she recovers from this very traumatizing incident, she sneaks back out (even after promising to James that she would not) and gets herself into trouble again. After many of her antics, there's this phrase that Maggie says or thinks to herself that really irks me for some reason and it's something like.. "Only you Maggie. Only you.." It's repeated often throughout the book and I just can't stop myself from rolling my eyes every time she says that to herself.
Also, like previously noted, the romantic tension in the first half of this book seems to be non-existent. Honestly, I admire books that can keep my interest with the typical romantic tension, but I really didn't feel this book had anything to offer to keep me reading..only my own will to finish a book kept me going.
I've always enjoyed Lynsay Sands's style of writing, even in this book, and I still highly recommend her, as most of the books I have read of hers has been very refreshing, comedic, and fun. :)
A pleasant surprise.......2007-06-17
Lynsay Sands' THE RELUCTANT REFORMER is a pleasant surprise, and the first novel I've really enjoyed since Hoyt's THE LEOPARD PRINCE. Carving her own mold in the congested realm that is Regency Romance, Sands' THE RELUCTANT REFORMER underscores the story of Lady Margaret "Maggie" Wentworth, prone to comical messes of her own making. The plotting and characterizations manage to strike a fresh appeal, slightly different from what I'm used to in romance novels.
After THE SEDUCER and A KISS TO REMEMBER, I was happy to read a plausible male characterization minus the over-the-top pining common to this genre. THE RELUCTANT REFORMER actually recognizes how stupid guys are in matters love. Often times, guys fail to comprehend the emotion themselves, much less admit to the heroine that they love her. That isn't to say THE RELUCTANT REFORMER's hero James Huttledon, Lord Ramsey, doesn't show emotion or a sensitivity, he does finally verbalize the words. But thankfully, his journey to arrive at that point doesn't emasculate him, and doesn't leave him as the lovesick feminine lapdog we find in Medeiros romances, for example.
The book's tone is often humorous, the romance passionate, and the plotting dealing with our heroine's career as a journalist uncovering scandals, and landing herself in the most compromising situations in the process, equal parts funny and interesting. Thankfully, the book doesn't feature interminable passages of introspection, either from the hero or heroine thinking of the other. Maggie's adventurous escapades reign supreme. The romance and Maggie's adventurous escapades seemed to mesh, which was good. The ending, thankfully, was nicely crafted and good.
There are two reasons I didn't rate this book higher. One, I found that the book dragged at places throughout. In the beginning, Maggie trying to escape the brothel was a bit protracted, without adding anything to the setting. But the events and plotting were fresh enough to keep me interested. Later, the book is especially stretched out when Maggie flees the Ramsey estate and rushes into the nearby forest only to be discovered by Lord Ramsey's neighbor and friend. Similarly, later parts of the novel seemed to drag without much really happening. Still, Sands maintains a humorous, fresh tone throughout. Secondly, similar to the beginning of Hoyt's THE RAVEN PRINCE, I thought the book could have done without the railing against men. Maggie and James' aunt bonded over the feminist topic.
The Story, possible SPOILERS.
The book primarily features Lady Margaret "Maggie" Wentworth's tendency to find herself in the most compromising, silly messes, usually messes of her own making. I'm reminded of actor Ben Stiller's MEET THE PARENTS where he has the worst kind of luck, trying to fix things but making the situation worse. Twenty-five year-old Lady Margaret finds herself alone in the world after her brother dies from the Napoleonic wars, and she's left to fend for herself and the servants she adores. She's very close with her servants, and doesn't want to sell her brother's beloved town home in London, albeit an affair one to run. She decides to continue her brother's clandestine yet profitable career as the journalist G.W. Clark writing for the Daily Express and uncovering major -- but dangerous -- scandals.
The story begins in a brothel where Maggie is interviewing prostitutes and the Madame of the establishment for a new article. Lord Ramsey, James Huttledon, fought in the war with Maggie's brother, and promises to look after Maggie after Maggie's brother dies saving James. James hires detectives and Bow Street runners to tail Maggie and figure out how she's able to stay afloat financially, running her expensive town home and its many servants. When the runner reports Maggie's last appearance at the brothel, James and the runner draw all the wrong conclusions, mistaking Maggie's profitable career as a prostitute.
James heads over to the brothel to find Maggie in sheer and scantily-clad clothing and kidnaps her from the licentious establishment. James imprisons Maggie at his country estate at Ramsey for safekeeping, hoping to convince Maggie of a change in career and prevent her from returning to a life in prostitution. Humorous exchanges ensue as James misinterprets Maggie's responses to his pointed questions ("You enjoy it?!" "Yes!"). Neither speak plainly about what career each has in mind and Maggie thinks James is asking about her employment as a journalist while James is actually inquiring about her career as a prostitute (which she's not, of course).
The halfway point of the novel clears up the misunderstanding, returning both Maggie and James to London. The second half of the novel finds Maggie as the target of many attempts on her life. It would appear Maggie requires a change of occupation after all, as her innocuous career uncovering scandals turns deadly. The plotting in the second half shares time between the mystery behind the attempts on Maggie's life and a flourishing romance/passion between Maggie & James. Both are related and interwoven nicely. As she continues to find herself in the worst situations, poor Maggie gets beat up and shot in the second half. James rehires the runners to protect and investigate who is behind all of this, but can't bring himself to abduct her again for her own safety. She's pretty mad at him to begin with.
The book concludes satisfactorily, and it looks like I'll have to check out other Lynsay Sands novels in the future.
Hillarious.......2006-09-29
This book is quite comical but at times quite predictable. When Gerald dies saving Lord James life in war, James promises to look after his sister Maggie. James hires a bow street runner to track down Maggie and finds her in a brothel. James mistakenly believes Maggie to be Lady X, a famous prostitute believed to be a member of the nobility who has fallen on hard times. Maggie has indeed fallen on hard times, she was left a townhouse and a house full of servants to support with little income. She must go to work to provide for all the servants, she refuses to turn any of them out as most have been with her family for years. However, Maggie is not a prostitute she is the infamous article writer GW Clarke and is at the brothel to gather research for a new article. James kidnaps Maggie and takes her to his country estate hoping to reform her and convince her to leave her notorious profession. For the first half of the book, James believes her to be a prostitute and Maggie thinks he is outraged over her being a writer. James Aunt Viv arrives for a visit and finds James and Maggie in a very compromising position in the library. The truth of Maggie's identity comes out and angered over his perception of her, Maggie leaves James' house and returns to London. After her return to London, several attempts are made on Maggie's life and it becomes obvious she angered someone with her articles and needs to be protected. OF course, James volunteers and takes her to his London home. James and Maggie are once again caught in a compromising position and James asks Maggie to marry him.
This is a really cute story, but not very realistic. Maggie would have been ousted from society after the first of her antics had this occured in the 19th century. It's still a fun story though.
This one is funny!.......2006-09-19
The heroine may act silly; but, didn't we all when we were young (or maybe we still do stupid things). She is impulsive and I can relate to her. This is a fun book to read and very elementary if you don't try to 'anal'yze it to death. I am now reading 'The Perfect Wife' and find Ms. Sands books a refreshing change much like Jillian Hunter's books. Remember these 'girls' were/are a product of their society and era.
Hmmm............2006-02-08
Perhaps this was the wrong book to start reading Lynsay Sands, but I just couldn't get into the book. In fact, I largely skipped through the last half. Don't get me wrong! It started out with such promise, but I slowly started to REALLY dislike the heroine, I mean for God's sake, how many times can you be almost "accidently" killed - and her half*ssed attempt at escape was truly insulting. Again, perhaps this was just a hiccup in the Lynsay Sands book collection - but a heads up to other readers who maybe aren't into the defenseless heroine schtick - BUY IT USED!!!
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Leaders from the 1960s: A Biographical Sourcebook of American Activism
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Book Description
The throngs at Woodstock, Jane Fonda in Hanoi, "I Have a Dream," burning draft cards, fire in the streets--these images of the 1960s are still very much alive today. What happened to the people and principles that dominated that decade? Which leaders from those turbulent years had the most lasting effect on our lives today? How well have the principles for which those leaders fought so strongly withstood the test of time? This thought-provoking biographical dictionary allows the reader to study the leaders, both conservative and liberal, their ideals, and their enduring influence. With major sections on racial democracy, peace and freedom, sexuality and gender, the environment, radical culture, and visions of alternative societies, Leaders from the 1960s includes entries on a wide selection of nationally prominent activists of the 1960s. In addition to those who dominated only the sixties, the volume includes earlier activists who came into prominence in the 1960s and activists of the era who came into prominence since the 1960s. Each entry provides a biographical sketch, but the focus of the entries is on the person's basic concepts or the essence of his or her work and the public response it generated. Included are extensive bibliographies on the individuals and the period.
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- LL Cool J's Platinum Workout: Sculpt Your Best Body Ever with Hollywood's Fittest Star
- Lotto How to Wheel a Fortune, Third Edition
- Macromedia Flash Professional 8 Game Development
- Magic Item Compendium (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
- Managing Ignatius: The Lunacy of Lucky Dogs and Life in New Orleans
- Mao's Last Dancer
- Masters of War (Mechwarrior: Dark Age, No. 25)
- Meaning, Medicine and the 'Placebo Effect' (Cambridge Studies in Medical Anthropology)
- Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time: The Historical Jesus and the Heart of Contemporary Faith
- Mysterium Paschale: The Mystery of Easter
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