Book Description
"I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. . . . I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened." In Donald Miller's early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately left him feeling empty, burned out, and, once again, far away from God. In this intimate, soul-searching account, Miller describes his remarkable journey back to a culturally relevant, infinitely loving God.
Customer Reviews:
Good, but hypocrytical . . ........2007-10-11
As a Christian who frequently finds sustaining spirutuality in more resources than just the bible, I enjoyed this book some of the time.
Miller is dead on in his assertion that "the Church" and from that really all Christians, need to re-connect with the example of Christ's love, especially with regards to those whom Christians don't mingle with on a daily basis (at least my "daily basis" anyway).
His hypocrisy ruins it for me, though. It seemed like every time things were warming up about "loving others", Miller would drop some hugely critical comment about Republicans, fundamentalists, evangelicals, etc. I get it that these people aren't necessarily his cup of tea. However, if we are to accept, and adopt, Christ's example of love, it's all inclusive.
Loving only the less fortunate doesn't count; Christ loves all of us. And if Miller is going to write with integrity about emulating and expanding that love in our own lives, he can't pick and choose whom to love and not to love. In short, he falls in to the very trap he accuses "the Church" of living in.
And the hypocrisy of that makes it difficult to take his message seriously, at least for me.
With all that said, I am sending a copy of the book to an atheistic friend. You never know!
Miller's faith perspective rings true.......2007-10-10
Get Real: a spiritual journey for men
Blue Like Jazz is a beautifully written book that requires the reader to think honestly about issues of faith. Miller has moved well beyond the posturing and pretense that characterize too much of Christian apologetics. It's impossible to read Miller without being struck by his disarming candor and honest self-examination. Rather than introduce doubt, Miller makes sense, and he makes a strong case for a Jesus who is real and interactive in the world today. Like journalist Derek Maul's "Get Real: a spiritual journey for men," (2007) Blue like Jazz presents the Gospel as engaging, incisive, and deeply authentic.
Inspired Me to Read His Other Books.......2007-10-08
Blue Like Jazz is a sort of meditation on Don Miller's spiritual life so far (he's in his early 30s), sprinkled with a little Christian apologetic told by narrative rather than by theories or "spiritual laws" (Miller's "Search for God Knows What" is more along the lines of an apologetic though). Miller's writing style is accessible and easy, though he's prone to meditative tangents on the nature of God or faith or creation that may annoy the less religiously-inclined reader. Miller has a lot of credibility in the so-called emerging church movement for his narrative approach (and probably for his decidedly left wing politics), but his religious beliefs themselves come across as pretty standard evangelical Christian, which I was a little surprised by. It's not heavy theology by any means, and there's a lot of raw meat in Miller's book for the internet's theology attack dogs to tear apart, but the books resonated with me. After reading "Blue Like Jazz," I was inspired to read Miller's "Searching for God Knows What" and "Through Painted Deserts." My favorite moment in the book was the "reverse confession booth," where the campus Christians confessed the sins of the church to astonished students. For a new spin on evangelical Christianity, check out "Blue Like Jazz."
Re-thinking my original opinion.......2007-10-06
I am actually re-reading this book because I got so much out of it during my first read. I may have made a mistake by reading all these negative reviews here, but I'm finding I agree with some of them to an extent. It's funny because I am seeing both sides here, both good and bad, about the book. Yes, some of the stuff he wrote about is a little self-obsessed, but some of the stuff he wrote sparked real passion in me and furthered my relationship with God. I think I just had a moment of realization (an epiphany, if you will) that you cannot take ANYONE'S word for anything, except God's. This is just more proof to me that people, no matter who they are or what their intentions or how close to Christ they are, can lead you astray. To conclude; read the book (it has some good stuff in it), take from it what you will, and trust God with all your heart.
Offensive to jazz fans!.......2007-09-30
Donald Miller, I'd like you to take out the sheet music of Mood Indigo, which I'm sure you've studied extensively, and show me where it doesn't resolve--I think that harmonically it's one of the perfect all time pieces of music, and it resolves better than a lot.
Maybe he's talking about free jazz or bop or post bop or modal jazz or something, but I'm not sure he actually knows what those terms mean. It sounds to me like he's heard a couple of jazz songs at some point and decided that this makes him an expert. Yeah, man, he was turned on to this stuff by Tony, his beat poet buddy, man. Oh, that is so hip!
But even if you're saying on a technical level that jazz music, in some of its more far-flung explorations, abandons established notions of harmony, melody, rhythm and tonality, it can always be explained. You can always notate it, analyze it, study it, and explain it. You can break it down to vibrations traveling through the air and you can know exactly what those vibrations are doing.
You can't do that with Christian spiritual notions, because they're based on assertions of faith that require you to abandon the desire for statements of fact to be proved. It's cute, Donald Miller, for you to say that you're just not interested anymore in the intellectual/theological aspects of Christianity, but it's stupid and ignorant for you to use jazz as a point of comparison. Jazz musicians know exactly what they're doing and they can explain it to you in minute detail, and yes, they could write it down if they wanted to. It's not just getting up in front of people and blowing some BS through your instrument. That's what YOU are doing in your spirituality. Jazz music requires training, education, rigorous practice and relentless creativity. What you do requires a huge capacity for BS and evasive, circular arguments. Guess which one I respect more.
Any jazz solo can be studied note for note, analyzed, and explained. And the person who performed that solo can you tell what choices they made at every point and why, and they can base that on established musical concepts. Once you get to that point, it isn't mysterious anymore, but it is beautiful and special in a way that your unfounded, frightened faith can never be.
Book Description
Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee’s family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans.
Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter. For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor while hundreds of machete-wielding killers hunted for them.
It was during those endless hours of unspeakable terror that Immaculee discovered the power of prayer, eventually shedding her fear of death and forging a profound and lasting relationship with God. She emerged from her bathroom hideout having discovered the meaning of truly unconditional love—a love so strong she was able seek out and forgive her family’s killers.
The triumphant story of this remarkable young woman’s journey through the darkness of genocide will inspire anyone whose life has been touched by fear, suffering, and loss.
This is Immaculee’s first book.
Customer Reviews:
A Life Giving Antidote to Self Pity and Unforgiveness.......2007-10-04
This book deeply touched my heart. I found it was too difficult to read before bed but I had a hard time putting it down as well. Immaculee's story is one of true character and forgiveness that is more than just words. It truly challenged me to let go of unforgiveness. Nothing that was ever done to me....and I thought I had been deeply hurt...can compare to what she has had to forgive. This story is a light that shines the way on the difficult path of letting go of hurts, a path to which we have all been called by God. Immaculee tells of how this is, however, a path where Jesus leads and sustains and that ultimately ends in a freedom we could never have imagined.
Left to Tell Left Me Wanting.......2007-10-04
Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust was written by Immaculee Ilibagiza, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide. The story stands as an amazing testimony to the power of prayer and the importance of faith in prayer, but I wonder, how does all the God talk strike a non-Christian? Does it resonate with truth, with an A-ha! that changes a life, or does it exist as a concept without relevance?
The fact that the book is on the New York Times bestseller list says something, but what is it? Does the message of surrendering to Christ get glossed over by the same voyeuristic appeal that drives American culture to support Ultimate Fighting?
As a Christian, the way God moved in Imaculee's life is breathtaking and clear. It's without question. It inspires a hearty "Yes God. Bless you! You are faithful!" It stirs the soul, paints the picture of God's purpose in this world and shows where God was during the slaughter.
But despite that, the book didn't grip my soul. I enjoyed reading it, but it didn't possess me to the point of being unable to put it down. Living in a bathroom with seven other women for three months should be more than a statement of fact; I should live the emotional struggle between fear and faith, between death and life, with Immaculee. Instead, I experienced a foregone conclusion.
It's easy to say forgive your neighbor, but when that neighbor murdered your mother, butchered your brother and looted your home the magnitude of the act is incomprehensible. And the telling of that tale should have stirred more in me.
Left to Tell gets bogged down in details, of walking us through a holocaust timeline as lived by the author, and it's a journey without feeling. But that may just be my problem.
Amazing.......2007-10-03
Imaculee, If I could only meet you! This is a potentially life changing book. There is some shocking material but it is extrememly worth reading and will change you if you let it.
Left to Tell.......2007-10-03
Those of you who have struggled either to find a personal relationship with God, or to forgive those who have caused you harm, this book is for you. Those of you who have wondered what it's like to experience a holocaust from the inside, read this book. Immaculee has the riviting power of Elie Wiesel himself to convey the horrors of genocide, and to expose its demonic nature.
Suspense and God's Providence WON!!.......2007-10-01
Immaculee in her own words presents a chilling account of the brutality and that was happening in a small country in Africa and how with persevence , prayer and trust in God , shows the world that to survive WE must all not forget the Creator!!
Book Description
In
Searching for God Knows What, Donald Miller's provocative and funny new book, he shows readers that the greatest desire of
every person is the desire for redemption. Every person is constantly seeking redemption (or at least the feeling of it) in his or her life, believing countless gospels that promise to fix the brokenness. Typically their pursuits include the desire for fulfilling relationships, successful careers, satisfying religious systems, status, and escape. Miller reveals how the inability to find redemption leads to chaotic relationships, self-hatred, the accumulation of meaningless material possessions, and a lack of inner peace. Readers will learn to identify in themselves and within others the universal desire for redemption. They will discover that the gospel of Jesus is the only way to find meaning in life and true redemption. Mature believers as well as seekers and new Christians will find themselves identifying with the narrative journey unfolded in the book, which is simply the pursuit of redemption.
Customer Reviews:
eh..........2007-10-06
This book was soooo slow starting out. It was definitely not what I was expecting from Donald Miller after having just finished Blue Like Jazz.
a must-read.......2007-08-31
You'll find yourself putting this book down frequently so that you can just think about some of the mind-blowing content that Donald Miller is pitching. Great stuff.
Donald Miller gets it right...sometimes.......2007-08-12
It took me a while to get used to the author's cozy stye of writing, but eventually I grew to enjoy it. It's messy and all over the place - just like life and very conversational. I've been reading some heavy theological stuff lately and this was refreshing. I loved the 'lifeboat theory'. His explaination of how the 'lifeboat' relates to the fall of man was probobly one of the greatest things that I've ever read. It really makes a lot of sense. I think everyone should read that chapter.
I was able to read the Bible like I used to after reading this book. And it's been months, maybe closer to a year since I was able to do that. The text was fresh to me. I saw a few things I hadn't noticed before. Since he eluded to the fall in the book, I thought I would go back to the beginning and read those chapters for the billionth time. I wasn't really expecting to see anything new. But I did. And it was real again.
I have to say I was cringing through a good part of the book. I know Donald Miller has had bad experiences with religion or the church in general, and with conservatives and republicans. I can certainly see why he holds those views. There are enough people in all of those camps whose examples could drive him away. I get the sense that the author feels that most Christians who are conservative republicans are less than intelligent and have been brain washed. That makes me sad. I can speak personally and say that I care about people living in poverty and under oppression. I care about the environment and about peace and about healthcare. These are important issues to me. And I *still* have to go with conservative views on just about everything. To me, conservative views and economic policy just make the most sense and it's not because I care less than liberals do. I can see how people who also care about these things hold to a liberal world-view. I don't think they are crazy or demented.
I agree with saying "NO" to excess govenment funding for programs to help the poor and needy and the oppressed. How does it make things right to steal money (via excessive taxation) from other people - wealthy people who have worked for their money and success - and give it to somebody else? How do handouts solve the problems in our society? I actually think it makes things worse for everyone involved, because it encourages dependancy and laziness. BUT... just like these problems will not be solved or helped with government funding, they will also not be solved by doing nothing! There are millions of broken, needy people in this country - in the world. How can we as Christians, who are called by Christ to feed and clothe and care for others, say no to plans for government funding and then not do anything else to help these people? We need to ask ourselves - "what am I *personally* doing to help them?" It is easier to say that we believe rich people should be responsible for taking care of poor people than it is to 'get out in the trenches' and do it ourselves. The Church -Christians, liberal and conservative alike, should be the ones ministering to the broken and needy. Jesus didn't give that job to Ceasar and the people of Rome. He entrusted that responsibility to his followers. The church needs to step up and live out their faith in this way. Once they start doing that, maybe the government can back off. I might start a speaking tour at local churches to get the word out. I'm very passionate about this. :)
Okay, enough of my rant....back to the book...(my previous thoughts actually do tie in to what I am going to say next - I just don't have a clear segue).
It seems to me that the problem is not with religion or today's church or conservatives or republicans or liberals or democrats, but it is with the need to understand the scriptures BOTH from a theological point of view AND from experience.
Without theology, the experience or relational aspect of Christianity is not grounded and is even dangerous. There is no expectation of an absolute truth and so all of faith is relative. Thus God becomes not who scriptures say he is but who I want him to be. It is particularly difficult to study the scriptures this way. Theology in the form of bullet points and fomulas (i.e. creeds, the articles of religion, the catechisms and things like the five points of Calvinism) is good and necessary. These things exist to give focus and steadfast understanding to our fickle feelings and experiences. In studying these things, the worshipper can stand on the shoulders of giants instead of presuming that he alone is a giant who can figure everything out himself.
Conversly, I would say that religion without relationship is dangerous in that it misses the point. Certainly God does not desire this. Scripture makes so many references to the act of offering sacrifices versus the offering of the heart. And yet He did not do away with sacrifices in the Old Testament - He required that his people sacrifice as well as call upon Him. In the new testament when Christ came to be the final propitiation for sin, He said that He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Clearly the law (or religion) is important but it is not fulfilled nor has meaning without Christ.
Christianity does not work in an 'either-or' mentality -either religion or relationship. It is 'BOTH-AND'. Why is it that it is so hard to find a church that embodies this 'both-and' principle? It seems that they love to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The formulas, church history, tradition, creeds, systematic theology are all important. Much more important, in fact, than Donald Miller acknowledges. But without a true, ongoing, growing relationship with Christ, theology just doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I think this was one of the author's main points and it is definately one I needed to hear. It is the responsibility of the worshipper to maintain an understanding of both at all times. This is such a difficult task. It seems to me that our finite minds just were not created to focus on all of that at once, but fortunately, God makes these things possible. I am constantly in this desperate struggle to remain focused on both. I have been concentrating almost exclusively on only one aspect of my faith. I needed to be reminded of the 'both-and' argument. That is why I loved reading this book.
Thank you Miller.......2007-07-11
If you liked Blue Like Jazz, you'll love the book. Thank you Mr. Miller for another great one, can't wait for the next.
Following Christ is a Relationship not a System.......2007-07-01
THANK YOU Donald Miller. This is one of the most important books you can read as a Christian. It inspired me to do an about face. That is look for the face of Jesus, not his rules, not his rewards, but ENJOY THE PRESENCE of our God. After reading this book, I actually laughed and played with Jesus. I petted the Lion's mane and He licked me back. We hugged after that.
Amazon.com
Book Description
Comedian Ian Coburn re-lives his funniest dating failures in the best dating advice book geared toward both sexes. Ian shares lessons learned from his embarrassing escapades and tackles some of the biggest questions men and women have about each other: Do guys know they favor one breast over the other? Why do women like jerks? Why don't guys call? Why don't women call back? What's the best way to approach a woman at a bar? He admits it's harder to be a woman than a man and tells why.
Ian's funny, edgy style and fresh advice, have enabled him to do something no one has done effectively previously--write a book about dating and sex that appeals to both genders. Unlike other authors, Ian is not just comfortable with his "game;" he is comfortable with women. His book spawned his syndicated dating advice column "Lunch is Not a Date" and has garnered great reviews from the pua community. It also landed him a spot on Lifetime's site as a dating expert. His stories and advice truly appeal to everyone. The book has ranked #1 in humor on Amazon.ca and other sites repeatedly. Publishers are beginning to translate it into other languages.
Ian's advice is appealing because it is fresh, original, and works. He doesn't lump all men and women into one category; rather, he examines the different types of each and how to work with their personalities, like diffusing the bitter friend in order to pick up the woman you like or why women shouldn't date their guy friends. While other experts prattle on about tired techniques to get a phone number, Ian tells you how to make sure the woman will return your call, not just get a number. It's no wonder this book is a big hit.
From the Publisher
Comedian Ian Coburn wanted to share with the world the zany stories that happened to him with women. They were too long for a standup routine, so he offered to write that routine in a book. We happily obliged.
It just so happens that Ian also wanted to share dating and sex advice that he's learned from his various escapades. After each story, he reviews what he learned, gives a few examples of how he put that knowledge to successful use in the future, and provides quick pieces of dating or sex tips between chapters.
Unlike self-help books, Ian's book is actually categorized as "humor." It has to be; it's simply too funny to be categorized in another genre. If you like standup comedy, you'll love this book. If you want excellent dating and sex advice, you'll find that inside, too. That's the real beauty of God is a Woman: Dating Disasters ... guys can pick it up without the stigma of buying a self-help book. (Guys don't like to buy self-help books. We all know that.)
From the Author
Go to the bookstore and you'll see a bunch of books on sex, a few books filled with advice for men on how to score beautiful women, and oh... ten thousand books filled with advice for women on dating.
The problem? They're all separate. Why? Don't this things need to go together to work? What good is knowing everything about sex if you can't get a date? How can you get a date if the book telling you to do "this and that" is in direct conflict with the book telling your date to do something else?
I always wanted to tell my dating failures onstage because they are very funny and informative. They are too long, though, to work in a standup routine, so I'm glad I was able to put them in a book.
From the Back Cover
Ever feel like God is against you when it comes to dating, sex and one-night stands? She is.
Comedian Ian Coburn relives his funniest dating failures in the best dating advice book geared toward both sexes. While Ian shares the lessons he learned from his embarrassing escapades in his hilarious standup fashion, he tackles some of the biggest questions men and women have about each other: Do guys know they favor one breast over the other? Why do women like jerks? Why don't guys call? Why don't women call back? What's the best way to approach a woman at a bar? Why are men so bad at reading signals? He also admits that it's harder to be a woman than a man and tells why.
Whether the story is about the time he was fooling around in his mom's car while he was supposed to be bringing Drew Carey offstage or how he graduated college still a virgin; or the time Jenny Jones grabbed his butt and hit on him or his downward spiral to behaving like a jerk culminating in a night on the town with Damon Wayans, it's all here--openly honest and hilarious--including Larry the Cable Guy's real name and what Nikki Cox is like in person. So sit back, relax, get ready to laugh and find out why God is a Woman.
Celebrity comments about Ian's comedy and writing:
"Very funny." -- Drew Carey (The Drew Carey Show)
"Very talented." -- Damon Wayans (My Wife and Kids)
"Funny and edgy; love the sarcasm." -- Nikki Cox (Las Vegas)
"Fun-nee!" -- Larry the Cable Guy (Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector)
"Captivating . . . intriguing." -- Joan Cusack (Various films)
Publisher and agent comments about God is a Woman:
"Too big for us; funny." -- Capital Books
"Hilarious . . . can't wait for it to come out." -- Basic Books
"Funny . . . made me laugh pretty hard."-- The Waxman Agency
About the Author
Comedian-turned-screenwriter Ian Coburn was one of the most highly sought standup acts on the comedy circuit throughout the nineties. He still boasts the industry record 106-straight weeks on the road. Ian has written two feature length screenplays for hire along with nine of his own. He writes fast, knocking off some topnotch scripts in less than a week. His manager is currently negotiating the options of two of his scripts while he is developing a third with Davis Entertainment (Predator; Flight of the Phoenix; I, Robot.) Ian is also under consideration for a staff writing position on a newly pitched television series. His scripts have won screenwriting contests, including HSI's competition.
Standup comedy and the road shaped Ian's life and personality... it also gave him some crazy dating stories.
Excerpted from God Is a Woman: Dating Disasters by Ian Coburn. Copyright © 2006. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
From the Introduction
When I first started to date, I was the same as everyone when they start to date--confused and scared. Like most guys, I looked to magazines and movies for advice. Both sucked. Magazines told me all I needed were some cool clothes, a hot car, and the right cologne, along with a few million dollars to pay for all that crap. The articles were nothing more than guys on ego trips bragging about their sexual conquests; I learned nothing. Movies skipped the most important scenes, where the guy says all the right things to the girl. Instead, movies showed the guy meeting the girl, then cut to them in bed together; big f[...] help. To make matters worse, my mom gave me a book about chickens laying eggs and lambs suckling. Someone shoot me, I thought.
What I needed was a book with honest, adult advice--which wasn't afraid to get graphic when necessary--that taught me what to say, what actions to take, and how to read women. My sisters seemed to need similar information about guys. It would help if the stories were funny so I didn't feel so alone and self-conscious. Better yet, if some of them included celebrities, they'd be even more entertaining and really put me at ease. (If I knew celebrities struggled with sex and dating, I'd feel better about my own problems with them.)
No such book was ever published. Much to my surprise, as I got older I found I could use such a book even more. Then one day I woke up and realized: I could write the needed book. I had the celebrity stories. I had learned about sex and dating the hard way. I could tell guys how to get women. And I could tell women what men were thinking, as well as how to identify the good guys from the creeps. And I could do it all through stories of my funny failures.
Streeter Seidell and Sarah Schneider, CollegeHumor.com
"We loved it! The best 269 page book about dating disasters we've read this year!"
Actress Tina Kraus
"Funny!"
Comedian Rocky LaPorte
"Loved it! Ian's book is very insightful and learned a lot from it, mostly that women are crazy and Ian's a perv."
Mystery Method Forum
"Nothing short of hilarious. (on the advice) AWESOME stuff!!"
Legal Pub Blog Review and Discussion (60 comments)
"The new bible for college students."
Book Description
Comedian Ian Coburn re-lives his funniest dating failures in the best dating advice book geared toward both sexes. Ian shares lessons learned from his embarrassing escapades and tackles some of the biggest questions men and women have about each other: Do guys know they favor one breast over the other? Why do women like jerks? Why don't guys call? Why don't women call back? What's the best way to approach a woman at a bar? He admits it's harder to be a woman than a man and tells why.
Ian's funny, edgy style and fresh advice, have enabled him to do something no one has done effectively previously--write a book about dating and sex that appeals to both genders. Unlike other authors, Ian is not just comfortable with his "game;" he is comfortable with women. His book spawned his syndicated dating advice column "Lunch is Not a Date" and has garnered great reviews from the pua community. It also landed him a spot on Lifetime's site as a dating expert. His stories and advice truly appeal to everyone. The book has ranked #1 in humor on Amazon.ca and other sites repeatedly. Publishers are beginning to translate it into other languages.
Ian's advice is appealing because it is fresh, original, and works. He doesn't lump all men and women into one category; rather, he examines the different types of each and how to work with their personalities, like diffusing the bitter friend in order to pick up the woman you like or why women shouldn't date their guy friends. While other experts prattle on about tired techniques to get a phone number, Ian tells you how to make sure the woman will return your call, not just get a number. It's no wonder this book is a big hit.
Customer Reviews:
Book is hilarious, Column better for advice.......2007-09-24
The stories in this book are flat out hilarious. I read it twice in a week it is so funny. I started by reading his column 'lunch is not a date' and then read the book. The column has more in-depth advice, often taking a concept from the book and expanding on it. While it was fascinating to read the column then read the stories from which his wisdom came from, it would have been better to read the book first I think. Great stuff - I cannot stress that enough.
Too Much Empty Sex Leads to Nothing but Empty Sex.......2007-09-09
I discovered this book in of all places half-drunk at a bar - it was advertised on a poster over a urinal at my favorite watering hole. It claimed to be a funny book about a comedian's "hilarious escapades with women." It is. But it is much more than that. Unlike pua manuals it has complete, excellent advice both for meeting and dating women. It also has lots of good advice for women, too and is also a terrific story of growth. (The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists is the only other book advising men about women which is also a story; all other books are just manuals for tawdry sex.)
Ian opens the book early on with an observation, and perhaps the most important lesson in the book, and one which pua's and other authors like Neil Strauss and Mystery would have benefited greatly by experiencing, as well, but didn't. After working early in his career with a comedian who sleeps with 3 different women in one day, Ian remarks, "And he was still on the prowl! I learned that sex can become a drug for a lot of these guys...I never wanted sex to be like eating a donut or sipping a beer...Too much empty sex - sex for the sake of simply having sex - leads to nothing but empty sex; highly undesirable." He decided early on not to become victim to his own sexual desires - which has clearly happened to the pua leaders (you have to sleep with 1000 women or something to become one, which I don't even believe any of them really have.) He goes on to state that there is a difference between adoring women and adoring sex and that some men who adore sex are actually very hostile toward women. I would say this description accurately depcits popular womanizers like Neil Strauss, Mystery and Tucker Max, who all seem destined to having empty, meaningless sex for the rest of their lives.
Unlike pua's, Ian does not preach about prescribed lines or dozens of defintions; he is about theory - like how to flirt or develop a sense of humor - and gives clear examples of how he developed these skills and how all guys can. For instance, he breaks down humor simply and tells dorks directly why women don't get their jokes. "The roots of humor are relativity and logic. People have to be able to relate to the topic to find the joke funny, which is why many women don't laugh at Star Trek or Three Stooges jokes. Women don't typically watch these shows, so how can they find references to them funny?" He goes on to describe how to develop timing, delivery and all the elements of humor. He does this with flirting, breaking the ice, making a move, yada yada yada; Ian covers it all.
Unlike pua manuals, the advice is not simply a bunch of lines (Neil Strauss promises on his web site to give you all kinds of new lines and jokes if you pay him lots of money); instead, it is the tools to develop everything you need. Once you understand how to flirt, how to be funny, how to be confident, yada yada yada, you can do it anyway you want. Most importantly, Ian explains how women see things; how everything appears from their perspective. Pua books and web sites don't do that because they don't really know; they rely on their lines and techniques; they don't have clue what is actually going thru the woman's mind and how she sees things or even why their techniques actually work. A simple perusal of reviews by women here and Ian's site, where advice is posted for free in his column Lunch is not a Date and for women on Lifetime, and you'll see that women recognize, often reluctantly, that he knows what they are thinking and more importantly, feeling - "Women act on emotion, often making decisions based on how they feel, not what they think. Oftentimes, their minds later second guess the decision, resulting in them experiencing confused emotions. It must be a dizzying experience; and one which guys need to be sensitive to in order to maintain a relationship or even get a date (sometimes women avoid even meeting a guy because they are tired of experiencing the forthcoming mixed bag of second-guessing emotions - "Should I have given him my number? Will he call? Do I really want to go out with him?")."
A great read with lots of advice. No pitches for expensive pua seminars. If you're a woman, it tells you exactly what a guy thinks but be warned - it isn't pretty all the time, though; Ian becomes a real jerk before he turns over a new leaf and he shares all of that. When something starts as new, something else often comes along as the next best thing. Pua's started the movement of books and advice for guys about women and charging money for seminars. Ian's advice is in the book and supplemented on his web site with a free column; Ian is the next best thing. Hopefully, enough guys will discover him before becoming bitter sex addicts.
Also read The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists; the similarity and contrast between the two books is nothing short of fascinating.
The Book and Column are Gold, Pure Gold!!!!.......2007-09-07
I must admit this book and author has me eating crow. So many articles and books out there by purported experts are about a bunch of meaningless jibbersh, like getting a girl's phone number in 5 minutes of meeting her at a bar. Yeah, but how many of those women call back? Probably close to zero but the authors don't talk about that. It's bs. That's what I used to think. Then this week I read an article by Ian Coburn on ezine (man, I wish I could link to it but Amazon won't let me; just search his name or for this book and it will come up.) The article made alot of sense and told guys how to get a woman to return their call, calling out guys who try to get a number in 5 minutes as their focus. "Forget getting her digits. When you meet a woman you like, you want to do 3 things - be memorable, suggest a date, and create a reason to call." Find this article, it is gold! Then Ian's article on "The Flaw of Game" which defends the pua society turned me on to them. (I loathed the pua society before Ian's article explained to me that they weren't jerks, just guys trying to get better with women. He goes on to explain that their created terminology is what gets them looked down upon and misunderstood. He is right, the terms don't really mean what they sound like they mean.)
Basically what's happened with this book is that a comedian with alot of knowledge about women wrote a book telling the hilarious stories where he got that knowledge. It somehow became a dating guide (I agree with other college students that it is the new college dating bible) and Ian got an advice column Lunch is Not a Date. Then Lifetime hired him because he has great advice for women, too. I've been reading all of his advice and stories. It is gold, man, pure gold! Much better than anything I've ever seen and far more insightful.
I read The Mystery Method: How to Get Beautiful Women Into Bed and am reading The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists. Check them out, too, but realize, as Ian says, your goal should be to change who you are, not rely on lines and openings forever. Use them to get comfortable then move past them. Pua's don't want you to do that because they want to sell you their courses, which is a rip. Read the books. Find Ian's ezine articles "Get Her to Return Your Call" and "What About Her - The Flaw with Game Exposed". They are gold! Also, the second one has a great opener which is guaranteed to get the converstion going easily by wowing her. He calls it "2 to 9" and of course doesn't use it anymore because he is past game (i.e. needing openers, negging, etc), so it's available to the rest of us! (Ian's past lines and openers, onto what he calls the common-denominator. I'm telling you, read the book!)
So Funny.......2007-08-12
This book was so funny. I am doing some research for a class and this was one of the easiest books to get through because it was so funny. It reminded me of a show I saw as part of my research. My First Time in NYC. Both were so funny! Give them a chance.
Fantastic book!.......2007-07-18
This book is brilliant. Buy it, you won't be dissapointed. The stories are hilarious and the advice to men and women is second to none.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Chinese
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Irish
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Japanese
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Women
| Specific Groups
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Augustine, Saint
| ( A )
| People, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Doctors & Medicine
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Lawyers & Criminals
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Love, Sex & Marriage
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Early Civilization
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Historiography
| Historical Study
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Asian American
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Asian American
| Poetry
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
French
| Erotica
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Victorian
| Erotica
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Epic
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
German
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Russian
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Chinese
| Classics
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Conspiracy Theories
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
War on Drugs
| Crime & Criminals
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
English (All)
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Arabic
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Armenian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Czech
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Greek
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Hungarian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Japanese
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Korean
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Norwegian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Persian & Farsi
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Polish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Portuguese
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Romanian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Russian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Swedish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Turkish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Science
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Online Research
| Genealogy
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Native American
| Earth-Based Religions
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| History & Philosophy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
History of Science
| History & Philosophy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Magic & Wizards
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Sailor Moon
| Popular Characters
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Pilates
| Exercise & Fitness
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
History
| Fashion
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
-
History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
-
Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
-
Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
-
They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies
ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Book Description
Celebrated for their courage, vision, hospitality, and spiritual giftedness, it's no wonder women were so important to God's plan revealed in the Old and New Testaments. It wasn't their natural qualities that made these women extraordinary but the power of the one true God whom they worshipped and served.
In
Twelve Extraordinary Women, you'll learn more than fascinating information about these women, you'll discover-perhaps for the first time-the unmistakable chronology of God's redemptive work in history through their lives. These women were not ancillary to His plan, they were at the very heart of it.
Customer Reviews:
A Thorough study.......2007-09-29
John MacArthur does it again with a thorough study on these precious women of faith. He has the depth of his years of study to give historical and cultural background. It is refreshing in the epilogue when he points out that the lessons of the women are about spiritual character and feminine virtue, not their talents or beauty or even who they married! They were just women who loved their God and were great because of that. They were not perfect, but God uses flaws in everyone's lives to His good, to work out His perfect will. That is why He is called Redeemer. Twelve Extraordinary Women has been a very useful reference, along with the workbook, in writing my own simpler study for a ladies' Bible study at church.
Typical .......2007-09-06
Knowing Macarthur's limited views of womanhood, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that he used this book more to promote his views of women than to glorify God's plan for us. Still, I was disappointed, knowing that Macarthur's a great teacher and he could have done a lot better. I guess it goes to show that sometimes, you can put Jesus in the person, but you can't remove the person from their own prejudices.
Naturally, the book opens with Eve as the first extraordinary woman. Macarthur started this chapter excellently, explaining Eve's beauty, innocence, and position as God's crowning achievement. He even went so far as to say that "Adam was made of dirt, but Eve was made from the actual human race" or something similar, indicating that Eve possessed a grandness that was almost superior to Adam (personally, I don't agree with this; I think Adam was equally magnificent and gorgeous as a creation of God's. However, I found this a sweet thing for Macarthur to say and took it as a mark of his respect for women rather than an insult to men) Unfortunetly, these lovely words may have just been placed to soften the blow of the following few pages, which were dedicated to preaching female subordination to men. I gotta say, I really had my guard down for a moment there, especially when MacArthur spoke of Eve's equality to Adam and said she was not to "be above him or trampled by him, but beside him". (Funny how complimentarians always throw out the equality thing before they procede to majorly contradict it).
All the usual tricks were there: women are lovely, smart, fascinating: we just have to submit to men. Eve was spiritually and intellectually Adam's equal; she just had a subordinate role. I never cease to get tired of these self-contradicting loopholes and double-talk that patriarchs throw out, just as they never seem to tire of tossing them at me and all of womankind. Not surprisingly, Macarthur tried to offer explanations for his beliefs; also not surprisingly, the explanations were incomplete and often nonsensical. At one point, he even said, "All people need to do to know that men and women are different is to look at nature; men are often physically superior in strength to women." Yes, but what on earth was his point? We haven't relied on physical strength to determine leaders since the caveman days; haven't we evolved just a tad since then? Macarthur never really went anywhere with this apparent argument; he dropped it a few sentences later and went on to admit that Eve was Adam's intellectual equal, which just served to further disprove the whole physical strength standard and any relevance it had.
Macarthur went on to try and stress how women are to submit to male authority in all kinds of places, claiming that "The Bible makes it clear that women are to be under the authority of their husbands in home and under the authority and instruction of men at church." Wow, those testasterone people really have the bar over us, don't they? It's fascinating to me how complimentarians are simultaneously blatant in their condenscension of women and over the top in their attempt to pillow it. Take Macarthur's rosy words of Eve's magnificence, for example. I've noticed that complimentarians are the only ones who lavishly praise Eve to the point where they indicate that, in creation at least, she was superior to Adam. No wonder; they need something to compensate for the subordinate roles they place for women in every other sense. They basically seem to say "Hey, women have subordinate roles, but they at least were CREATED in superiority to men. Man was made of dirt but woman was of flesh!" I find this endlessly amusing; if woman was created in a superior way, why is she always subordinate? Why must the beautiful flesh people be in constant submission to the dirt people?
(You see why equality is so much easier?)
The chapter on Mary had some other downfalls, due to Macarthur's cutting words on Catholicism. I don't agree that Mary is the Holy Mother either, but I have a hard time believing that Macarthur is completely informed of either the Catholics' true doctrine or the genuinely Christian nature that many of them possess. The two major problems with the chapter on Mary were, firstly, the fact that Macarthur chose to focus on Catholics in the first place. This was supposed to be about Mary, remember? The point of the chapter should be about God's purpose for her, not about how Macarthur found other people's beliefs of her to be stupid and heretical. Secondly, if Macarthur was going to make a rebuttal of the Catholic view, there is a civil way to do this. John Piper, for example, has made rebuttals to feministic beliefs in several of his sermons. However, I was always impressed by how politely and respectfully he did this; perhaps Macarthur could take a lesson from him.
I will say that some of his studies of Biblical women are excellent. The man is talented, I just wish he could keep his secondary roles of women out of at least ONE book. I felt like saying "Macarthur, people pay for this book to hear about how women were used in the Bible, NOT to hear your personal views on their positions in the world!" I totally agree with the person who said that the style of writing in this book was clearly a man's (and not in a good way). There are some men who excellently write books for/about women with understanding and empathy; this isn't one of them.
Wonderful Sunday school material........2007-08-29
I teach our adult class of mixed ages and gender. We have been using Twelve Extraordinary Women: and enjoying it very much. I would recommend this wonderful book for any small group study. Not only is it very informitve but also generates excelent group discussion.
Biblical.......2007-08-15
Extremely well written, Biblical and Accurate. Would recommend it to men and women alike.
Written from a biased male perspective.......2007-07-21
I am participating in a small group study of this book and, generally speaking, we have been very disappointed. The author appears to have very specific biases related to women and each chapter reflects that bias. Even if you didn't know who the author is, it is very apparent that he is a male. I have never read a book by a male Christian author with such obviously slanted views about females. As for the part of the title "What He Wants to Do with You", after 7 chapters that has never been addressed other than to be faithful to God and your husband and raise Godly children. Not very helpful to our single sisters or even to men who might be curious about the women in the Bible. The author states he was encouraged to write this book after the success of "Twelve Ordinary Men". It appears that he did so more led by his opinions and bank account than the Holy Spirit. I would not recommend this to anyone. Of dozens of Chrisitian books I have read, this was the least helpful.
Book Description
This unforgettable book is the first-person account of a miracle—indeed, a whole series of miracles. A tale of suffering, tragedy, and sorrow redeemed by indomitable resolve and a stubborn refusal to despair, it's set in a Sudan shadowed by unrelenting war and ruthless violence, yet illuminated by faith, generosity, and steadfast commitment to the human spirit's finest instincts. It's also the eloquently plain-spoken self-portrait of a young man who has looked death in the face many times and come away with an inner strength as impressive as it is modest and a wisdom as inspiring as it is matter of fact.
One of the uprooted youngsters known as the Lost Boys of Sudan, John Bul Dau was 12 years old when civil war ravaged his village and shattered its age-old society, a life of herding and agriculture marked by dignity, respect, and the simple virtues of Dinka tribal tradition. As tracer bullets split the night and mortar shells exploded around him, John fled into the darkness—the first terrified moments of a journey that would lead him thousands of miles into an exile that was to last many years.
John's memoir of his Dinka childhood shows African life and values at their best, while his searing account of hardship, famine, and war also testifies to human resilience and kindness. In an era of cultural clashes, his often humorous stories of adapting to life in the United States offer proof that we can bridge our differences peacefully. John Bul Dau's quiet pride, true humility, deep seriousness, compassionate courage, and remarkable achievements will take every reader’s breath away.
Customer Reviews:
Incredible will to survive combines with determination to go further.......2007-08-26
The subtitle of this excellent book ,i.e."the heartbreaking and inspiring journey of a lost boy of Sudan" is such that nothing could be more appropriate. And so does the illustration in the book's jacket design(credits to Newmarker films and Melissa Farris).
After the heart-wrenching feeling of losing their families, the incredible journey of John and the tens of thousands of lost Sudanese boys through a thousand or so miles of unknown and ferocious landscape is beyond human understanding! Yet, it was accomplished, with all those miserable conditions they carried, when they reached Ethiopia. From that land, they were again cruelly driven to the same misery until they reached the Kakuma Refugee Center in Kenya.
Perhaps in order to truly comprehend the essence of what the book narrates, the reader should imagine him/her self to be with the lost kids in their terrifying exodus. That these are YOUNG CHILDREN some as young as 8yrs and 6yrs!That they are NOT adults,like the MOSTLY ADULT refugees we hear about or the ADULT prisoners of war on their death march for a hundred miles more or less. Can anyone truly see a THOUSAND OR SO MILES of terrain associated with desolation,nakedness,terror,hunger,thirst,fear
disease,sorrow,despair and death by wild animals or hostile human beings?Immersed in this predicament,you LISTEN TO and HEAR their sobs,cravings for missing or dead parents,lament for dead or dying companions,cries from their wounds and broken bodies,slow death by starvation and the more
horrible sensation of dying of thirst leading to drinking their own or their friends'urine for survival,their fear of the night and the searing daytime. Then suddenly,gunshots,machine guns,mortars aimed at them!They panic and scatter in different directions to hide.
The aftermath of all these sufferings?-->dead bodies to bury.CHILDREN BURYING CHILDREN with sharp sticks from the bush and their bare hands for lack of axes or shovels. Can anyone comment if there is such a scenario elsewhere in the world,
past or present? Children burying children in a MASSIVE scale.
John's faith in God and himself made it possible to attain his goal from rural Africa to an American university.The adjustments and adaptations to an ultramodern world from a "stone age" type of existence by John and his Sudanese companions in America is fascinatingly told in the book.From there,he is resolved to accept the challenge to go FURTHER to help himself,his family and his people back in Sudan. He has also given us a gift which serves as an example that in the face of unbearable adversity, hope and success are still attainable with a strong faith and will. I'm sure that John Bul Dau has also spiritually added to the title of his book"God Grew Tired of Us" ...the words "But He Did Not Really Abandon Us."
This is a highly recommended reading for everone but perhaps particularly to our youth.
Inspiring.......2007-07-19
I've seen the movie twice and have met John Dau professionally a few times. The book goes into much more detail than the movie and is simply inspiring. His spirit and his honest insight into life is truly wonderful. After reading this book and learning about the horrors he has gone through in his life in Southern Sudan you wonder how he is not bitter or angry, which he does not seem to be in the least. He is simply moving forward. I'd recommend reading this book. His perspective on our country is refreshing and honest. We could all learn something from this man's integrity.
Amazing story of Grace in Tragedy.......2007-07-03
The author's experience in childhood rates among the all-time records of extremes of human suffering. The story is, however, much more than a record of suffering. It is a story of triumph and faith in the goodness of God without being trite or over-simplifying very complex paradoxes and inconsistancies in life. John Bul Dau is a living demonstration of the superiorty of faith, optimism, and determination over despair.
God Grew Tired of Us: A memoir.......2007-05-30
This book showed the human side of this tragic war in this country and how they survive. This made you aware of others and their struggles during the war in Africa. A must read on your list.
Mixture of Humor and Sadness.......2007-05-10
A daunting story of survival. Somehow the author though obviously scarred by the experience still finds humor, compassion and optimism with life. If you liked "Kite Runner" then give this one a try.
Book Description
First and foremost, this is virtually an exclusive story that few media outlets or the American public know about. Hard to believe when you read the below summary, but lucky for us:
In addition to being the vehicle for the author to become a major media force in the national debate on the war, this remarkable memoir will introduce the public to Captain Robert McGovern's inspirational rise as a boy who was one of nine children who rose to become a New Jersey high school football phenom and then a major NFL star as a linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the New England Patriots. Following this success, McGovern chose to leave football and receive his law degree from Fordham University in order to work in the New York City district attorney's office in the late 90s. Subsequently, he was a witness of the WTC attack on New York, which led to his decision to leave public life and join the U.S. Army as a prosecuting attorney for the military, resulting last year in his conviction (and death penalty sentencing) of the Middle Eastern but American–born Army Sergeant Hasan Akbar, who threw live grenades into the commissary tent of his fellow soldiers fighting the war in Kuwait.
Customer Reviews:
a moron for the ages.......2007-09-23
This simpleton of a jerk-off & his ilk are EXACTLY what is wrong with my country. I cannot f+cking wait to leave this country & never return. Enjoy your fascism.
Autobiography and Apologetic.......2007-09-20
Several reviews I have read have come down hard on the author for his stand on the war in Iraq. But this is his autobiography, the story of his life, and his opinion of the war is just one part of it. It is a well-written account of his childhood, his family, his education and his aspirations, and continues into his adulthood to the present time. He lets us know how he was trained by his parents to be unselfish and give back to the community some form of service, and this was undoubtedly the motivation for joining the Army Reserve, and eventually finding himself on active duty in Iraq.
A good part of his story comes before that. He was competing with his older brothers in athletics, trying to be as good as they had been in high school football, and then in college football. He received an athletic scholarship from Holy Cross, an enormous accomplishment in his eyes, and he was grateful for the opportunity. And then came pro football, four years of it on three different teams. He was pretty good at it, but not outstanding. He simply was not big enough (hefty, bulky) to be a great linebacker. He was thankful for this chance to make the big league, but took the advice of one of his coaches to give it up. From there he decided to study law and with his law degree took a job as an Assistant DA in New York City. Then came 9/11, to which he was an eyewitness. In his role as a US Army Reserve officer he volunteered to help. Immediately following, he applied for active duty, leaving his job as assistant DA, and became a prosecutor for the Judge Advocate General Corps, and then deployed to Afghanistan and later to Iraq. His experiences there were extraordinary because he was involved in the trial of Hasan Akbar, the US Army Sergeant who killed two Army officers and wounded a number of others when he threw hand grenades into the tents of the soldiers.
This is a well-written account of the life of a man who became a soldier in the US Army. Why would anyone find it strange that he has strong opinions in favor of the war in Iraq ? It is his contention that we are there as part of the war on terrorism. The patriotic feeling that he had on 9/11 was something that almost all of us shared at that time. For him it continued; for many of us it disappeared.
Should we still be in Iraq? That is a matter for debate, which has been ongoing for some time now. Captain McGovern feels that we are making a difference, and that is why we are still there.
This book is certainly worth reading, if only to gain some insight from a different perspective.
RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "YOU AND I ARE THE "ALL-AMERICAN'S" THAT CAPTAIN McGOVERN IS TALKING ABOUT!".......2007-07-25
The life story of Captain Robert McGovern, is almost "Forrest Gump" like. Rob is one of nine Irish Catholic children, born to Howard and Terry McGovern in New Jersey. Though born in New Jersey, if I were to describe his morals, character, and upbringing, I would describe it in the highest of terms, that most Americans would consider as "mid-western". One of the many, emotionally uplifting themes in this book, is the absolute, enduring, love, and respect, that Rob, constantly proclaims for his parents. He was raised from the beginning, to have high goals, and his older brothers got football scholarships to Holy Cross, as Rob also did later on, but with less fanfare. Just as importantly, he and his siblings were raised to "service" the community. To give something back, and Rob continued this process in college at Holy Cross and while in the National Football League, with outreach programs. When Rob graduated college, no one gave him a chance of making it in the NFL. But he was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs, as an undersized, underdog, linebacker, and special team's player. He lasted a few years with numerous teams, making the most of his non-star ability. The way he accomplished this, is with dogged, determination and dedication. To quote Rob: "Being the best at what you do has to be more important to you than partying or chasing girls or hanging out with your buddies. It has to be worth sacrificing the comforts and pleasures of an undirected life and replacing them with long hours of sweat and tears. In football, it also helps to be one tough character." At the end of Rob's short NFL career, he attended law school, and upon graduation, became an assistant D.A. in Manhattan. In keeping with his personal goal, of giving service to his community/country, he also joined the Army Reserves.
Then, on the forever-fateful day, of September 11, 2001, Rob was on the way to work in Manhattan, when he saw the smoke, and the planes, at the World Trade Center. He couldn't get to work, so he went home and put on the TV, and heard an announcement, that military men were needed at "ground-zero" to help look for bodies. Even though he was in the reserves, he donned his uniform, and went to "ground-zero", and helped recover the remains of victims for days. Rob, happened to be there, when President Bush arrived, and shook the Commander In Chief's hand, and was so moved, he decided he wanted to go on active duty and help America fight back. Because Rob was 38 years old, they wouldn't let him go on active duty. He persisted in every way possible, and was finally accepted as a Judge Advocate General. (JAG) He proceeded to go to Afghanistan and Iraq and assisted in "Rules Of Engagement" (ROE) enforcement. From there, he went in to criminal prosecution. He wound up on the successful prosecution team, that convicted Sergeant Hasan Akbar, probably the worst, United States Military criminal, in the last 30-40 years. To refresh your memory, Akbar, was the traitor, who the night before, we were going to launch Operation Iraqi Freedom, attacked his comrades, with grenades and small-arms fire. He wounded more than a dozen troops. Two were dead.
There is much more, to the life story, of a man who loves his country, loves his family, loves God, and has dedicated his life to enforcing freedom throughout the world, but let me conclude my review, by having Rob tell you why he named his book "All American". "You might wonder about the use of "All-American" in the title. First of all, let me say off the bat that I'm not talking about myself here. What is an "All-American" anyway? I've met some real "All-Americans- quiet, unassuming, heroic people who inspire students, protect us from crime, and defend our values. They are "All-American" in every sense of the phrase. I chose this title in part to pay tribute to these "All-American", I've been lucky enough to meet and work with through the years. I also chose it to pay special tribute to the men and women of our armed forces, especially those in the 82nd Airborne Division. That famous unit happens to be called the All-American Division."
Extraordinary.......2007-06-08
An extraordinary account of one good man standing tall for the best of American values.
I wanted to like this book, but..........2007-04-29
I am also a Captain in the Army, so I was excited to come across a written account of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan written by one of my peers. I thought this book would be interesting and relevant to my own experiences in Iraq. However, I was very quickly disappointed by the book's one-sidedness and lack of insight.
One of McGovern's main themes is that the positive stories from Iraq and Afghanistan are seldom reported, while violence and strife always make the nightly news. While there is truth to this, McGovern takes the opposite approach to the extreme. He cites children waving at soldiers and Iraqis voting as proof that US policies in Iraq are working and progress is being made, but he completely ignores any and all evidence to the contrary (worsening violence, Iraqi political ineffectiveness, millions of refugees fleeing the country, a steady decline of electricity and other services, children throwing rocks, etc).
By far, the biggest flaw in this book is that McGovern never addresses or acknowledges the negative impact of having an occupying army living and operating for years within a civilian population. In the effort to catch the terrorists, soldiers kick in doors, round up detainees, seize and destroy private property, create collateral damage and civilian deaths, etc. These are the unavoidable side effects of fighting a war. Add to that the unscrupulous actions of the soldiers at Abu Ghraib and Haditha, and you'll find that the longer we stay, the less popular we become, and the more support the insurgency receives from the local population. A recent poll indicated that over half of Iraqis now support attacks against American soldiers. By ignoring half of the issue, McGovern abandons a reasoned, balanced appraisal in favor of blind ideology and wishful thinking.
I haven't mentioned McGovern's career in the NFL or as an attorney, because the autobiographical aspect of this book is actually rather secondary to his promotion of US policy in executing the War on Terror. In this regard, none of his points are new, original, or insightful. Conservative ideology is haphazardly sprinkled throughout the book whether or not it is relevant to the ongoing story. For example, here is a quote from the NFL portion: "Of course, the hate [Vince] Lombardi was talking about was the football kind, not the hate that drives people to fly airplanes into buildings." By the time you reach the end of the book, it starts to sound like a White House press release from 2003. If you are primarily looking for a good inside account of the NFL, life in Iraq/Afghanistan, or the DA's office, this isn't the right book for you. If you're hells bells behind the war in Iraq and want to read something you're sure to agree with, then you might want to pick this up.
Book Description
Zacharias invites readers to follow him on this journey through his life and into the lives of others, and see how he has become more convinced with each year that Jesus Christ is the one who came to give us life to the fullest and to point us to the freedom and beauty of truth for everyone--easterner or westerner--all over the world.
Customer Reviews:
A Life of Exceptional Experiences Dosed w/ Humility...
Searching for God Knows What
Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith
Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith (Cover Image May Vary)
Sex God: Exploring the Endless Connections Between Sexuality And Spirituality
The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical
