My California: Journeys By Great Writers

Book Description

Fly-fish the pristine waters of the Owens River. Step up to the microphone in a California honky-tonk. Surf the biggest waves California has ever seen. Mingle with ducks in an urban oasis. Roller skate through L.A.'s Union Station. See California through the eyes of 27 of the state's finest writers in this delicious travel and adventure anthology. All of the contributors to MY CALIFORNIA donated their work so proceeds of this book can benefit the beleaguered California Arts Council, an agency forced to suspend school writing and arts education programs in 2003. The arts council has earmarked money from MY CALIFORNIA for writing programs for children statewide. Join contributors Pico Iyer, Michael Chabon, Thomas Steinbeck, Dana Gioia, Matt Warshaw, Patt Morrison, T. Jefferson Parker, Edward Humes, Mark Arax, Deanne Stillman, Rubén Martínez, Percival Everett, Kathi Kamen Goldmark, Mary Mackey, Gerald Haslam, Aimee Liu, D.J. Waldie, Héctor Tobar, Firoozeh Dumas, devorah major, Carolyn See, Chryss Yost, Anh Do, Derek M. Powazek, Daniel Weintraub, David Kipen, and Veronique de Turenne in a good read for a good deed!!

Customer Reviews:

For the Californian--or sociologist-- in your life........2007-01-04

A neighbor (in Long Beach, California) loaned her copy to us--my husband was born in Long Beach--and we went out and bought copies as Christmas presents for the native Californians in our extended family. It's a book of nostalgia and confirmation for them--"I remember that! Yes, it was just like that!"--and one of sociological interest for anyone who likes people and wants to be invited into the lives and homes of a broad spectrum of the ingredients in our state melting pot.

I'm not sure I'd call all the authors "great writers" but most of them were comfortable with words.

Jessica Shaver Renshaw,
Author, Compelling Interests,
Gianna: Aborted and Lived to Tell About It

Interesting and beautifully wriiten.......2006-10-24

I really liked this book! There are many essays written in it, each one about a different area of California. It's really upbeat and interesting, and the authors are top authors who write beautifully. It's fascinating to read about times and places in California that I didn't know about. All the stories are modern stories, in that they are about growing up in California within the last forty years or so.
This book flows very quickly, and before you know it, you've finished it and wish there were more!

MY CALIFORNIA:JOURNEYS BY GREAT WRITERS.......2005-09-07

This is the book selected by the City of Long Beach,CA for their 'One book read by all' 2006,or something like that.It's a GREAT choice!.

I loved this book (and I normally don't read short stories).......2005-09-01

I loved this book too, as I see others have, and this prompted me to write a review. I have tried to give it as a gift whenever possible and will continue to do so, as I think it is a great idea to benefit CAC. I wish local bookstores would display it more prominently. I grew up in California but this book allowed me a personal look at histories from different corners of the state. Fascinating, well written and truly enjoyable.

A Wonderful Book.......2004-08-24

This is an amazing collection of essays and the point of the book is not just to provide eloquent perspectives on the state. Every cent that the publisher receives in revenue goes directly to the California Arts Council,whose budgets were cut by 97%. When you buy a "used" book none of that money goes to CAC. Please think twice about saving the 40ish cents.
This book is a good read and you will feel very good about your deed!

Riding the Bus with My Sister: A True Life Journey

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Prose
This book went on and on
This was a great ride!
My Thoughts on 'Riding the Bus with My Sister: A True Life Journey'
A Lesson in Life

Riding the Bus with My Sister: A True Life Journey
Rachel Simon
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Stuck in Neutral
Expecting Adam: A True Story of Birth, Rebirth, and Everyday Magic
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key (Joey Pigza Books)
The Burden of Sympathy: How Families Cope With Mental Illness
Nothing About Us Without Us: Disability Oppression and Empowerment

ASIN: 0452284554
Release Date: 2003-08-26

Book Description

Beth is a spirited woman with mental retardation, who spends nearly every day riding the buses in Philadelphia. The drivers, a lively group, are her mentors; her fellow passengers are her community. When Beth asks her sister Rachel to accompany her on the buses for one year, they take a transcendent journey together that changes Rachel's life in incredible ways and leads her to accept her sister at long last-teaching her to slow down and enjoy the ride.

Full of life lessons from which any reader will profit, Riding the Bus with My Sister is "a heartwarming, life-affirming journey through both the present and the past...[that] might just change your life" (Boston Herald).

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Prose.......2007-09-22

This book isn't for everyone, but anyone who lives with a mildy retarded family member will see this book as an eye-opening and touching memoir of the highs and lows of living and coping and dealing with a person such as Beth, the author's sister, with whom she agrees to ride the city buses with over the course of a year.

The chapters are beautifully interweaved with flashbacks to the author's childhood with Beth, who is 18 months younger than the author. The parents' coping with Beth, and how the rest of the family deals with this headstrong and independent girl without once ever mentioning the words "mild retardation" and yet determined to keep together as a family in the early 1960s bring this book to life for many Babyboomers. Rachel did a lot of research on the subject to write for this book, and inserts statistics at logical moments without ever tiring the reader.

Along with the encounters on the bus are small vignettes of the various and varied drivers who deal with Beth on a daily basis. Bus drivers are profiled coming from all aspects of society. Some like Beth, others do not, and many came forward to talk about Beth and her incessant chats while sitting in the front of crowded buses with strangers all around her. Bus drivers are her friends, are her mentors, are her romantic interests and Beth at times reminds us of our girlish teenage crushes...and she is 39 years old while the story takes place.

Although this book mostly deals with Beth and her daily bus rides around town, the author also talks about her own failings; her recent break-up, her move to a new apartment, and we see how dealing with Beth, and talking with bus drivers, help Rachel find the answers for her own troubles.

This book may not be for everyone. One must have a close experience with a person such as Beth to understand the many detailed and sometimes long-drawn-out episodes of city bus travel to truly appreciate this book. Beth is beautifully portrayed in this book, and with all her flaws and handicaps we can see a bit our ourselves through her daily bus journeys.

Read this book with patience and understanding for the mildy retarded people in our society. We all know and have dealt with our own Cools Beths.

This book went on and on.......2007-08-29

and on and on and on..............a shorter memoir maybe I could have, maybe, plodded through without so much difficulty.

This was a great ride!.......2007-08-17

Okay, so maybe not the most original title in the world, but the story sure is. The author decides to spend some quality time with her mildly retarded sister, Beth, (whom she never fully understood). Simons basically takes a very long leave of absence from work and totally immerses herself in Beth's world - which consists mainly of riding the bus system in an unnamed Pennsylvania city. But this is not just a simple journey. She experiences how Beth has carved out a life for herself, the people she has connected with, the joyful outlook she has on life, and realizes that maybe Beth's life is fulfilling in its own way. This is also a journey through her childhood as she
reflects on her memories, her relationship with her family as well as her sister. By slowing down her fast-paced existence and taking the time to experience a year with her sister, Simons certainly discovers a lot about herself, and comes away with a different, more appreciative view of her life. Hopefully you will too. I know I did.

My Thoughts on 'Riding the Bus with My Sister: A True Life Journey'.......2007-05-29

This is the story of Rachel and Beth. Two sisters close in age but share little in common. Rachel is a working woman. She barely has time for herself let alone her sister. Beth is a fun-loving care-free flamboyant woman who has an extreme lover for life and her beloved buses. Beth is also mentally reatrded. Rachel experiences gui;t for not having spent much time with her sister. She promises her sister that she will ride the bus with her for a year. All Rachel wnats out of this is time with Beth. She gets way more than planned. She meets all of the quirky and exotic bus drivers with diverse personalities. She meets thoughtful Jacob, and hunky Rodolpho. They all teach her very important lessons that reshape her life. Rachel also learns a lot about her sister. She never knows how to deal with her mood changes and odd behaviors. All she knows is that she loves Beth and Beth loves her, and they care about each other. In the end Rachel turns her life into the "big life" she has always dreamed of. This story will benefit you also. You can learn many things from this book that may just help you turn you life into the right direction.

A Lesson in Life.......2007-04-22

This is a story about Rachel, sister of "Cool Beth". Beth is mildly retarded. She lives on her own and lives on disability. She doesn't have a job. She rides the local buses in her Pennsylvania city, every day. Looking for something to write about, Rachel decides to visit her sister and spend a day with her. This leads to an article in the newspaper. The experience has surprised Rachel and it has sparked a new relationship with Beth. So, Rachel decides to "Ride the bus with her sister" and she does. Every two weeks, every month of the year. This book is about that journey. It isn't just a journey on a bus. It is a journey through the life of Rachel and Beth. Rachel learns to come to terms with her feelings and having a sister who is mentally challenged. She gives the reader flashbacks to their childhood and how hard it was sometimes. Their parents divorced when they were young. Beth was separated from Rachel and her brother and sister. She lived with their mom who married an ex-con abused Beth and her mother. There was a period time where they didn't know where Beth was. Now, as adults, Rachel wants to be a better sister and learn how to understand Beth and her handicap. This is one of those books where I now want to buy a bunch of copies and give one to everyone I know. The writing style is very personal and full of emotion. A reader learns many lessons reading a book like this. It's not exclusively about mentally handicapped people and how to understand them. Rachel's experience with Beth riding the buses and getting to know the drivers taught her about regular people and their insights on their lives and what brought them to where they are now. Rachel was amazed by the friendly drivers who befriended Beth and had more patience than she could ever know. She was surprised by their kindness and generosity when Beth needed support during an operation or help finding a bathroom. Rachel's life changed as well. She learned to open her heart and slowly let people in. It changed her life. This is definitely one of the best reads I have experienced. Highly recommend!

Escape from Slavery: The True Story of My Ten Years in Captivity and My Journey to Freedom in America

Average customer rating:

Choose to read this one!
A very important book
Completely captivating!
Slavery in Our Times
absolutely amazing

Escape from Slavery: The True Story of My Ten Years in Captivity and My Journey to Freedom in America
Francis Bok , and Edward Tivnan
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Slave
They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan
The Lost Boys of Sudan: An American Story of the Refugee Experience
A Separate Peace
Restavec: From Haitian Slave Child to Middle-Class American

ASIN: 0312306245
Release Date: 2004-09-09

Book Description

Winner of the Books for a Better Life/Suze Orman First Book AwardMay 1986: Seven-year-old Francis Bok was selling his mother's eggs and peanuts near his village in southern Sudan when Arab raiders on horseback burst into the quiet marketplace, murdering men and gathering the women and young children into a group. Strapped to horses and donkeys, Francis and others were taken north into lives of slavery under wealthy Muslim farmers. For ten years, Francis lived in a shed near the goats and cattle that were his responsibility. After two failed attempts to flee--each bringing severe beatings and death threats--Francis finally escaped at age seventeen. He persevered through prison and refugee camps for three more years, winning the attention of United Nations officials who granted passage to America.Now a student and an antislavery activist, Francis Bok has made it his life mission to combat world slavery. His is the first voice to speak to an estimated 27 million people held against their will in nearly every nation, including our own. Escape from Slavery is at once a riveting adventure, a story of desperation and triumph, and a window revealing a world that few have survived to tell.

Customer Reviews:

Choose to read this one!.......2007-03-14

Two days ago I began to read "Escape from Slavery". I have hardly wanted to set it down since I picked it up. I have been saddened but incredibly inspired. I am forcefully reminded that freedom is a miracle too easily taken for granted. Until this week, I admit I was completely ignorant of Sudan, let alone the plight of it's people. In fact, I only knew Sudan was another big country "somewhere in Africa". This book is not a history of Sudan, but it does put it on the map for you. It does not try to expound on all of the political issues, but it paints a very human picture of how the government affects the people. This is one young man's compelling account of his early life and journey as a slave in Sudan. It is told in a simple, clear and honest voice. For me, Sudan is now the birthplace of Piol Bol Buk - known today as "Francis Bok". It is the place where Piol laughed and played with his family. He made clay cows with his friends, and dreamed of being like his father. It is the place where Piol was entrusted one day to take his mother's produce to sell at the market...and would never return. Here was a little boy forced to witness unspeakable violence, and who had everything taken away from him. However, no one could take his indomitable spirit. Sudan is a place where innocent lives are crushed every day, and yet it is also the place where Francis Bok was created. Francis humbly and painstakingly details his escape, the agonizing immigration process, and the miraculous turn of events that ensued. Francis has begun to fulfill his father's prophesy that someday he would do "great and important things" and would have the strength of "twelve men". This is a story about slavery, but it is really a story about hope, faith, will-power and determination. It is a miraculous story. Who could have imagined that this young boy with no hope of survival would make such a huge impact for his country already? Truly inspirational! This is a testament that the human spirit can survive unspeakable things - and then can rise from the ashes. When you find a story like this, you just can't wait to share it with the world! Francis Bok lived through such horrific pain, and yet now we have the chance to listen to his story, and to make a difference in the world just like he has. I hope that you will choose to read this story. I know that you will be so grateful!

A very important book.......2007-02-15

This is a powerful book. It is written in a clear and engaging style. It is important that people know about the human rights abuses going on in Sudan. Mr. Bok's story does this in a meaningful and moving way.

Completely captivating!.......2006-03-15

I read this book for one of classes and I must say that while I tend not to be a fan of non-fiction I was completed enamored by this book. Bok wrote a very engaging story about his life and his involvement in making a difference in what is occurring in Sudan. I liked so many things about this book. It was a personal story. Someone really overcoming the odds placed against him. A true underdog story. The story was heart-wrenching in parts, especially when confronted with the truth about slavery in Southern Africa. I couldn't have more respect for Bok, he overcame horrific hardships and continues speaking out. I really reccomend this book!

Slavery in Our Times.......2005-09-01

Francis Bok is a very lucky man. Thousands of others of his tribe aren't. The shocking story of slavery that continues TODAY in the Sudan (and possibly other African and Middle Eastern countries) must be understood by anyone who still has enough heart and soul to care. This story is real! The names have NOT been changed. There are no INNOCENT to protect, only victims of the greatest possible injustice in the world today. If you can read this and not realize the implications for you and your family, and others whom you love, then I weep for your loss of humanity. Although it is the telling of a personal story, this book has truths for the state of the world. In America, we may well be living in a "fantasy land" where "rights" are thought to be a Constitutional promise. What is it that stands between us and our children and the terror and hardship experience by Francis Bok and his family? How much difference lies between the undocumented maid or yard worker you employ on a weekly basis and a teenage herder who was stolen from his home and family by killers? If you have any brain cells left to rub together, this book may be a useful way to pass your time while at the beach or hanging around the ski lodge on your next vacation.

absolutely amazing.......2005-08-17

This is an amazing story about slavery in OUR OWN TIME!! I never even knew slavery still exisited; however, it still does! This specific book examines slavery in Sudan with Piol Bok Buk (Chrisitan Name: Francis). This is a story about Piol, who innoncently goes to the market -to a village not far from his own. He is very excited that he finally gets to go by himself, but hes going with some cousins. He went to the market only to be raided my Sudaneese muslims from the North. Francis was in captivitiy for 10 years after 3 escape attempts, its a charm! Francis then moves to Egypt to try to get passage to a different country as a U.N. Refugee. He is granted to the United States. The last half of the book focuses primarily on his life in the United States, and what is happening now. It is really a remarkable book, and I STRONGLY recommend it! This book was a required reading for school. I am so thankful it was because I wouldnt have found the book otherwise, and I'm very glad I did!

Average customer rating:

The Hobo Philosopher
an american hero
Could have been better plus a lie inside
Powell Review, CD
He is a rock star ... everybody loves him

My American Journey
Colin Powell , Joseph E. , and Persico
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell
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ASIN: 0345466411
Release Date: 2003-03-04

Amazon.com

General Powell may have undertaken this book as a form of paid political test marketing, but it turns out to be a success of an altogether different kind. We don't learn from this book if Powell is presidential material, but his recounting of the various steps of his career give us an unrivaled view of the ins and outs of military bureaucracy and shows how the modern American military, with its consistent emphasis on can-do attitudes and actual results, is a much more congenial place for realizing one's talents than our still-alarmingly pigeonholing general society.

Book Description

"A GREAT AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY . . . AN ENDEARING AND WELL-WRITTEN BOOK."
--The New York Times Book Review
Colin Powell is the embodiment of the American dream. He was born in Harlem to immigrant parents from Jamaica. He knew the rough life of the streets. He overcame a barely average start at school. Then he joined the Army. The rest is history--Vietnam, the Pentagon, Panama, Desert Storm--but a history that until now has been known only on the surface. Here, for the first time, Colin Powell himself tells us how it happened, in a memoir distinguished by a heartfelt love of country and family, warm good humor, and a soldier's directness.
MY AMERICAN JOURNEY is the powerful story of a life well lived and well told. It is also a view from the mountaintop of the political landscape of America. At a time when Americans feel disenchanted with their leaders, General Powell's passionate views on family, personal responsibility, and, in his own words, "the greatness of America and the opportunities it offers" inspire hope and present a blueprint for the future. An utterly absorbing account, it is history with a vision.
"The stirring, only-in-America story of one determined man's journey from the South Bronx to directing the mightiest of military forces . . . Fascinating."--The Washington Post Book World
"Eloquent."
--Los Angeles Times Book Review
"PROFOUND AND MOVING . . . . Must reading for anyone who wants to reaffirm his faith in the promise of America."
--Jack Kemp
The Wall Street Journal
"A book that is much like its subject--articulate, confident, impressive, but unpretentious and witty. . . . Whether you are a political junkie, a military buff, or just interested in a good story, MY AMERICAN JOURNEY is a book well worth reading."
--San Diego Union Tribune
"Colin Powell's candid, introspective autobiography is a joy for all with an appetite for well-written political and social commentary."
--The Detroit News

From the Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-09-19

Well, I kind of liked Colin Powell once. I kinda don't anymore. The book was ... dull. The same old same old - Horatio Alger type stuff. I bought the book because I thought that Colin might be going someplace and I wanted a glimpse at his philosophy. After his stint in Republican politics his future in that area looks pretty dim.
He was a soldier and he has the soldier mentality. This book was probably designed to put him on his political career. I liked Swartzkoff's book much better. What happened to Swartzkoff anyway?

an american hero.......2007-09-10

This is a great book and an inspirational story of what one can accomplish in America if one has the drive. Powell was born from two poor Jamaican immigrants and rose, quickly, to the highest uniform office in America, and took some of the top political posts (or was offered them), though he wrote this before he became Sec of State. Looks like a volume two would be a good idea. After reading this my respect for Powell has grown. He served under five presidents, top posts under four of them. It is an amazing story of an amazingman.

Could have been better plus a lie inside.......2007-08-24

CP did himself a diservice when he chose whomever to help him write this. I was completely surprised how bad the writing was. CP has an interesting story, but his author fails him. In the Army we would call this good initiative, poor execution. Terribly underwritten.

In the book Powell states that minorities are under represented in elite forces aka Rangers, Special Forces, etc. because of institutional racism. That is a total lie, and it is racism on his part. I began in the Army as an enlisted soldier and retired as an officer after 20+ years. The only racism I experienced was when my African American squad leader took care of all of the other African Americans in my squad and platoon and gave me the crappest and worst details because I was white.

Besides that experience, after much experience in the Army I have never seen a more racially fair organization in my life. If there was every fairness and opportunity for minorities, it is certainly in the Army. There is a lot to dislike about the Army like ego maniacs allowed to run loose and having stupid people in charge of you and utterly ridgid thinkers, but the Army did, from my perspective, an excellent job with fairness to everyone with regard to color. I also served from the squad level to the platoon level to company level as an enlisted soldier and an officer, and I served at the battalion level and brigade level as an officer. I have been a few places and seen and done a few things if you are unsure about my validity.

So, it seriously surprises me that CP said this. I think he was making a cheap political excuse to curry favor or work out an old grudge. By the way, after I left my unit, my squad leader got caught cheating on his wife with another African American squad leader, and his wife left him. I am sure he go into more trouble than that, but at least there was some justice.

Powell Review, CD.......2007-05-02

I read the book and had to get the CD set for my husband's aunt. She loves to read non-fiction, patriotic American historical insights, etc. She cannot see now and longed for such things. She is a huge Powell fan (as am I) and wanted to share his story with her. Colin Powell is a hero and I have nothing but respect for the man and what he has done for this country! When he left the State Department, it was truly a sad, sad day.

This book is written and read with intellect and interest that will keep you listening from beginning to end.

He is a rock star ... everybody loves him.......2007-02-27

Stories abound in the US government about simple acts of kindness that Colin Powell showed to employees. But the stories I love the best are the ones told by Arabs, Latinos, Asians and Africans. People everyone seem to love to hate the US, but they consistently agree on two things ... Colin Powell and the Bill of Rights.

This book is a simple, clear picture of life and work. One of the only complaints I've heard about him came from Panamanian military men who dislike him because he planned Operation Just Cause, the air assault and arrest of Manual Noriega in Panama. This, also, is detailed in his biography.

But by far the thing I love the most and perhaps the thing that my Asian, Arab and Latin brothers love the most about Colin Powell is that he came from humble beginings and doesn't hide it nor seem to be ashamed of it. And that despite his rather average (by global standards) family life and upbringing, he rose to be one of the most significant and powerful men in the world.

People in South America love to talk about how he got off the plane in a full, formal black suit. "Why?" they ask. Because he respects us, they explain.

Somehow everyone feels like they are kin to Colin. His courtesy and kindness, his genuine character and true grit developed through the hard knocks of the Vietname war and surviving a couple of the more racist decades of U.S. history. Interestingly, while he accounts the negative aspects of his life's history ... combat, racism, struggles, he seems to find a spark of inspiration in all things good and bad.

Maybe that's way he has such a following throughout the globe.

My Last Chance to Be a Boy: Theodore Roosevelt's South American Expedition of 1913-1914

Average customer rating:

Brilliant portrayal of TR as man, not legend.
Details one of the great adventures of the 20th century.

My Last Chance to Be a Boy: Theodore Roosevelt's South American Expedition of 1913-1914
Joseph R. Ornig
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Through the Brazilian Wilderness
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Hunting Trips of a Ranchman & The Wilderness Hunter

ASIN: 0807122718

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant portrayal of TR as man, not legend........2002-08-20

TR's 1913-1914 expedition down the River of Doubt (subsequently renamed Rio Teodoro in his honor, and later Rio Roosevelt) is an astonishing piece of history - one often refered to in passing by other TR biographers, but not often fully explored, as it here. Author Ornig tells an exciting tale well, from the multitudious details of planning and executing a massive exploring expedition in the early 20th century, to vivid portraits of the characters involved. This book would be a wonderful companion for any adventure traveller (or even armchair adventurers).

Best of all, Ornig is no run-of-the-mill TR hagiographer (and there are plenty of them out there), nor is he interested in taking unfair potshots at the great man (plenty of those folks out there, too). Ornig simply relates events as they occured, and doesn't care a whit whether they cast TR in a favorable or unfavorable light: TR was a poor shot (due to his poor eyesight) and became grumpy and embarassed when he missed easy targets. TR was delighted with the impact on his waistline when the expedition was forced to subsist on reduced rations -- and argued against the restoration of full rations even though others were suffering. Do these facts detract from the TR legend, or add to it? I have never been a fan of Marble Men, and found that I loved TR even more after glimpsing some of his human flaws in MY LAST CHANCE TO BE A BOY. No student of TR should be without this volume.

Details one of the great adventures of the 20th century........1997-01-23

Ornig provides the first detailed account of one of the most exciting adventure stories of the 20th century -- Theodore Roosevelt's exploration of the River of Doubt in Brazil's Amazon. The story is more incredible when you think that Roosevelt was a 55-year old former President at the time of the expedition. As we approach the 100th anniversary of Roosevelt's presidency, and as we consider our relationship with the earth, it is worth taking another look at this great outdoorsman. Ornig weaves together the political and diplomatic origins of the expedition and how Roosevelt, his son Kermit, and the rest of the expedition got much more than they bargained for. There's murder, there's drowning (and a question of whether Kermit Roosevelt was accountable), there's frustration, and there's a former President on the brink of death. After you read it, you'll want to read Roosevelt's account, "Through the Brazilian Wilderness." You'll enjoy that one too

Average customer rating:

A real rags to riches fairytale
Michener sets high standards in writing and life
great read
Mr. Ambassador
uplifting; thought provoking

World Is My Home: A Memoir
James A. Michener
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Talking With Michener
Bridge at Andau
The Novel
James A. Michener's Writer's Handbook: Explorations in Writing and Publishing
Caravans

ASIN: 0679401342
Release Date: 1991-11-26

Book Description

JAMES MICHENER was "a Renaissance man, adventurous, inquisitive, energetic, unpretentious and unassuming, with an encyclopedic mind and a generous heart."* Now, one of America's most beloved novelists gives us the story of his own remarkable life . . . .
(*The New York Times Book Review)

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

A real rags to riches fairytale.......2007-03-04

From a beginning that was awful Michener very matter of factly found his way to what he calls 'luck'. I loved his tale of epiphany at forty, and beginning his writing career in an empty warehouse with another soldier providing encouragement. He imparts a great deal of good advice for the aspiring writer, and provides a good story at the same time.

I would keep this on my bookshelf for inspiration alone.

Michener sets high standards in writing and life.......2006-06-11

I have read and loved many books by James Michener and I was happy to run across this book (on audio cassette from the library). It was interesting to learn about his life and to learn from his example. For example, even though he faced deprivations as a child, he made a choice to be a sunny, optimistic person all his life. He made a choice not to harbor grievances or dwell on negative thinking. Also, he was a great student all his life. He loved art, opera, literature and for anyone who has ever read his books, you know he had an insatiable curiosity about nearly everything. The nice thing is that when he learned new things, he shared that knew knowledge with the world and everyone was enriched.

Also, he was a high-principled (moral) and generous man and his generosity began long before he became a famous author.

He didn't become a writer until he was forty. Many of his great works were completed well after that. He wrote into his eighties! All writers and aspiring writers would enjoy this work as well as the general public.

great read.......2005-11-09

Everything you ever wanted to know about Michener? Probably not! He wont step into the gutter about his personal failures but a terrific book.

Mr. Ambassador.......2004-05-15

When the extraterrestials finally touch down and exit their spaceship I hope we have a man like James Michener, an "average" brilliant man of great wisdom and wonderful humanity, to represent our species. He would no doubt climb aboard, ingratiate himself with his new found friends, and write a highly entertaining epic of our galaxy.
Michener has always been my personal favorite. His humanity shines through in this memoir.

uplifting; thought provoking.......1998-09-12

Equally entertaining to Michener devotees and casual readers alike. Although often accredited as America's "master story teller", not much is known about this orphan from humble beginnings. Michener weaves a captivating story of his youth followed by his WWII years in the U.S. Navy, which of course brought us "Tales of the South Pacific". He then relates real down to earth experiences as a would-be writer seemingly trapped as editor. Through it all his humbleness is refreshing. His appreciation and respect for the arts and culture is most noteworthy and no doubt will have many readers running to the nearest record store well stocked in opera and classical music. He relates as only he can the various stimuli involved in the undertaking of his later massive works, many accomplished well past the age of 60. If nothing else, upon finishing this remarkable auto-biography, the reader will have an immense respect for the writer and a stirring curiosity to explore his many works and indeed, the several fine pieces of literature that influenced him.

The Christmas Box Miracle : My Spiritual Journey of Destiny, Healing and Hope

Average customer rating:

What?
excellent book
Powerful, yet simple message
Buy more than one!
This is the BEST book I've ever read.

The Christmas Box Miracle : My Spiritual Journey of Destiny, Healing and Hope
Richard Paul Evans
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743219422
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Amazon.com

It began with The Christmas Box, a humble story about a caretaker and his family who befriend a lonely widow at Christmas time. In The Christmas Box Miracle, author Richard Paul Evans offers the back story, showing us how his self- published book became a runaway bestseller. We first meet the author as a young boy, learning about the family and faith that led him to become such as reliable and unpretentious narrator. As it turns out, Evans grew up in a Mormon household amongst a band of taunting brothers and a few childhood ghosts. His mother lost a stillborn daughter when Evans was a toddler. She also suffered from severe depression and suicidal tendencies. This backdrop helps us understand Evans's dedication to bring healing and hope to life. More than a publishing success story, The Christmas Box Miracle speaks about Evans's ability to change readers' lives and foster miracle after miracle. Fans of Evans already know to pull out their handkerchiefs. --Gail Hudson

Book Description

In 1994, Richard Paul Evans, then an unknown writer, self-published a short book entitled The Christmas Box. That book went on to become an international bestseller, selling more than seven million copies and touching the lives of many more people along the way.

The Christmas Box Miracle is the story behind the book that has become a Christmas classic: how a man writes and publishes a book which helps grieving people to heal and lost souls to find their way home. It is Evans's story: his own spiritual journey and stories of people he encountered along the way -- miraculous stories of healing and divinity that often defy explanation.

In sharing the story behind The Christmas Box, Richard Paul Evans has given us a story of miracles, hope and healing for all seasons.

Customer Reviews:

What?.......2007-07-01

I am a big fan of the Christmas Box books, but when I saw this book I thought UHHHHHH I guess he needs even more money. RPE must have realized that he was a flash in the pan, and was desprate to hang on to his falling fame. This book does have its moments though, but it sounds like a broken record. They were giving this book away.. a free copy with every $10 purchase. I wish RPE would get over himself he's no Charles Dickens!!!

excellent book.......2007-03-20

this book is really eye opening as to faith and where it can lead you if you let it.

Powerful, yet simple message.......2007-01-14

Unfortunately I read this after reading "The Light of Christmas" so I knew most of the story line but it was still worth the read. It is a simple story with a powerful message about the importance of our individual lives and the lives of those who love us. The Christian message of hope in life is prevalent but subtle and doesn't come across as 'preaching' while still delivering its impact.

Buy more than one!.......2005-12-05

I loved this book from the beginning to the end. It is filled with profound thought evoking experiences and letters. I always love "the story behind the story" and that is exactly what this is. I suggest buying more than one because then you will have one to keep and one that you can share with out having to worry about tracking it down later.

This is the BEST book I've ever read........2003-12-24

Even if you haven't read "The Christmas Box," and don't know what it's about you should read "The Christmas Box Miracle!" It's the most inspiring, and moving book I've ever read. I hope you take the opportunity you've been given, and read this awesome book. It will change your life for the better.

Searching for Mercy Street: My Journey Back to My Mother, Anne Sexton

Average customer rating:

Go hug your mom after reading this
Honesty Can Be Pure Hell
captivating, enthralling
"Mommie Dearest", deja vu
Linda Sexton Earns Honorary Name "Gray"

Searching for Mercy Street: My Journey Back to My Mother, Anne Sexton
Linda Gray Sexton
Manufacturer: Little Brown & Co (P)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0316782084

Amazon.com

An unsparing account of the anguish and fierce love between Linda Gray Sexton and her brilliant, unstable and ultimately self-destructive mother, Anne Sexton. Anne taught Linda how to write, how to see, how to imagine; and only Linda could have written a book that captures so vividly the intimate details and lingering emotions of their lives together. Searching for Mercy Street speaks to everyone who admires Anne Sexton and to every daughter or son who knows the pain of an imperfect childhood.

Customer Reviews:

Go hug your mom after reading this.......2005-08-15

I read long ago the biography of Anne Sexton by Diane Middlebrook, and was very impressed by the tormented life of the poet. I also happened to read one of the novels written by her daughter, Linda Gray Sexton, "Points of Light", which I did not like all that much. So I had (I thought) an idea of who Linda was, both through the biography and her novel.

I was wrong. Searching for Mercy Street is truly what the subtitle claims: "A journey back to my mother". It gets so personal it is embarrassing at times. Linda goes into a lot of detail as to why she revealed things that you would never want anybody outside of your family to know, and it makes sense, and yet it doesn't. I have never read a better account of life with another person. It is not 100% chronological, but it is rich in detail and clarity. I read it with the anticipation I have sometimes when reading a very interesting novel.

Long time ago a friend said: "Your parents are probably the only people that you may love even if you don't like them". I have thought about that comment quite a bit over the years. Linda was conflicted over the relationship she had with her mother. There was the void of not having had a mom in the general sense of the term, not so much a June Cleaver, but more someone who takes care of you, looks after you, helps you, loves you. There was the abuse. And mingled with everything else, there was the unconditional love. The complexities of mental illness are true and clear and never better represented than in this story. I have to wonder: how much of Anne's behavior was pure selfishness, and how much was her disease?

I had to cry at some of the stuff, because you know the pain was real and strong, and there was no prettifying any of the horrible things that went on at that household. And at the same time I had to smile at certain things, like the tenderness in the relationship between Linda and her father. It was heartwarming, among all the raw pain.

The choice of photos complemented the writing perfectly. I loved reading this memoir, pain and sordid details and all.

Honesty Can Be Pure Hell.......2004-12-20

"My mother died of depression. She took her life to end her pain." --Linda Gray Sexton

Living with Anne Sexton must have been like living in hell--and her daughter, Linda Gray Sexton, leaves absolutely nothing out of this book. She allows every dirty secret to emerge like a sort of bitterness filling the air.

Such as Anne's body lying on top of her-- "She's very heavy...I want to scream-get off, get off, get off!"--Linda Gray Sexton

Without Linda G. Sexton's honesty, "Mercy Street" would have been just another Mommy Dearest, but this was not. This book was about therapy, change, and forgiveness: this book was about new beginnings.

"Without knowing it, mother passes out to me her powers of observation. She shows me how to watch, how to see, how to record what transpires in the world around me. This is how I inherit her greatest gift..."--Linda Gray Sexton

"Searching for Mercy Street" was about rising above an environment which could have easily turned one into the same monsters you coexisted with--

But Linda Gray does not only show the reader the monster, the molester, the mentally ill, Anne Sexton-- she shows us the victim, the darkly depressed poet-- who without writing, would have killed herself long ago; she shows us a mother who did the best she could,even while walking through the dark.

Linda Gray Sexton finally arrives whole--In a world for her that was once motherless--

Now, after years of searching, she has found the mother within, and Anne Sexton herself,with all her imperfections, lives within that person too.

captivating, enthralling.......2004-12-11

I actually read this book while it was in production -- I was on the proofreading team for the publisher's typesetter -- and the entire team was enthralled by this book. Work is work, and usually we would would deal with the task at hand, but on breaks and over lunch, many of us working on this book would have mini-sessions about the author, her mother, the context of the relationship. We all felt very personally attached and protective of this book because we were working with the manuscript, which had handwritten notes between the author and her editor in the margins. It wasn't simply a narrative, we were keenly aware of the humanity behind the words. However, that awareness was truly heightened by the sensitive and thoughtful writing. Of course, my reading experience is unique to my situation, but I urge all readers to give this book some time. It's worth the investment.

"Mommie Dearest", deja vu.......2001-10-05

I have never been a great fan of Anne Sexton, the poet. But after reading the memoir written by her daughter, I doubt that I would cherish the words the poet wrung from the souls of her young.

To grow up in a household where genius resides is a terrible burden. I find it amazing that Sexton's daughters, especially Linda, survived at all. It is a book painted with a palette of despair, but never mean-spirited. It was, after all, a story begging to be told:"...I would bring her back to life, but to do so would require that I give up my life to her; to do so would require an act of cannibalism on her part, to reverse this process that every other mother and daughter engage in- the mother-daughter dance, birth and death..."

Linda Gray Sexton saves the most painful revelation until last, and it becomes the defining action I will most associate with Anne Sexton. This poet, this mother, unable to attain her own epiphany, extends the cycle of emotional violence into another generation, and the betrayed becomes the betrayer. Linda Gray Sexton did what she could, finally said "no more". This is by no means an indictment of the daughter. Rather, I applaud her choice for life and freedom, for her own future, for her own children.

Linda Sexton Earns Honorary Name "Gray".......2000-02-29

As the reader learns, the name "Gray" was given to family members who would attain the writer's gift. Respecting this honorary heirloom, Linda's words flow beautifully as she recalls her life with impressive detail. Linda expresses discomfort in revisiting the haunting moments of her life, but she doesn't stop reaching for information. Instead, she keeps pinching her insides until she's squeezed out each emotion, sharing her life and Anne's impact on it with the most lucid honesty. What courage to be able to look at oneself as closely as Linda does!

While enjoying the detailed account of humanity, I also learned the story of Anne Sexton, a brilliant artist and complex person who suffered a lot, and caused much suffering-- as well as joy.

This book also demonstrates how writing poetry or even non-fiction as therapy can truly become art if the writer is real, fearless and generous with detail. I appreciated the educational value of the information about the emotional impact of mental illness on an individual and a family.

Anyone who writes, ever feels blue, or appreciates learning about the mind of the artist should read this book. I also recommend reading "Touched with Fire", Kay Redfield Jamison's study of Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament, as well as "An "Unquiet Mind", her autobiography. Also, reading more of Sexton's poetry (many poems are excerpted in Linda Gray Sexton's book) completes the picture.

Book Description

For Frank Gannon, being Irish-American has nothing to do with Lucky Charms, Irish Spring, leprechauns, and "the wretched thing that has been made of St. Patrick's Day." It means returning to the land where his deceased parents were born in search of his own Irish identity. Soon, he will discover much about his mother and father, and even more about himself. MIDLIFE IRISH draws on the universal themes of love, loss, and laughter that have kept the Irish both miserable and happy-often at the same time -throughout the years.

Customer Reviews:

Keep your expectations modest, and you'll enjoy this book........2005-09-15

That attitude is also, by the way, a healthy one to take to Ireland. While there, I was simultaneously reading Nuala O'Faolain's "Are You Somebody? -The Accidental Autobiography of a Dublin Woman", which may have been unfair to Gannon's book, since O'Faolain is a fantastic artist with the English language (as spoken by the silver-tongued Irish.) Gannon is nowhere near the writer that O'Faolain is, but his account is still touching in its simplicity and lack of pretension. Gannon is who he is, his parents were who they were, and his book is what it is. Accept that, and you'll have an enjoyable reading experience.

So inaccurate it's not worth your time.......2005-07-06

On page 71 the author says that Irish is a Germanic language like English. It is NOT! It is a Celtic language very distant from Germanic languages like English. The author goes on to say, "The English language is very ancient in Ireland. Despite what people say, English as a language is not something that was `imposed' on the people by outsiders." That is the most blatantly false statement on the Irish language I have ever read. Anyone who knows anything about the Irish language knows what the author said above is absolutely wrong and damaging to the Irish language. These statements alone should tell you NOT to buy this book or even check it out from a library. After reading that I put the book away. Don't even bother with it.

In 1990,there were 70 million Irish living outside Ireland........2005-03-21

I had never seen nor heard of this book or its author when I picked it up.I must admit, it didn't do much for me,particularly in the first quarter of the book.Like another reviewer, it also hit me as disjointed and in need of a lot of editing.As a matter of fact, I nearly gave up on it.That would have been a big mistake.After finishing it,I still feel the book gets a lot better,from every respect,the further you get into it.
I have been to Ireland three times and find it an absolutely fascinating country.The people,history,landscape,music,literature
and all, fail to amaze me.
Gannon is impressed with the Irish skill in the use of language as I am and he is a writer,and he should know.What the Irish can do with language does not come from a book,can't be taught in school;it comes from the soul--and as far as I can tell-it has to come from an Irish soul.
I was really taken by Gannon's concept of "thin places".He mentions several and made me think of some too: Sitting on the base of Molly Malone's statute talking to a couple of street people,Kennys Bookstore in Galway,A stroll up Fall's Road in Belfast,B&B at Trinity College,Blarney Castle,Grafton Street,Gogarty's in Temple Bar,Shop Street in Galway,Sitting in the Lord Mayor,s chair in Belfast,Joseph Plunkett's cell and the Chapel where he married Grace Gifford before being executed in Kilmainham Gaol in 1916,just to name few.
You'll surely enjoy this book if you've ever been to or plan to visit Ireland.

Funny, Revealing, Enlightening Journey of Discovery.......2003-05-04

This book, which is not a travel book nor a psychological treatise although it has elements of both, will bring a feeling of recognition and self discovery to many Irish-Americans like myself. Gannon accurately reflects the upbringing in an Irish home where many things are left unsaid and much of family history is shrouded in mystery. His trip to Ireland to learn more about his parents and his forebears is a treat--enlightening, educational and very funny. It is also dead-on in its take on Ireland and the Irish. It is a fascinating trip that will keep the reader laughing and engrossed. Highly recommended.

surprisingly touching and funny........2003-04-27

I recieved this book as a present. I thought of it as a sort of travel book, but it's something much different. It's a very funny, personal and touching book. It's not a "fact book", and I don't think it pretends to be. But it is very memorable, very funny , and very entertaining. Just a lovely read. At the end I was genuinely moved

My Jihad: The True Story of An American Mujahid's Amazing Journey from Usama Bin Laden's Training Camps to Counterterrorism with the FBI and CIA

Average customer rating:

A fun read, but so are comics
Couldn't put it down
Uses religion as a justification for criminal activity
A sad state of affairs
A somewhat misleading title

My Jihad: The True Story of An American Mujahid's Amazing Journey from Usama Bin Laden's Training Camps to Counterterrorism with the FBI and CIA
Aukai Collins
Manufacturer: The Lyons Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Jew Vs Jew : The Struggle For The Soul Of American Jewry
The Adventurist: My Life in Dangerous Places

ASIN: 1585745650

Book Description

My Jihad is the personal story about the biggest threat to world peace and stability in our generation, as told by an insider.

Customer Reviews:

A fun read, but so are comics.......2007-06-10

My perspective is probably biased by my many years of military service, but here goes. The book reads like a good adventure novel and perhaps gives some insight into the loosely and even chaotically organized management style of many jihadists and their tendency to degenerate from religious warriors into common gangsters. However, it is hard to take the collection of stories seriously, sometimes they read like comics with Collins as a jihadist version of Captain America, minus the cool uniform. The nice thing about comics is that they have distinctive artwork and are not presented as having historical, political and religious significance and the writers are not self righteous.

At any rate, if any of these stories were being spun at the local tavern, the storyteller would definitely earn some free drinks.

Couldn't put it down.......2007-06-01

You will not be able to put this book down! He nearly gets killed in several instances, finds himself in the home of enemy combatants, gets caught crossing the border where he's rescued by a mobster, takes a few bullets to his legs, and still decides to return to the front lines! Whatever your feelings about Collins, he is clearly a hero: Most people wouldn't consider dying for their own country, yet this guy goes off to a foreign land to defend its people against the powerful Russian army. The book will also help readers understand what Jihad really is. You'll come to find that the current "jihadist movement" is in fact un-islamic, founded by groups of corrupt people, some of whom Collins describes as not being remotely religious. The book is a bit out of order: Section 2 should have come first. The book also ends on an incomplete note. Nevertheless, you'll get a first-hand account of a war that seems very distant. You'll also come to understand and appreciate the Mujahideen who dropped everything in their own lives to defend people in a foreign land when nobody, including their government, came to their rescue. After reading this book, I couldn't stop thinking about the atrocities that were committed. If anything, we need to make sure this doesn't happen again.

Uses religion as a justification for criminal activity.......2006-10-25

After reading this book, I am left with the impression that Collins was nothing more than yet another troubled youth that attempted to use a loophole in a religious ideology to justify his blatant criminal behavior. It also leaves me to wonder that had the scenario been a few years different, if he would not be over there right now in Iraq or Afghanistan trying to kill Americans instead of Russians?
I am skeptical with the title of this book, "An amazing journey from Usama Bin Laden's training camps to counter terrorism with the FBI and CIA." True it does tell of the author's travels from custody in the California Youth Authority, to training camps in Afghanistan and culminating with the siege of Grozny in Chechnya, but that is about it, a story and not a very amazing one at that. Collins never goes into detail about why he decided to convert to Islam, he just starts out one day while walking the streets of San Diego, enters a Mosque and decides to convert.
However, in part two of the book, he gives some insight as to why he may have decided to "convert," but never mentions if this is the actual reason or not. He comes from a broken home where his father eventually rejects him at the insistence of a drug addicted step mom and his biological mother is murdered over a drug deal gone bad. He winds up like most troubled youth living on the street and started out with committing petty crimes. He then progresses to armed robbery and an ensuing "shootout." When the police come to arrest him he proudly boasts about the 13 police cars outside and states to the arresting officers "all this just for me?" It seems to me this is the typical ranting of a juvenile delinquent, not a holy warrior. My interpretation is that he uses the religion of Islam and his distorted interpretation of it, to rationalize and justify his delinquent behavior.
He uses the concept of Jihad to further rationalize his desire to pursue his inherent criminal behavior by wanting to fight the Russians who are occupying Chechnya. My belief is that the same situation could have played out in any part of the world, he just wants to fight, wherever that may take him. When he finally gets to go out on an operation, "the others" have it all wrong, only he sees the impending ambush and he single handedly saves the others by attacking first and winds up getting shot in the leg. Then to top it all off, he becomes a pedophile by having sex with a sixteen year old at the hospital where he is recovering.
Again, without much of an explanation, he decides that he wants to work as an informant for the FBI against the same individuals he had just recently been fighting with. My assumption on this is that he had become disenchanted with his situation after being shot and he uses it as a ploy to have the government pay for his trip back to the United States. He returns to his wife and daughter back home, but never mentions whether his wife in the States knew anything about his illegitimate "child bride" and subsequent daughter in Chechnya.
He then continues his boasting about how he is intimately familiar with and easily associates himself with the Jihadist elements in the States and how although he is informing on them, at the same time, he works as their "muscle" on the side for some extra money. Again, he falls on back on what he knows, being a criminal. Lastly, and there is probably some element of truth about having to deal with government bureaucracy, but he never mentions how any of his work with the FBI or the CIA lead to anything productive or any meaningful outcome, just how much money he was making off the taxpayers. Oh, and he does get his troublesome leg amputated, also on the taxpayer dime. It concludes with him having a falling out with the CIA, who he then accuses of trying to have him killed during his last trip to Chechnya.
He concludes with a smattering of truth that on his final trip into Grozny, as he is actually faced with a true combat situation, he admits to being scared out of his mind. He attempts to save face by telling the reader that he was ordered to return to the States by his commander to obtain "critical" medical supplies. When he returns, his stateside wife leaves him and he is faced with the harsh reality of raising a son and daughter on his own. His illegitimate wife and daughter, whom he left in Chechnya, are never mentioned again.

A sad state of affairs.......2006-09-15

Firstly, I'd like to state that I loved this book. It was humorous, well written and thoroughly exciting book. The pacing was fast, the language is strong, and peppered with both American slang and Islamic references. For nothing else, it is a fun read.
I noticed though that many of the other reviewers called Aukai a "terrorist" or a "criminal" in their reviews though. This is not only incorrect, but also shows how jaded these people are. The fact that Aukai, irregardless of religious convictions, was willing to sacrifice his life in numerous countries to simply protect people that he had never met should be indication enough of the bravery and selfless nature of this man.
Is Aukai a flawless man? Hardly. But this does not make him a terrorist, or a criminal. Being that warfare still exists (Shockingly enough!), Aukai's killing of Russian soldiers is not a crime (At least not any more of a crime that any other soldier has ever commited during a war). I know that it may be a revelation to some of you, but a Moslem can be a fighter without being a terrorist too.

A somewhat misleading title.......2006-09-04

This book was recommended to me by my boyfriend, who has a vested interest in all things military (or even paramilitary), being in the Irish army. Having read the synopsis on the back, it certainly seemed like an interesting read, so in I dove.

The first thing any prospective reader of this book should know is that Aukai Collins has never once in his life been in contact with Osama Bin Laden, nor has he ever attended one of his training camps. Rather I think that aspect of the book was wilfully overstated in order to increase sales. Call me a cynic, but if you've read the book, you'll know what I mean. The second thing potential readers should be aware of is that Collins is an unabashed egotist - and it gets very tired early on in the novel.

The novel, in my opinion, is laid out rather back-to-front, in that it begins with his attempts to make jihad in various trouble-spots around the world, and we are only given any insight into his youth and why he converted to Islam in the second part of the book. And even this section, such as it is, is pitifully lacking. We are treated to a few short chapters on his childhood, but given no real insights into why he chose to convert to Islam. One rather gets the impression that it came about simply because he was bored in prison, and also because it gave him an excuse to indulge his inherently violent personality.

For all his posturing, Collins actually sees very little real "action". He seems to spend more time trying to get into the countries where he wishes to fight, and playing war games with his mujahideen friends in various camps. Even the manner in which he purportedly loses his leg is misleading - we are told he "left it behind" in Chechnya, when in reality he suffered an injury to it there, and later had it voluntarily amputated in America.

Depsite his supposedly altruistic side (he did, after all, want to help the FBI fight terrorists), Collins is a very hard person to like. He leaves a pregnant wife in America, then proceeds to marry a 16 year old girl in Chechnya. He then leaves her (also pregnant) to return to the States, where he impregnantes the first wife again. This third child is a son, and this is the only one of his children that Collins seems to care a whit about. I find it very hard to empathise with a man with such seeming disregard for his female children.

While parts of this book do undoubtedly give some insights into the world of the mujahideen, the one overwhelming feeling you are left with on finishing the book is "Why?".

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