My Brother's Road: An American's Fateful Journey to Armenia

My Brother's Road: An American's Fateful Journey to Armenia
Average customer rating:

A great book

Honest, Moving and Introspective

What a great man, who sacrificed so much for his people

It's never as simple as you've been taught

A MUST READ!

My Brother's Road: An American's Fateful Journey to Armenia
Markar Melkonian
Manufacturer: I. B. Tauris
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Right to Struggle: Selected Writings of Monte Melkonian on the Armenian National Question The Right to Struggle: Selected Writings of Monte Melkonian on the Armenian National Question

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ASIN: 1850436355
Release Date: 2005-02-24

Book Description

Known at various times as "Abu Sindi", "Timothy Sean McCormick", "Saro", and "Commander Avo", Monte Melkonian was denounced in Europe as an international terrorist, while his adopted homeland of Armenia decorated him as a national hero who led a force of 4,000 men to victory in Azerbaijan. Markar Melkonian spent seven years unravelling the mystery of his brother's road: a journey which began in his ancestors' town in Turkey and led to a blood-splattered square in Tehran, the Kurdish mountains, the bomb-pocked streets of Beirut, and finally, to the windswept heights of mountainous Karabagh. Monte's life embodied the agony and the follies of the end of the Cold War and the unraveling of the Soviet Union. Yet, who was this man, really? A terrorist or a hero? My Brother's Road is not just the story of a long journey and a short life, it is an attempt to understand what happens when one man decides that violent deeds speak louder than words

Customer Reviews:

A great book.......2007-02-22

This is a great book. The book is easy to read and has all the information on Monte from the day he was born all the way to his death. It tells us how Monte gave his life to the Armenian nation. After reading the book I sent a thank you later to his brother for writing the book. This is a must read for anybody who is intereted in Armenian Heroes.

Honest, Moving and Introspective.......2006-04-07

The above title are three words that come to mind after reading My Brother's Road. Markar Melkonian puts a human face on an "American-Armenian" legend, noting not only his brother's amazing accomplishments, but also his failings. Never-the-less, this book confirmed the fact that Monte Melkonian deserves the title of a national hero. His selfless ways and unstoppable drive for a cause bigger than himself are deliniated in the context of historical events. In short, one cannot help but admire Monte Melkonian while reading this book.
I thank Makar Melkonian for producing this fitting text about his brother, a revered son of Armenia.

What a great man, who sacrificed so much for his people.......2006-02-28

I really dont know what else to say. This book details his constant resolve to better the Armenian cause. Though it involves conflicts with other Armenians, his focus is for the Armenian nation (past, during the cold war, present, and future).
He literally gave his life for the Armenian people. Though drawn into political conflicts, he was clearly an apolitical nationalist, and a true hero. May God bless his memory, and his brother, who wrote this book.
I thank Monte and Markar for teaching me so much about Armenian history. Like you, Monte, I am reborn and my spirit will rise up like a phoenix. I am more an Armenian, having learned of your life. You gave yourself for (our) my future, and I will always honor you for it.

It's never as simple as you've been taught.......2006-01-31

In reading My Brother's Road, one can't help being made aware of the inevitable reciprocity of history. Monte, and others like him, were modern-day Maccabees, that cultural paradox of virtue and brutality, ideological fervor and compassion. To his added credit, Markar does not shy away from discussing the hard realities of the NKR conflict. In the end, that kind of honesty is the least his brother would have required.

A MUST READ!.......2005-12-29

Every Armenian and non-Armenian alike should pick up this book and read it.

My Personal Best : Life Lessons from an All-American Journey

Average customer rating:

Secrets of Life
Wooden's Personal Best
revealing, pleasant read
Good for coaches
Short, but Very Good

My Personal Best : Life Lessons from an All-American Journey
John Wooden , and Steve Jamison
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0071437924

Book Description

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

For John Wooden's millions of fans--a heartfelt and revealing self-portrait about the people and events that shaped his life

Sports Illustrated declared: "There has never been a finer coach in American sports than John Wooden. Nor a finer man." ESPN selected him as the "Greatest Coach of the 20 ^th Century." From his birth on an Indiana tenant farm, to All-American honors at Purdue, to his historic record-setting UCLA dynasty, John Wooden is a towering figure in 20 ^th-century sports, and his experience and wisdom an American treasure. In My Personal Best, Coach Wooden tells how he did it and the lessons he learned on his remarkable journey.

Pairing never-before-seen photos from Coach Wooden's private collection with his personal stories and affirmations, this book encompasses the dramatic arc of Wooden's larger-than-life achievements and experiences. As he did in his perpetual bestseller Wooden, Coach offers a wealth of biographical details, personal reflections, and a lifetime of lessons. His millions of fans will cherish this definitive pictorial history of a living sports legend.

"John Wooden is a living legend because he practiced what he preached--the code of ethics which created America's strength."
--Phil Jackson, head coach, Los Angeles Lakers

"Most of what I know, what's made me a smart man, has come from John Wooden."
--Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer

"A man of John Wooden's accomplishments and integrity would stand out in any era, but now, almost three decades after he coached his last game, he is in some ways an even more striking figure."
--Bob Costas

Customer Reviews:

Secrets of Life.......2007-06-09

John Wooden has figured out some of the secrets of life. And he passes them on directly, in a way that can be transformational for a reader.

John Wooden is a hero of mine. His own heroes include Abraham Lincoln and Mother Theresa. Like them, he is a treasure for all of us because his life and lessons demonstrate what it means to live to "our personal best" in a way that is simple, profound and so clear.

This book should be required reading in "Human Being 101".

Wooden's Personal Best.......2007-03-22

We grow up hearing about the importance of developing " good character", not always knowing what it is, or just how to obtain it. All of Wooden's books give his personal guidelines for developing character and living a decent life, whether we are athletes, musicians, teachers, or anything else.
Wooden's teachings have stood the test of time. His life and those he has influenced are proof of that.
I use his wisdom for myself, and I pass it on to all my students. They all know who John Wooden is. His life blesses us all.

revealing, pleasant read.......2007-01-05

John Wooden is one of my heroes. When I was growing up, his teams were dominant, but more importantly, they made the game beautiful to watch. After he retired at the peak of his game, he quietly stepped off the stage. With the rush of books on leadership in the 1990's through the present, it was inevitable, and overdue, that folks take time to examine Coach Wooden's approach to leadership. This has led to a cottage industry in Wooden books.

This book is short, personal and focuses on life lessons learned from the narrative of Coach's life. It doesn't attempt to be weighty, just a good read, that imparts wisdom without hitting you over the head with it. It touches on each chapter of Coach Wooden's life, and particularly shows the infuence of his father, his high school and college coaches and his growth thru experience

This is a fun, easy read that leaves the reader wiser. Highly recommend

Good for coaches.......2007-01-04

This is a great book to help any coach of any sport get a good feel for the right way to coach young players. Teach them good life lessons and skills. It gives an insight into a great coach and even greater man.

Short, but Very Good.......2006-05-10

I loved the book, but I would have liked for it to be longer. It is a very quick read but is full of wisdom from one of the best coaches of all time.

My California: Journeys By Great Writers

Average customer rating:

For the Californian--or sociologist-- in your life.
Interesting and beautifully wriiten
MY CALIFORNIA:JOURNEYS BY GREAT WRITERS
I loved this book (and I normally don't read short stories)
A Wonderful Book

My California: Journeys By Great Writers
Michael Chabon
Manufacturer: Angel City Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1883318432

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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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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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
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey
Ranch Life And The Hunting Trail
Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon
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

On My Journey Now: Looking at African-American History Through the Spirituals

Average customer rating:

Theology of African American Spirituals

On My Journey Now: Looking at African-American History Through the Spirituals
Nikki Giovanni
Manufacturer: Candlewick
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Acolytes: Poems
The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni: 1968-1998 (P.S.)
Grand Mothers: Poems, Reminiscences, and Short Stories About The Keepers Of Our Traditions
Ego-Tripping and Other Poems for Young People
True to Our Native Land: An African American New Testament Commentary

ASIN: 0763628859
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Book Description

With the passion of a poet and the knowledge of a historian, Nikki Giovanni tells the story of Africans in America through the glorious words of spirituals.

Ever since she was a little girl attending three different churches, poet Nikki Giovanni has loved the spirituals. In ON MY JOURNEY NOW, she paints compelling portraits of the lives of her ancestors through familiar songs such as "Go Down, Moses" and personal favorites such as "Ain’t Got Time to Die," celebrating a people who overcame enslavement and found a way to survive, to worship, and to build. ON MY JOURNEY NOW includes a foreword by Dr. Arthur Jones, founder and artistic program director of the Spirituals Project.

Customer Reviews:

Theology of African American Spirituals.......2007-07-21

I am planning a church-based course on Black theology in African American spirituals. Nikki Giovanni's unique treatment will be enriching for participants.

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

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.

Average customer rating:

Colin Powell : My American Journey
Gen. Colin Powell , and Joseph E. Persico
Manufacturer: Random Hse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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