Book Description
Now back in print: the "superlative spy novel" (New York Times) by the author of the red-hot forthcoming thriller A Firing Offense. A national bestseller in its hardcover edition, Agents of Innocence is the book that established David Ignatius's reputation as a master of the novel of contemporary espionage. Into the treacherous world of shifting alliances and arcane subterfuge comes idealistic CIA man Tom Rogers. Ordered to penetrate the PLO and recruit a high-level operative, he soon learns the heavy price of innocence in a time and place that has no use for it.
Customer Reviews:
Central Theme Flawed.......2007-10-03
Compelling spy novel, and very realistic, it puts you right there, but in the end the central theme is flawed. The Israelis/Americans are not the same as the terrorists of the world--there are definitely two sides out there, one with good guys and one with bad guys.
Fascinating, thrilling and sad all at the same time.......2007-10-01
Very well written - in depth and fascinating. Sad because it seems to be so close to the truth about the CIA and its various spy agencies really work. Highly recommended.
An excellent spy novel.......2007-08-19
Ignatius writes with a wry wit and educates the reader as to the sensual sights, and smells, as well as the culture of the Levant. He presents the espionage business in a brass tacs sort of way thankfully devoid of much of the James Bond. If the reader enjoyed this book one of whom's main motifs is that the CIA had a special relationship with an Arafat underling who is obviously the Red Prince, I would recommend that the reader also follow up by reading the books: The Quest for The Red Prince and Striking Back.
Thoughtfully written and currently relevant.......2007-07-12
Although this is a work of fiction set more than 25 years ago it reads as if it could be describing events today. The author tries to present the espionage game as it probably really is rather than dressing it up to make for a more "exciting" story. The novel is much more John le Carre than Robert Ludlum but it does not suffer any lack of drama or excitement.
For anyone who likes a good dramatic and suspenseful story and who would also like to gain some perspective on the Middle East this is a great choice.
Compelling, Informative, More Relevant than Ever.......2007-06-22
CIA operative Tom Roger's work in Lebanon (from the 1960s to the 1980s) is this book's basis. It is no wonder that this is reputed to be required reading at "The Farm" due to the author's understanding of Lebanese politics, his apparent understanding of a case officer's acitivities, and the continuing grim relevance of terrorism.
Two downsides to the book: some of the substance is offset by gratuitous sexual content, which in parts makes it seem more like a trashy summer romance novel than a potential intel classic. Also, there could have been some more character development, especially with some of the major players.
Book Description
For no gentleman is this more true than Charles Morwellan, the eighth Earl of Meredith. Although he's seen the many successful unions of his Cynster connections, he has also watched his father's obsessions nearly destroy their family and fortune, a mistake Charles will not repeat. But as Lord Meredith he must marry, so he offers for Sarah, the daughter of his neighbors Lord and Lady Conningham. She's intelligent enough to run his social life, beautiful enough to grace his arm, and old enough to know the value of his offer.
For most young ladies of the ton, the right marriage is the culmination of years of training, perfect deportment, and intricate plans that would impress a general. But as a lady of independent means with a life of her own, Sarah is unwilling to wed unless it is for unbounded love.
But Charles always gets what he wants. He convinces Sarah to give him two weeks to win her; if he succeeds, they will marry immediately. And so begins an intense courtship. By day, Charles and Sarah are models of decorum indulging in innocuous walks, polite conversation, sedate waltzes. Each night they steal away to the lush, moonlit gardens, where sensual embraces turn to searing kisses, and much, much more. Both are swept away on a tide of passion and feeling neither can resist.
And yet, after the wedding, despite nights of insatiable passion, Charles remains aloof, as if the near-sinful sweetness of their nights exists only in a dream. Sarah battles to prove that true love is a force that can't be contained, a gift worth fighting for, but it's only when she's engulfed in a web of increasingly dangerous incidents that Charles discovers how much he's willing to surrender to protect . . . the taste of innocence.
Customer Reviews:
I really liked this book..........2007-09-13
...Until they got married and Charlie revealed his true immaturity. I think the way he treated Sarah was shoddy and I lost all respect for him at that point. In my book, real men shouldn't be afraid to "admit" that they care for someone, and saying "I love you", (if you mean it), does not diminish ones masculinity. Charlie comes off as damaged goods and as someone with control issues in this novel and Sarah is the only grown-up in their relationship. This is a turn-off to me.
Yes, they do have a happy ending, but I feel sorry for Sarah and hope that he is there for her (emotionally and physically) when the babies start coming and afterward.
Later: Goodness! I was kind of harsh when I rated this book. The end does get better and Charlie and Sarah do resolve their differences. Maybe their anguish makes the resolution sweeter? If I can identify that much with the characters so that I (as the reader) feel emotionally involved, that may be a good thing. At least I am reacting to the story, and not bored.
Sorry Charlie, but you didn't cut it........2007-06-26
I really tried to give Charlie the benefit of the doubt but come on. How long did Charlie think he was going to have a hot time in the bed at night while he treated his new wife like dirt during the day? And the "I'm afraid to love" was a real turn-off. He never even seemed man enough to me to rate as a hero. At least the Cynster men could kick some serious a** so their struggles with love seemed macho. Charlie just seemed like a whining baby. Just because his father made bad decisions hadn't a thing to do with love in my book. He was just a weak man and left Althea to run the family. Sorry, Charlie, you just aren't grown up enough for me to lust after.
And what was it with this book saying that Portia and Simon aren't married yet? The Perfect Lover (their book) came out FOUR years before this book. That was an editing mistake that really bothered me.
I love the Cynsters but maybe this series is just tired.
Fourteenth in the Cynster series.......2007-06-10
This is the fourteenth novel in the Cynster series but it works very well as a standalone book with just occasional glimpses of characters from the other books. It gives an interesting insight into the wooing and the early days of a marriage between an Earl and a woman whom he has known his entire life. Sarah Conningham is a 23 year old woman who is part of a happy family and whose nature is warm and loving. However the reason that she has turned down several offers of marriage in the last few years is because she believes that marriage without love isn't worth it - she's only going to marry for love. The inconvenient attraction she feels for Charlie Morwellan, eighth Earl of Meredith, is something she has to ignore as he has no interest whatsoever in her.
When Charlie offers for Sarah it is because he knows she will make the perfect countess. They have grown up together and although they don't know each other well he knows that she is just what he needs. However he's surprised to find that she doesn't instantly accept his proposal but instead asks for two weeks to get to know him. Charlie decides to use the time to persuade her into the marriage and goes about this with traditional wooing mixed up with sensual experience. A lot of the first section of the book is details of their kissing and more but it's well written and it gives an idea of the characters, their thoughts and how they are getting to know each other.
The second part of the book follows their early days of marriage when Charlie realises he has fallen in love with his wife but is afraid it will cause him to make bad decisions, as his father did, and so he tries to withdraw. Although whilst reading the story this makes some kind of sense, subsequently it all seems a bit unlikely. However, Charlie and Sarah's relationship has its troubles and there are also some unfortunate events taking place at an orphanage of which Sarah is the patroness. Is there a deeper plot against the owner of the orphanage? Will Charlie come to his senses? What is the link with the railway scam and their troubles?
Stephanie Laurens' writing style is very good. Although there's a fair amount of sex in this book it's written in a pleasant and loving style and it is part of the overall plot. The characters grow and change as the story progresses, Sarah coming into her element as countess and understanding more about her husband than perhaps he does, Charlie realising that his priorities in life up to now haven't been right. The 'baddie' in this story is a rather half-hearted one and it was fairly easy to guess who it was but the plot about the attacks on the orphanage added some interest to the story. Overall it was a very enjoyable read and although sometimes Charlie seemed to speak in a rather modern American manner about emotions, it was good to have a happy ending without too much heartache in the middle.
Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007
disappionted fan.......2007-06-09
Let me start by saying that I am a true Laurens fan. I have every book she has written and this is the first time that I was truly not interested. The characters were really boring and almost seemed like robots to me because they had no depth. The plot was fine, I know people complain about the similarity to her other books, but I find comfort in the familiarity.
Now the reason I am truly not happy is because this book lacks passion. There I said it and I am not ashamed! I read Stephanie Laurens books because they tell a story about characters that usually have a sizzling heat between them. Her books are always well written, rich with detail, and that only adds to the romance. However, this book is all detail and very little romance....much less passion.
By the end of the book I felt like I was reading about my grandparents. I feel like Mrs.Laurens has grown almost clinical in her writing. I wish she would go back and read some of her older books like "A Rakes Vow", "All about Passion", or even more recently "A Gentleman's Honor". Not only do the characters really really like one another in those books.....I know why they do.
I have seen a trend in her most recent books leading to this one and I do not like it. I want my romance back, I want to know why the main characters like one another. There was internal dialog in this book, but that was the problem....I did not know what they were thinking because it was basically completely internal.
Most of all I want my passion back, the fiery discourse. I have always loved the exaggerated interactions in her older books....romance novels are fantasy and they give so much inspiration!
Not that Bad!!!.......2007-04-25
The other reviews were a little harsh. Even though this book was a little longer than Laurens previous cynster novels, I still liked it. It was a love story with a mystery thrown in. If this is your first Lauren's title, I wouldn't recommend it, but it was a great continuation of the Cynster stories!!!
Average customer rating:
- Good read
- Don't pick up this book if you want to sleep tonight!
- Excellent - well developed characters
- I didn't see it coming...
- NORA IS JUST WONDERFUL AND SO ARE HER BOOKS
|
Carnal Innocence
Nora Roberts
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Romantic Suspense
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Roberts, Nora
| ( R )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Paperback
| Roberts, Nora
| ( R )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Contemporary
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Roberts, Nora
| ( R )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Paperback
| Roberts, Nora
| ( R )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Contemporary
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Romantic Suspense
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Brazen Virtue
-
Genuine Lies
-
River's End
-
Sweet Revenge
-
Hidden Riches
ASIN: 0553295977
Release Date: 2000-04-11 |
Amazon.com
Old favorite. Bestselling author Nora Roberts grabs her readers from page one. Innocence, Mississippi, isn't innocent for long when a murderer strikes the sleepy town. Concert violinist Caroline Waverly has returned to her deceased grandparents home to escape high-pressured concert tours. She is soon caught up by the irresistible charm of Southerner Tucker Longstreet. The dark secrets of Innocence soon begin to surface and together Caroline and Tucker not only face a murderer but discover secrets from the past.
Book Description
In the small town of Innocence, Mississippi, days are long, nights are fragrant, and secrets are hard to keep. But when a brutal killer starts claiming the lives of the town's most attractive women, lifelong neighbors are forced to wonder if the culprit is a stranger lurking in the bayou...or someone right next door.
Burned out by a whirlwind career, world-famous concert violinist Caroline Waverly arrives in Innocence looking for a little peace and some time to think. She hopes that a stay at her late grandmother's house--the one with a covered porch just made for soft summer nights--will provide the tranquillity she needs. But Innocence has something else to offer Caroline: handsome, charming Tucker Longstreet.
Tucker is known for keeping his romances short and shallow. But one look at Caroline, and Tucker realizes that she is unlike any other woman he's met. The coolly reserved Caroline feels an unexpected thrill at his ardent advances. But when she discovers a third murder victim in the murky waters behind her home, her summer liaison threatens to become much more. Because there's just one small problem with her new romance: Tucker is the leading suspect in the killings.
Customer Reviews:
Good read.......2007-09-21
This is one of Nora Roberts' older books and I just ran onto it recently! It kept my interest from the first page. I loved all the characters of this southern town. For once I liked the hero and heroine of the story from the beginning. Sometimes one or the other of them is sort of a jerk and then redeemable by the books end. However, Tucker and Caroline are both likable throughout the book. Nora Roberts was able to add a lot of humor to the story even though there is a serial killer running amok. Nora is great at bringing into the story a pet or child and in this case both, to give the story humor and some nice touching moments. I loved Tucker's easy going manner and his story telling.
I did suspect who the killer was. I sort of wished it could have been someone else but guess that is what made it such an interesting story.
I have some favorites of Nora Roberts and think this one will rate right up there.
Don't pick up this book if you want to sleep tonight! .......2007-08-08
Warning! Warning! Don't pick up this book if you want to sleep tonight! And lock the door while you're reading. My hands are still shaking from the incredibly shocking I-really-didn't-guess-the-killer finale! The clues are all there about a monster carving up young women and throwing them into the swamp. In hindsight, the killer's identity is completely obvious. But I guarantee this one will keep you terrified and guessing from beginning to end. I totally fell in love with the hero, Tucker Longstreet, a smooth-talking, deceptively slow-moving, lazy Southern charmer. The heroine, Caroline, is a concert violinist, holed up in her grandmother's Mississippi home while she recovers from exhaustion. But her introduction to life in the deep South isn't exactly restful. Tucker nearly runs her down, then she discovers a dead, mutilated girl in her lake - a girl who publicly claimed Tucker knocked her up. All hell breaks loose in the town of Innocence. Tucker plays his good ol' boy impression well, until Caroline begins to suspect there's much more to him than meets the eye. This is one slow, sexy sizzle, with a crazed killer upping the emotional ante, and then some... Wow! Fantastic!
Excellent - well developed characters.......2007-05-12
I bought the audiobook of this book and thought it was excellent. The characters were extremely well written and I laughed out loud several times listening to the audio book. Highly recommended.
I didn't see it coming..........2006-06-24
I pride myself on being able to figure out the culprit in the first few chapters of a mystery. I was completely surprised as to who the murderer turned out to be in 'Carnal Innocence'. This was the first book I've ever read by Nora Roberts and after reading it I have to say that Nora Roberts is one of my new favorite authors. I just loved the smalltown Southern atmosphere that the book revolved around and the characters were so greatly developed that I actually miss them now that I've finished the novel.
NORA IS JUST WONDERFUL AND SO ARE HER BOOKS.......2006-06-13
This book about caroline who is a world know violinist and is taking a break from it to vist her childhood home in innocence,mississippi. where she going to get more prombles then she can handle and one of those prombles is a charming, rick, lazy southern lady man name tucker. he's the prombles of all her prombles because he suppose to be a suspet of his lastest girlfriend murder, he's the one who the death girlfriend father is looking to kill, he's the one who wants her and she don't want a relatonship because her last one was not to good. he's to stubborn and patient and will wait until she can want him back. she's giveing some thought to him when things are about to become deadly and dangous and hot.
Average customer rating:
- Sophisticated art.
- Self-Censorship from the land with no First Amendment
- As complex as its subjects
- Beautiful Subjects
- Barely Misses the Mark
|
The Age of Innocence
David Hamilton
Manufacturer: Aurum Press, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Reference
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Photographers, A-Z
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Portraits
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Anthologies
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Jock Sturges: Radiant Identities
-
At Twelve: Portraits of Young Women
-
Jock Sturges: Notes
-
Immediate Family
-
La Danse
ASIN: 1854103040 |
Customer Reviews:
Sophisticated art........2006-08-15
Lectori Salutem,
In the Beauty of young human beings, lies the hope of the world.
Those photographs are like classical music.
Some people are afraid of the power glowing from the portrets ,
and start a witch hunt. Don't do it. Never lose an opportunity to seen anything that is beautiful: For beauty is God's handwriting.(R W Emerson)
Ferdinand Huismans.
Self-Censorship from the land with no First Amendment.......2005-11-12
Doubtless going to rattle a few cages here, on *both* sides: the people who consider his stuff impermissibly naughty, and the people who wax rhapsodic about this particular work. But it has to be said.
Britain, the land that pioneered imprisonment without charge before we did, the land that criminalizes self-defense against burglars in your own home, is also the land without a First Amendment; and this has seemingly scared Mr. Hamilton into self-censoring and mutilating his own product. This is a first-rank tragedy, as he is arguably the best-known and most highly respected photographer of this entire genre, and therefore the most likely to prevail in a frontal assault against the philistinism which equates nude photography with pornography.
Instead, however, he has in this volume essentially raised the white flag and abandoned *nude* photography in favor of topless photos which won't arouse the ire of the British police. An astonishing number of his photos are awkwardly cropped for legal, rather than aesthetic reasons, so what was clearly shot as an integral figure study gets published as an amputated torso. This phenomenon was *not* present in his early works, including his films and his photos for the Spanish edition of "Playboy"--it manifested itself only when the world got uniquely psychotic about "child pornography".
Even in the USA, where a 17-year-old Marine who carries a machine gun for a living can be considered a "child" if photographed wrongly, Sally Mann and Jock Sturges haven't thrown in the towel (or draped the model in it ;-). Nor, of course has Bourboulon or Ionesco.
So I say: Boycott! The guy's got a right to protect his hide, of course, and even Galileo recanted when the Inquisition threatened to murder him for saying the Earth goes around the Sun. But would you spend your money on a book that says it's the other way around?
As complex as its subjects.......2004-04-30
This is possibly the most beautiful set of photo portraits I've ever seen. Like the subjects, though, the beauty has a scary side to it.
There's a lot more to say. The pictures are intense, and more intense as a collection. I'm sure everyone who sees it will have more to say, and everyone will say something different. For that matter, I could discuss this in three or four contradictory ways. This time, I prefer to let the pictures speak for themselves and to let the readers form opinions of their own.
Beautiful Subjects.......2004-04-03
Physical beauty is something that we have for only a brief period in our lives. It is a temporary stage during our lifespan. Unfortunately, we discourage young women from sharing their physical beauty with others who can appreciate it. It really is quite a shame that we try to enforce modesty. David Hamilton gave us this gift so that we may be able to share his admiration for the young, female physique. I am grateful to the young subjects, who were gracious enough to share their beauty with us.
This is a remarkable book. It is obvious that David Hamilton is very passionate about his subjects. He has taken his appreciation and admiration for young women and shared that enthusiasm with the world. I highly recommend this book.
Barely Misses the Mark.......2003-12-10
If I could have rated this book 4 1/2 or 4 3/4 stars I would have. It certainly is a beautiful artistic endeavor. However, it fails the mark of perfection because of a few (VERY FEW) photos that are too suggestive for girls of their age, and a few comments by the author that would seem to provoke dangerously misleading thoughts in the minds of young people who might get their hands on this book. As the step-dad of a teenage girl I have experienced first-hand the confusion of an easily influenced child, who lacks the full capacity to reason and misperceives what she has seen and heard. Too many (pre-teen and teen) children think they are supposed to be sexually active, and there are certainly a few paragraphs and photos in this book that would help contribute to that pattern of thought. There is some mild homosexual content in a few frames and some of the writings. Otherwise this is a finely crafted work.
Many of the photos are soft, muted, elegant, and almost dream-like, while others are sharp and rich in color and contrast. There are full figure studies and a variety of portraits. Some of the girls look confused, content, generally happy, thrilled, curious, and some disgusted. Unlike similar works by other photographers, the majority of the models do not appear to be emotionless, melancholy, or tormented. There are no portrayals of violence or mishap. The quotes from classic poetry are at times provocative but still tasteful and refreshing, especially if you are one who enjoys traditional Western European poetry. The author/photographer makes several attempts at poetic verse but they do not work so well.
I do realize that the entire theme of The Age of Innocence is the psychological tumult experienced by young girls who are approaching womanhood, so the sexual element does have to be "taken with a grain of salt." As an artist and photographer I do highly recommend this book and treasure my own copy, but I strongly suggest caution when selecting an audience to share it with; teenage boys are not a proper audience.
Overall this is quite a clean representation--with a few exceptions--of the human form and psychology of young women.
Average customer rating:
- HIGHLY RECOMMEND - MOST EFFECTIVE
- The Right to Innocence: Healing the Trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse: A therapeutic 7-Step-Help Program for Men and Women, Inclu
- Wonderful! Great Healing Book!
- Great overview...good starter book that offers hope for recovery
- best self-help book i've ever read
|
The Right to Innocence: Healing the Trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Therapeutic 7-Step Self-Help Program for Men and Women, Including How to Choose a Therapist and Find a Support Group
Beverly Engel
Manufacturer: Ivy Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Sexual Abuse
| Abuse & Self Defense
| Mental Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mental Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Abuse
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Abuse
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Child Abuse
| Family Relationships
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
Dysfunctional Relationships
| Family Relationships
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
Abuse & Self Defense
| Mental Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Mental Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
| Culture
| General
| Marriage & Family
| Race Relations
| Rural
| Social Groups
| Social Situations
| Urban
Dysfunctional Relationships
| Family Relationships
| Parenting & Families
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Secret Survivors: Uncovering Incest and Its Aftereffects in Women
-
The Courage to Heal - Third Edition - Revised and Expanded: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse
-
Outgrowing the Pain: A Book for and About Adults Abused As Children
-
Repressed Memories: A Journey to Recovery from Sexual Abuse (Fireside/Parkside Recovery Book)
-
Allies in Healing: When the Person You Love Was Sexually Abused as a Child
Accessories:
-
philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer
ASIN: 0804105855
Release Date: 1990-01-29 |
Book Description
"A practical and powerful must-read book for all who have suffered childhood sexual abuse, their family members and loved ones, and for all mental health professionals."
Harold H. Bloomfield, M.D.
Author of MAKING PEACE WITH YOUR PARENTS
As a trained therapist and sufferer of sexual abuse herself, Beverly Engel knows that there is probably no trauma a child can suffer that makes her or him feel more alone than sexual abuse. This helpful book offers hope for recovery with exercises, visualizations, and techniques that support you through a seven-step program, that will aid you in: facing the truth, releasing your anger, confronting those responsible with facts and feelings, forgiving yourself, and more healing advice and information.
Customer Reviews:
HIGHLY RECOMMEND - MOST EFFECTIVE.......2007-08-09
OF ALL THE BOOKS ON SEXUAL ASSAULT THAT I HAVE PURCHASED AND READ, I FOUND THIS BOOK TO BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE. I HAVE NEVER CRIED SO MUCH IN MY LIFE. LETTING GO OF ALL THE EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS THAT I HAD KEPT INSIDE FOR SO LONG WAS SUCH A RELIEF. THIS BOOK REALLY TAUGHT ME ABOUT HOW THAT EXPERIENCE HAD TRULY AFFECTED MY LIFE. IT ALSO TAUGHT ME HOW TO BECOME A BETTER PERSON. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE GOING THROUGH THE RECOVERY PROCESS.
The Right to Innocence: Healing the Trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse: A therapeutic 7-Step-Help Program for Men and Women, Inclu.......2006-04-22
This is the first book, and after reading many, still the best book I've read about incest and childhood sexual abuse. I am a survivor of both. The name jumped right off the cover and grabed me; the truth of the title hit me right between the eyes. The pages of the treatise itself do not disappoint, it is filled with words that resonate in the hearts and minds of those of us who have been sexually abused. We all are endowed with a RIGHT TO INNOCENCE! How it is stolen from us and the horror stories that abound in the aftermath are compiled in this "wonderful" book that explains so much for those of us who have been "keeping the secret" (for me, over 50 years!!) I read it in the beginning of my therapy. I still refer to it and have given several copies away. I highly recommend this book for those who have treated themselves so badly for years, because they have come to believe that they must have been to blame for what someone else did TO them. There will be so many things about yourself and painful problems that you have been enduring for years, that you will now understand are "part and parcel" of the incest/child abuse survivors experience. You will find youself saying, "oh yes, of my God, that's me". That the only thing "wrong" with you is that you have been trying to deny and bury the horror and the problems and the pain for TOO LONG! I remembered every detail of my incest/abuse, and the aftermath of it's effects have lasted a lifetime. I did not seek help or talk to a single soul about it until I was 55 years old!! The problems that it caused me are mirade, probably preventable, if only I had saught help sooner. Please know you will be glad that you ordered this book.
KMEG, Sellersville, PA
Wonderful! Great Healing Book!.......2005-08-04
I had be a victim of child molestation for many years. I was victimized by 14 different abusers including family memebers. I was so depressed most of my life. Full of Rage, is was the therapist told me. After reading this book my life began again. When I seen Beverly Engle on The Opera Show I was so happy to see her sharing her book. I followed this book & told my story to my Pastors. What a wonderful life I now have. No longer drepessed & released from anger. The Pyscholgist said he couldn't recommend this book. Well then he doens't understand what a victim is going through. I was a victim from age 6yrs to 13yrs. and carried this burden with me till I was 35yrs. old. Don't wait read it now! God bless you beverly because I'm a whole person today.
Great overview...good starter book that offers hope for recovery.......2005-07-02
It's clear that Dr. Engel knows what she is talking about here. The exercises and visualization techniques are excellent. Her seven-step program will aid in healing.
Also recommended: Miss America By Day (Marilyn VanDerber)
best self-help book i've ever read.......2005-01-29
How do I even start? I honestly don't know what i would've done without this book. This book, along with professional counseling helped me recover from depression and anxiety attacks. To be brief, I had been sexually abused by 2 family members: an older male cousin and my father. This book helped me to finally realize that it was never my fault, and I know that now. It's been about 10 years since I've stopped counseling, but I still have this book, and every once in a while when I start to have those feelings of guilt surfacing, I grab this book and start reading. Recovering from childhood sexual abuse, I believe, is a lifelong process, and I'm sure we need all the help we can get. I recommend this book to anyone who has been sexually abused, and also to anyone who knows of someone who has been sexually abused. Maybe they can be a great help and support to them.
Book Description
Dennis Fritz was an ordinary middle-aged man leading an ordinary life, when, on May 8, 1987, he was on his way to jail on charges of rape and murder. An overzealous prosecutor bent on winning relied on flimsy circumstantial evidence and Dennis was convicted and sentenced to life in prison while his co-defendant, Ronnie Williamson was sentenced to death. After twelve years of incarceration, with the help of Barry Scheck of the Innocence Project, and DNA testing, Dennis and Ronnie were exonerated and the real killer is found guilty. On April 15, 1999, Dennis and Ronnie walk free from prison.
"The story of the unwarranted prosecution and wrongful conviction of Dennis Fritz is compelling and fascinating. After serving eleven years for a murder he did not commit, Dennis was exonerated and had the strength and courage to put his life back together." —John Grisham
"As I write these words, there have been one hundred eighty-one post-conviction DNA exonerations in America. The exonerated, many crime victims and their families (including the Carter family from the Fri and Williamson case) are the heart and soul of this movement. In this unique and brave community of survivors, there is no more decent and dignified a man, nor a more gentle soul, than Dennis Fritz. For eight years he has unstintingly supported our work in every way possible, re-living what are often very painful memories in service to a just cause. And now he has had the fortitude to tell his whole story. As always, I am in awe of his courage and humbled by his efforts." —Barry C. Scheck Co-Director The Innocence Project
Customer Reviews:
a powerful story that needs to be told.......2007-07-16
It is unfortunately true that many innocent people are convicted, sometimes by prosecutors who bend the law (often by hiding evidence) to gain those convictions.
There is significant documentation of such improper convictions, in a series by the Chicago Tribune, in a study by Columbia Law School, in the book "In Spite of Innocence," and in the marvelous work of Barry Scheck and his colleagues in the Innocence Project, and in "Journey to Justice" by Dennis Fritz.
It is a serious blemish on the American criminal justice system that too many prosecutors abuse their power, and get away with it.
My second novel, A Good Conviction, tells the story of a young man wrongfully convicted in a high profile Central Park murder, brought about by a prosecutor who knew the defendant was actually innocent and hid the exculpatory evidence that would have led to a not guilty verdict.
Several prosecutors and appeals attorneys helped me with the legal aspects of a Brady appeal in New York State, and all of them agreed that what I portrayed was both realistic and all too possible.
Readers have found it to be fast paced, exciting, and heartbreaking.
I'd be curious as to readers' opinion of whether a novel based on truth can be effective in drawing attention to the terrible wrongs done to so many people by prosecutors who abuse their power.
LEW WEINSTEIN
OUTSTANDING.......2007-02-23
What a great man to be able to go through so much, and yet have the faith and the fortitude to continue day after day pursuing JUSTICE in this tragic case, and then to go on and relive the horrors by writing such a fine book about it. Amazing, I would highly recommend this to anyone who has an interest in non-fiction, and and interest in learning more about our horribly flawed system of justice in the United States.
Journey to Justice.......2007-02-19
Dennis has written his harrowing story in a manner that is easy to follow and hard to put down. To read about the total injustice that was inflicted upon himself and his friend Ronnie, is nothing short of unbelievable. He has written about an inner strength and courage that carried him through the years of being incarcerated unjustly, and came out the other side with the support of his mother, aunt, daughter and the innocent project. Highly recommended read, along with Dreams of Ada, and Innocent Man by John Grisham
A wonderful Co-compainion to The Innocent Man.......2007-02-02
When I read The Innocent Man, I wondered what life for Mr. Fritz really had been since It did not go into much detail about his stay in prison, but after reading The Journey Toward Justice it just shows how strong of a person Dennis really is. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Fritz at a Tulsa, OK book signing and he is trully a wonderful and greatful person to talk to. If you have read The Innocent Man then you will have to read Journey Toward Justice it trully is compelling.
Harrowing and Important.......2007-01-20
JOURNEY TOWARD JUSTICE is an important book because it shows how the "winning is everything" attitude of our society in general has infected our criminal justice system as well. Dennis Fritz is a hero not just for persevering in seeking justice for himself, but for continuing to champion justice for the countless imprisoned innocent men and women who were just another notch in the belt or statistic in campaign literature for conscienceless prosecutors. This is a great story of the triumph of love, faith and endurance over careerism, cynicism and indifference. I highly recommend this book, not just for those interested in the criminal justice system, but for every American who naively believes that we have the "greatest system of justice" on earth just because those who run it keep telling us so.
D. W. Linden
author, SAND CREEK
Book Description
On a chilly autumn night in 1973, Casper, Wyoming’s picturesque steel bridge was the scene of a horrific crime. Two young half-sisters, Amy Burridge and Becky Thomson, were abducted, raped, and thrown from the bridge into the swiftly flowing waters 110 feet below. Author and Casper native Ron Franscell was just a child when the crime shattered his close-knit community, brutally ending the life of one friend and neighbor and forever changing the life of another. Unable to shake the demons of that night, Franscell returns 30 years later to examine the widespread effect of evil and its poisonous effect on the people and town of Casper. A gripping, poignant, and intensely personal narrative, Fall also explores the broader issues of survivor guilt, community justice, and crime’s lingering impact on society as a whole.
Customer Reviews:
FALL: The Rape and Murder of Innocence in a Small Town.......2007-09-19
"Fall: The Rape and Murder of Innocence in a Small Town" by Ron Franscell is by far right up there with the best true crime book ever written. Set in a small town in Wyoming, two small time criminals commit what would be remembered as one of the most unspeakable crimes of Wyoming's history.
On an autumn night in 1973, Casper, Wyoming is shattered by the brutal murder of 11 year old Amy Burridge and the rape and attempted murder of her 18 year old half sister - both being thrown off of a 110 foot bridge. And the story doesn't end there. Ron Franscell's writing is part memoir as he was a young teenager living in Casper at the time of this tragic event, a neighbor and friend of the two victims. With this writing, Ron wanted to come to terms with what happened and why, delving into the criminal investigation and, most importantly, into the mind of a sociopath. Fall takes the reader to the scene of the crime with eloquently written details and specifics of the case, leaving the reader feeling emotions that run the gamut. - Melanie Craven - truecrimeinsider.com
I lived in their house........2007-09-13
Hey,
My name is Aaron Nolan, I'm currently serving in the united states air force in south korea. And last night while at work we began to talk about ghost stories and other paranormal events when some memories of my childhood about living in a haunted house as a child surfaced.
When I was 6 years old, my sister was 4 and my brother was 12, we moved to a quiet city called Casper, Wyoming for my dad's family practice school. I remember the day well when we moved into the house, it was from appearance a nice house, it had three stories, a basement, a mid floor and an upstairs, and a nice cosy little dining room. However the house had a very eerie feeling to it, almost as if we were constantly being watched.
I also remember seeing bars on the windows as we arrived, my mother and father talked about it a lot and it struck them as strange that in such a nice and safe neighborhood that houses would have bars on the windows.
The first paranormal activity that I encountered, whether this was just a part of my stage of growing up perhaps more of just a curiosity was, I kept on waking up in different places then where I went to sleep. Perhaps I was sleepwalking, but often I woke up in a corner by the stairs or at the bottom of the stairs and I always felt wondered how I got there. But when I woke up I was always terrified and ran into my parents' room which was located to the right of the staircase. Did someone carry me or was I just sleepwalking? I guess I'll never know.
My older brother often reported seeing a ghostly figure walking through the basement, sitting in the chair and leaving. He also was terrified of sleeping down there, however his room was located in the basement so he had no choice but to bare through it. I remember once I was in the basement playing the Legend of Zelda when I felt someone walk past me, right behind me, I didn't think anything of it but when I realized I was home alone I freaked out and ran upstairs.
My grandmother also once came to visit us there. She stayed in the bedroom downstairs all alone, as my brother was sleeping upstairs to make room for her, and said that when she went to bed she heard a whimpering in the dark. She was absolutely terrified so she tried to just ignore it but then it became more intense and was more like a painful moaning.
My sister had the most intense experience as far as I could tell. One night my sister who was 4 years old at the time, awoke in the night and walked to the foot of the stairs and looked down and saw a girl. She thought it was a girl she knew, our babysitter named "Christina" however she said that she had cut her hair. She said to the girl "Christina go home". She said this repeatedly but apparently the girl began to laugh. So my sister went to my mother's bedside and woke her saying "mom Christina is here and she wont go home". My mother was very tired and told her to just go back to sleep. So my sister went back out there and she said the same thing again, and she once again just laughed and made no reply. So finally my sister went to sleep and my mother asked in the morning "Jessica why did you wake me up telling me Christina wouldn't go home?" and she replied "because she was there, but she cut her hair, and she wouldn't go home, she just laughed and laughed".
On another night I had probably my most frightening experience of my life. My sister and I shared a room upstairs directly across from our parents' room, and we had a bunk bed in an "L" configuration. I awoke during the middle of the night and looked to check that my sister was still sleeping there as I was weary of sleeping alone in that room anyway. I then saw a woman enter my room and open up my drawer, I thought it was my mom bringing the laundry in or something .The girl was throwing clothing out of my drawer. So I said "mom?" out loud, then the woman looked at me and I realized it wasn't my mother, she then faded away. At that point I pulled the covers over my head and peaked out when I noticed the coast appeared clear, I ran at full speed into my parents' bedroom and laid down next to their bed.
There were many other strange occurrences, like once we were on vacation in orlando, and upon return we noticed that every single light in the house was on and the doors were still locked, the way we had left them. Also I noticed many items in the house would be misplaced or moved to a completely different location in the house. Occasionally the telivision in our room turned on by itself, we also regularly heard strange and unexplainable noises.
I was so glad to move out of that house, however I somehow felt sorry for whoever would live there next. I wonder if they experienced the same types of things after we moved away.We were informed about a year after we moved into that house about the former residents, it turns out that the family who became victim to a well known brutal rape and murder, lived in the house that we occupied years earlier in 1973. I just recently discovered that there was a book written about it called "Fall: The Rape and Murder of Innocense in a Small Town".
The two girls 11 year old Amy Burridge and her sister 18 year old Becky Burridge were both raped and thrown from a bridge, falling 110 feet to the bottom into a the North Platte River where Amy met her end and Becky somehow survived despite her near fatal injuries. The criminals were brought to justice, however from my understanding years later were released on parole, or perhaps it was that they were up for parole, I cant quite remember as it was a long time ago. Becky fell from the same spot 20 years later and died in 1992. That is actually the time when an article appeared in the paper about her, when we were also informed we were living in the Burridge's old house.
I honestly haven't read this book yet, however I will be purchasing it today as it really "hits home" for me.
Totally engrossing true-crime in a new key.......2007-09-11
Combining literary flourishes with hard-nosed true-crime reporting, Ron Franscell's "Fall" is a masterpiece!! I have read a lot of TC but this one is the first that actually reaches back all the way to Capote's "In Cold Blood" to tell story that goes beyond the blood splatters and court papers. Beautiful writing that's Pulitzer-worthy IMHO!
Absolutely Riveting!.......2007-08-14
One of the best true-crime books I have ever read, Ron Franscell's book is engrossing. He delves into small town life in Casper, as well as the lives of the people involved in this fascinating true life horror. He has truly done his research, and since he lived next door to the victims, really knows what he is writing. As much as this story draws the reader in and makes it seem like a well-written novel, the fact that it is all true makes it all the more tragic and horrifying. Ron Francell did an excellent job telling this very sad story.
One of the top 10 true crime books in the last decade.......2007-06-08
Ron Franscell has produced an outstanding true crime book. The story of how Amy Burridge and Becky Thompson were thrown off a 110 foot bridge will infuriate you. Becky was raped, Amy thrown away because she would have been a witness. As stated in other reviews, the author grew up in Casper, Wyoming and knew the two girls. He makes the reader feel the place and see the crime as it is occurring. As the author of three true crime books, I know what a difficult task it is to make an event come alive. Franscell does this admirably. The fact that the murderers were able to escape the death penalty was frustrating and an indictment of the criminal justice system.
Amazon.com
Bakersfield, California, has earned a reputation for being tough on crime. District Attorney Ed Jagels took much of the credit for the incredible conviction rates in Bakersfield courtrooms, from high-profile child molestation ring busts to cases like that of Pat Dunn, a retired high school principal who was found guilty of murdering his wife--despite a disturbing lack of evidence linking him to the crime. Mean Justice tells Dunn's story compellingly, from his childhood in Bakersfield to the trial that would put him away for life. It chronicles his solid belief in justice and authority and his gradual disenfranchisement with the system that railroaded him for reasons that could only be political.
Humes's exhaustive account also covers prosecuting attorney Ed Jagels's rise to political power and influence and the juggernaut of prosecutorial misconduct that caught many others, along with Dunn, in its fury. But it is at its core the horrifying story of an innocent man who had faith in a system that would eventually destroy him. It's not an easy story to digest, and it is apparently not an isolated incident: Humes brings up case after case where seemingly innocent people were arrested, prosecuted, ostracized, and jailed for crimes that may or may not have even occurred. Mean Justice is a gripping and fascinating book that deserves to be read on many counts. --Lisa Higgins
Book Description
Deep in the heartland of California lies a city on the cutting edge of the nation's war on crime. Besieged by spectacular crimes in which pillars of the community were accused of murder, rape and the most vile conspiracies, Bakersfield found its saviors in a band of bold and savvy prosecutors. They descended on the courthouse like avenging angels, winning their cases, forging sweeping new laws and creating one of the toughest towns on crime in America -- a model for the rest of the country.
There is only one problem: The people who were arrested, tried and imprisoned in those landmark cases were innocent.
In Mean Justice, award-winning author and journalist Edward Humes embarks on a chilling journey to the dark side of the justice system -- the powerful true story of one man's battle to prove his innocence. It is a story both deeply personal and sweeping in scope, for Humes shows how the individual injustice done to one man is part of a disturbing national trend, in which innocence becomes the unintended casualty of the war on crime, and the immense new powers of prosecutors -- from Main Street to Wall Street to Pennsylvania Avenue -- are dangerously unchecked.
Combining the investigative reporting skills that earned him a Pulitzer Prize with the gifted storytelling honored by a PEN literary award, Humes tells how retired high-school principal Pat Dunn was prosecuted for killing his wife to inherit her millions. As taut and exciting as a suspense novel, Mean Justice reveals how Dunn's case was tainted by hidden witnesses, concealed evidence and behind-the-scenes lobbying by powerful politicians. More horrifying still, there were many such cases in this All-American town, where a well-meaning desire for public safety led to something dark and terrible and unjust. Finally, Humes asks whether the mean justice dispensed in Bakersfield, California, may be fast becoming the norm for the rest of the country, where, in our zeal for order, we are increasingly forgiving prosecutorial misconduct. American cities are enjoying their lowest crime rates in decades. But at what price? Mean Justice provides an answer both compelling and frightening.
Customer Reviews:
Humes an advocate as much as a journalist.......2005-01-15
There are early parts of this book that can seem comically one-sided. By the end, the reader is persuaded by the overwhelming evidence that Dunn cannot possibly be guilty. But in the opening pages, Dunn's behavior is so bizarre, so eccentric, so plain weird, that it seems perfectly understandable that the police consider him a suspect. And when Humes tries to explain away Dunn's behavior as ordinary and natural, it diminishes his credibility throughout the rest of the book.
However, I'm a great admirer of Humes. His writing is amazing and his books are smart and readable. Like 'Mississippi Mud,' this one cries for an update. Check his Web site if you want to read more.
This is also a good jumping-off point for reading further about some of the shameful Bakersfield scandals of the '80s and '90s.
Power gone awry.......2004-04-25
I've been interested in issues of criminal justice, particularly those of the witch hunts of the last several years. You know, there was the McMartin trial, a joke of astronomical proportions. Then there were "recovered memory" cases, and those of the alleged Satanic conspiracies. It seems the Prince of Darkness has emissaries here on earth abducting our kids, eating those he's forced us to abort, and on and on and on. Trouble is, as even senior FBI investigators have admitted, there's no evidence to suggest that these atrocities ever took place. No bodies, no dark rooms, no blood. Hmm. Makes a guy wonder.
Then I talked with an acquaintance who's interested in some of the same subject matter. After our discussion, I looked at Amazon.com and found this volume.
First, allow me to confess that I nearly gave the book four stars. I did so only because there is so much detail as to be almost overwhelming. But then I had to give it five (or more, if it were possible!) The detail is more than necessary for reasons which follow.
The text is ostensibly about the trial of Pat Dunn. He was a former high school principal whose wife died under mysterious circumstances. The prosecutors in Kern County, California, were so zealous that they performed what was the TRUE subject of the book: prosecutorial misconduct. That is, indeed, where the subject digressed from merely Pat Dunn. It seems the law enforcement apparatus of that county has a reputation for being "tough on crime." So tough, alas, that there were countless people going to jail. First that was the massive--yes, Satanic Conspiracy trial. Hundreds were sent to jail for a long, long time. The prosecution used dubious questioning tactics of children, social workers who should have been in the local home for the bewildered--again, on and on. Then a young black athlete was convicted under equally dubious circumstances. Then others. I could get tired of putting, "on and on" here so assume it's a phrase I'd use more if I even had to.
By the way, most of those convictions had been overturned; all, so far, except Pat Dunn's, despite the lack of any evidence to convince a sane court of his guilt.
Then there's the issue(s) of the convicted criminals whom the prosecutors made deals with to convict the accused--while the prosecutors kept details of such deals out of views of the defense and the juries. (I add something the book barely mentioned: if there are obviously innocent people in prison because of prosecutors more intent on winning then on finding the truth, then there are the guilty who are still among us! That alone is a criminal offense for which the prosecutors should be prosecuted!)
Among the conclusions of the book is that such misconduct seems to be happening all over the US. Indeed, the accused are losing their right to appeal; in G.W. Bush's Texas, the state with the greatest number of executions, exculpatory evidence was not permitted after a limited time so that evidence enough to free a convicted murderer could no longer be presented as evidence. So an obviously innocent men was put to death.
There's so much in the book I'm not even sure where to go with it. The text certainly affirms my acquaintance's observation that probably 15 percent in prison haven't done anything. (That proportion is suggested by the book too to apply to the death penalty. Many on death row have been freed over the last few years due to the misconduct of the prosecutors and the courts. And that doesn't even include the many whom the state has put to death who were not guilty.)
Who is criminal given those stats?
The second of the book's appendices consists of several pages of convictions obtained through the prosecutorial misconduct that is the real subject of the book. That itself is an eye-opener. (The first appendix, incidentally, is a list of the convictions and how many are still in prison after retrials or the cases having been thrown out in Kern County itself--many after the accused have spent incredible times in prison after bogus convictions. That information alone should cause the impeachment or resignation, and conviction of those parties to the courts of that county!)
The author concludes that the system is rigged to sustain itself. Try to find courts who've overturned convictions even when the prosecutor was exposed as a fraud who should have been jailed for his/her performance in the trial. They exist but they're few and far between.
To me the point of the book is that there MUST be a price to pay for the prosecutors and even judges for the sort of misconduct the book so amply demonstrates. I mean, these people are supposed to be public servants. Instead, they're public menaces, making a sham out of anything remotely "just." (Ironically, the Kern County DA, who claims to be a Republican, is more akin to a Soviet bureaucrat than most in positions such as his!) I think, in fact, that the most severe punishments should be reserved for those who abuse their authority like those described by the book.
Read this important book and make your own decisions as to how to punish these criminals, who are more a "lead" in the book than Pat Dunn. But be prepared to have your assumptions of American criminal "justice" challenged.
It's about time.......2002-06-30
Ed Jagels is a crooked person. It is about time someone told what he is like.
Spin, spin and more spin.......2002-04-16
I couldn't wait to read this book. I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Humes' earlier work, "No Matter How Loud I Shout." I found NMHLIS to be balanced and thoughtful. Interested in reading more from this engaging author, and as a Southern California transplant originally from Bakersfield, I was immediately drawn to this book. Unfortunately, in "Mean Justice" Mr. Humes appears to have lost the reasoned approach that provided NMHLIS a ring of credibility.
"Mean Justice" presents an overtly biased perspective of the Kern County Sheriff's Dept/D.A.'s office. The tendency of the author to portray evidence indicative of Dunn's guilt as "unfortunate setbacks" to the defense case is hypocritical; especially since any minor inconsistency between prosecution witnesses' accounts are depicted as some blatant attempt to railroad an innocent man.
What a disappointment this book proved to be! There was a great deal of repetition as Humes attempts to bully the reader into accepting his flawed perspective of things. I think the truth is probably somewhere between the two extremes represented in "Mean Justice," but we will never know the truth from this book. Humes zealously advocates for his version of the "truth" in this biased presentation of "evidence".
Mr. Humes is a gifted storyteller, and I found the book engaging as pure entertainment; however, Mr. Humes' trustworthiness as a reporter of the facts was delivered a fatal blow by "Mean Justice."
Enjoy the story, but read this book with a critical eye for its inherent bias.
A Must Read........2001-11-15
It's been a while since I've read the book, but I wanted to share some of the general impressions that I had of this book when I read it. By showing the example of inadequate police work in one community, the author is able to raise many questions about the legal system in America. Plenty of evidence is given in this book which shows that a person was convicted for murder and likely sits in prison unjustly. Anyone who believes that justice is always served in our court systems should read this book to learn how various factors can come together to work against possibly innocent persons. This book is important, intriguing, and difficult to put down.
Book Description
Every parent needs this book! * Never hear, "It's not fair," or "But I want it" again! * No more giving into your kids demands * Have the courage to say "No" * Stop stealing your child's potential for future happiness * Create the happy family of your dreams
Entitlement...the ruination of a generation
Does your kid expect every new electronic toy and gadget, every new game, every new fashion trend, and when old enough a new car? Are you stealing your child's potential for happiness, respect, appreciation, imagination, and joy?
Entitlement has become an epidemic. Yet parents think they are giving in to this disease out of love for their children. In From Innocence to Entitlement: A Love and Logic Cure for the Tragedy of Entitlement the legendary Jim Fay, and entitlement expert, Dawn Billings, take an in-depth look at the devastation and destruction of entitlement and provide techniques for preventing and curing the problem.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent books!.......2007-08-16
All the books I've read by these guys are really good. They propose teaching kids about consequences--what they're going to experience in the REAL world. It's nothing to do with manipulation. Don't worry about "EmmerysMomma." She's young--she'll learn.
More than about "fixing" your kids.......2006-12-16
If you believe parenting is about protecting, rescuing, or ordering and controlling, this book will not appeal to you. If you are willing to step back and examine what you are doing and the results you are getting AND might be willing to try something different, you will really enjoy this and other Love and Logic books.
This is an interesting book that sketches out how as a culture we have allowed the "disease" of entitlement to creep into much of what people, and especially children, expect to receive. It's filled with some great quotes about taking responsibility for yourself that left me inspired.
The authors also weave application of the Love and Logic philosophy into the solutions to the problem of entitlement. It's fascinating that many of the managers and leaders I work with are also dealing with entitlement (although they don't call it that). Rather than blame the person, Love and Logic sets up a framework to help him or her grow into responsibility. Sound a bit like effective management? Of course the techniques for adult to adult conversation are different, yet the underlying care and support is really exactly the same.
A great weapon against the disease of entitlement!.......2006-10-19
As a strong supporter of the Love and Logic philosophy, I loved this book! The author used the philosophy to help teach parents to teach their children respect, responsibility and problem solving skills. The focus is on the problem of entitlement, what perpetuates it, and what can help cure it.
As a teacher, I have seen the attitude of entitlement in too many children. These poor kids have been taught that their happiness is dependent upon the actions of others. Moms bend over backwards to make their kids happy, and the plan backfires. As a result, their self-worth is 0, and they are very unhappy kids.
Through the use of a "Love and Logic Game Plan" Dawn Billings and Jim Fay deliver 10 steps for parents to use for success at raising responsible, happy children. Through this game plan, kids understand that they alone are in charge of their choices and happiness. They make good things happen instead of waiting for someone else to make them happy.
Many parents mistakenly believe that it is important to "protect" children from the consequences of their actions. The message this is sending to them is that Mom or Dad will bail them out if they make a mistake, so why think about what they do before they do it? As kids grow, the consequences of their mistakes get bigger. Some consequences not even Mommy will be able to protect their kids from, i.e. DUI. This book emphasizes this idea and other important ones!
Please, for the sake of your child, and anyone else who will have to deal with the consequences of your child's actions (good or bad). Read this book and help remedy this "tragedy of entitlement."
"I think" you shouldnt waste your money........2006-05-11
I found this book to be just awful. It seems like a how-to manual on mind control, where the parents show their immaturity is far greater then thier childs. The authors advocate allowing your child to get beat up in order to prove you are right. You say "I don't think its a good idea to go out there and bully those big boys" and then when they do, and get their butt kicked, they think "Gee dad is really right, I should listen to him". Except, kids do not think that way. You child will end up with a black eye and a feeling you aren't going to protect them. Yeah, maybe they wont go out and pick a fight again, but they aren't going to trust you as a result.
The authors also suggest that you give your child a chore and a deadline sometime in the future. If they don't do that chore, without being reminded, then you might as well go sell their bike in order to pay the neighbor boy to do it. Talk about heavy handed, fear based parenting.
Also, when a child gets into trouble you are suppose to put off dealing with it until later. Yes, it gives you time to think it through and cool off if you are upset. but the ultimate and intended outcome is to convey to the child "Your actions are not important to me"
The bottom line is that you must believe children are miniature adults to employ these tactics.
Book Description
Here are the stories of innocent men and women-and the system that put them away under the guise of justice. Now updated with new information, Actual Innocence sheds light on "a system that tolerates lying prosecutors, slumbering defense attorneys and sloppy investigators" (Salt Lake Tribune)-revealing the shocking flaws that can derail the legal process and the ways that DNA testing has often shattered so-called solid evidence that condemned American citizens to death.
Customer Reviews:
A Must Read.......2007-02-07
If you are at all involved in the criminal justice system or simply like watching Law & Order, this book is a MUST read. The authors are the founders of the Innocence Project, which strives to exonerate the wrongly convicted. Each chapter examines aspects of "what went wrong" in the convictions of people who are completely innocent. The authors also give detailed accounts of people they have helped to exonerate. As a soon-to-be law school graduate, this book is truly an eye-opener, and will certainly guide me in my future career. It's shocking at how easily the innocent can be (and have been) convicted of heinous crimes, and at how difficult it is for them to gain even a chance to prove their innocence.
Again, this book is a must read. It's a quick read, but will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression.
Great book but not the best edition.......2006-07-23
Every person should read Actual Innocence to see how 1 in 4 cases are prosecuted against innocent people. This edition omits a graphic which says 50% of these cases involve police and 50% involve prosecutor MISCONDUCT. The other paperback includes this significant information.
It's too bad a more current edition hasn't been written. The book inspired several law schools across the nation to set up Innocence Projects to retry cases for free. Important new information was shared by one of the authors on CNN who stated 20% of DNA tests also have erroneous results. This includes lab error.
God led me to Harvard Business Review, Jun 01 which has an article citing a study where it was shown that decisions made with 90% confidence were made incorrectly 20%-30% of the time, the exact figure cited by the Innocence experts. I emailed that author to ask if the research covers court cases and he indicated positively. So people's lives and reputations can hang on natural human errors, as well as intentional errors described in Actual Innocence. I wasn't able to locate an email address for Actual Innocence authors to forward this information to them.
One of the most striking revelations DNA testing has provided is 25% of rape cases are dismissed indicating it's likely the same figure holds for all cases in which DNA isn't a factor. That means every public record of tickets and crimes you see is likely to list 1 out of 4 who are actually innocent. And everyone pays for it.
This also means the old cliche' that everyone in prison says they are innocent is not something that should be ignored as 1 out of 4 statistically are innocent. I've personally seen a case where the perpetrator was guilty for part of the charges but was also given points and jail time for charges that he wasn't guilty of. So I'd also love to ask the authors if their figures include that kind of error.
Frightening butTruthful.......2006-06-26
I read "Actual Innocence" a few years ago, it was well written and informative. However, I found the stories frightening; I could not believe incidents as these really happen. I have spent the last two years doing research on several cases about false imprisonment and wrongful execution, from my research I discovered these stores are based on fact.
I guess what is terrifying in another book I read the author states that these incidents never happen; but did not site any information proving her point.
I recommend "Actual Innocence" to everyone; because it can happen to you. This is not a scare tactic or a conspiracy theory but fact.
A Terrifying Look At The Criminal Justice System.......2005-02-24
What does a person do when he/she has actual innocence, but he/she is convicted of a crime? Let's explain actual innocence. We are talking about the cases when a person has nothing to do with a crime and is not connected to the crime in any way, not about a technicality, but about a person just like the reader of this book who has absolutely nothing to do with a crime. This is, you must admit, a terrifying situation. However, it happens again and again. Read the book "Bloodsworth" as a good true story on how this kind of thing happens.
How does this happen? Unfortunately, it happens too easily. One reason is because eyewitness testimony is incredibly unreliable and almost never reaches the quality of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. But this is not properly explained to juries by the judges or prosecutors because too many cases rely on eyewitness testimony and if the truth be known then prosecutors would not be able to get enough convictions to satisfy the publics thrist for revenge when a crime has occurred.
One way out of this mess is DNA, but only when DNA is available and only when the lead is pursued. In the case of Bloodsworth, mentioned above, who was 100% actually innocent, he finally got out of the mess after almost ten years of living hell and only because a good lawyer found a small amount of DNA.
How many innocent people are in prison because of ridiculous eyewitness testimony and where there is no way out without a good lawyer and some DNA?
A Must Read.......2003-08-07
This book is a must read for attorneys and non-attorneys alike. It is a terrifying glimpse at the criminal justice system. However, it is not without hope. The authors have several suggestions about improving the sad state of affairs, and if the book is read by enough people involved in the criminal justice system, it may work!
Books:
- American Skin: A Novel
- An Indian Summer: The 1957 Milwaukee Braves, Champions of Baseball
- Black Seraph
- Brokenburn: The Journal of Kate Stone, 1861-1868 (Library of Southern Civilization)
- Captive
- Caring Enough to Lead: Schools and the Sacred Trust
- Catherine, Called Birdy (rpkg) (Trophy Newbery)
- Cloud-hidden, Whereabouts Unknown: A Mountain Journal
- College Student Death: Guidance for a Caring Campus
- Coming Out
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Law, Legislation and Liberty, Volume 2: The Mirage of Social Justice
- History: Fiction or Science
- Breaking the Paradigm: New Approaches to Pricing Accounting Services
- Galactic Campaign Guide
- Financial Management: Principles and Applications
- Make Your Creative Dreams Real: A Plan for Procrastinators, Perfectionists, Busy People, and People
- Henri Mignet and His Flying Fleas
- Miller Guide to Auditing Defined Contribution Plans
- Desegregating the Dollar: African American Consumerism in the Twentieth Century
- The Secret Society of Demolition Writers
Body of Lies: A Novel
Firing Offense, A
The Secret Servant (Gabriel Allon)
Requiem for an Assassin
Stalin's Ghost: An Arkady Renko Novel
