Average customer rating:
- Funny and profound
- Grace (Eventually) thoughts on Faith
- Not her best, but still brilliant
- No thank you, no good.
- She's the Best
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Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith
Anne Lamott
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ASIN: 1594489424
Release Date: 2007-03-20 |
Amazon.com
Through Anne Lamott's many books (including six novels, her bestselling parenting memoir, Operating Instructions, and her popular guide to writing, Bird by Bird) the subject she keeps returning to is her faith, her deeply personal--"erratic," she says--journey in Christianity. Her latest book, Grace (Eventually), is her third collection of her "thoughts on faith," and she took the time to answer a few of our questions.
Questions for Anne Lamott
Amazon.com: This is your third book on faith. How has your perspective changed since you wrote your first one?
Lamott: I wrote my first book on faith when Bill Clinton was president, and I was in a much better mood. I wrote Plan B during the run-up to war in Iraq, and the ensuing catastrophe, so I was very angry, but trying to reconcile that pain and hostility to Jesus's insistence that we are made of love, to love, and be loved, to forgive and be forgiven. Some days went better than others. Also, my son Sam was in his early teens, and that was a LOT easier than when he turned 16 and 17, his ages when I was writing the pieces in Grace (Eventually).
In general, I think Grace (Eventually) is a less angry book. I like how I'm aging, except that my back hurts more often, my knees crack like twigs when I squat, and my memory fails more frequently, in more public and therefore humiliating ways. But I think I complain less. As my best friend said when she was dying, and I was obsessing about my butt, "You just don't have that kind of time."
Amazon.com: What does grace mean for you? How can we better communicate it to each other?
Lamott: Grace is that extra bit of help when you think you are really doomed; also, not coincidentally, when you have finally run out of good ideas on how to proceed, and on how better to control the people or circumstances that are frustrating or defeating you. I experience Grace as a cool ribbon of fresh air when I feel spiritually claustrophobic. Sometimes I experience it as water-wings, something holding me up when I am afraid that I'm going down, or the tide is carrying me away. I know that Grace meets us whereever we are, but does not leave us where it found us. Sometimes it is so small--a couple of seconds relief here, several extra inches there. I wish it were big and obvious, like sky-writing. Oh, well. Grace is not something I DO, or can chase down; but it is something I can receive, when I stop trying to be in charge.
We communicate grace to one another by holding space for people when they are hurt or terrified, instead of trying to fix them, or manage their emotions for them. We offer ourselves as silent companionship, or gentle listening when someone feels very alone. We get people glasses of water when they are thirsty.
Amazon.com: Many of the essays in Grace (Eventually) first appeared in Salon, the online magazine, and that's the way that many readers first found you. How do you see the Internet changing the way people read and write?
Lamott: The Internet makes everything so immediate and spontaneous, which I totally love--UNLESS it has to do with the immediacy of people's negative response to me. Several of the Salon pieces in Grace--for instance, the story about the horrible fight with my son, and the piece about turning the other cheek while being ripped off by The Carpet Guy--generated a couple hundred letters, many of them extremely hostile. Perhaps "spewy" would be a better description. I also sometimes get knee-jerk responses to my mentions of Jesus in my Salon pieces that seem to lump me in the same tradition as Jerry Falwell. But for the most part, I love the populism and egalitarian nature of the Internet: everyone counts the same.
Amazon.com: What stories do people tell you, when they've read your books or know you are a writer?
Lamott: People tell me how relieved they are that I try to tell the truth about how hard it can be to be a mother, or a daughter, or an American in these times. They tell me stories about how awful their own teenagers can be, or how awful they themselves behaved towards their kids or parents; how hard it was to finally be able to adore their mothers, or to forgive their fathers. They tell me their sobriety dates. They whisper to me that they are Christians, too.
Also, they ask if I am able to read their manuscripts, and the name of my agent, and my e-mail address. They ask if we are going to survive the current political difficulties--and I promise them we are. They ask how old my son is now--17 and a half--and how he is doing, which is fantastically, after some of the hard months I wrote about in Grace.
Amazon.com:What lessons do you think you can pass on to others: to your readers, to your son? What lessons does it seem like people have to learn for themselves?
Lamott: All I have to offer is my own truth, my own experience, strength and hope. I can pass on the tool of a God Box, and how for 20 years I have been putting tiny notes in mine and promising God I will keep my sticky fingers off the controls until I hear God's wisdom: sometimes I get an answer because the phone rings, or the mail comes, but at any rate, during every single terrible problem and tragedy, I have been given enough guidance and stamina and even humor to bear up, and be transformed, for the good. I always tell Sam that if you want to make God laugh, tell Her your plans. I tell Sam that if he listens to his best thinking, he will suffer: and to listen to his heart instead, to listen in the silence, and to seek wise counsel.
Amazon.com: You've written nearly a dozen books (including an incredibly popular guide to writing): does writing get any easier? Does it get harder?
Lamott: In a very important way, writing gets easier, because I've been doing it full time now for thirty-plus years, and just as you would get better and better if you practiced your scales on a piano, I've gotten better, and can try harder and harder pieces. But writing is always hard. It does not come naturally to me at all. I sit down at the same time every day, which lets my subconscious realize it's time to get to work. I give myself very short assignments, and let myself write really terrible first drafts. But I grapple with the exact same problems every writer does, which is having equal proportions of self-loathing and grandiosity. I sort of live by the Nike ads: Just Do It. So I sit down. I show up. I do it by pre-arrangement with myself, because I know I'll feel sad and terrible if I shirk on that days writing. I do it as a debt of honor, to myself, and to whatever it is that has given me this gift of being able to tell stories, and to make people laugh. Laughter is carbonated holiness. Other people's good writing is medicine for me, and I hope mine is too, for my readers.
Book Description
The sharp, funny, and heartfelt follow-up to her bestselling Plan B, Anne Lamott's newest collection is a personal exploration of the faith and grace all around us.
In Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith, Lamott examines the ways we're caught in life's most daunting predicaments: love, mothering, work, politics, and maybe toughest of all, evolving from who we are to who we were meant to be. This is a complicated process for most of us, and Lamott turns her wit and honesty inward to describe her own intimate, bumpy, and unconventional road to grace and faith.
"I wish grace and healing were more abracadabra kinds of things," she writes in one of her essays, "that delicate silver bells would ring to announce grace's arrival. But no, it's clog and slog and scootch, on the floor, in silence, in the dark."
Whether she's writing about her unsuccessful efforts to get her money back from an obstinate carpet salesman, grappling with the tectonic shifts in her relationship with her son as he matures, trying to maintain her faith and humor during politically challenging times, or helping a close friend die with dignity, Lamott seeks out both the divinity and the humanity in herself and everything around her. Throughout these essays, she writes of her struggle to find the essence of her faith, which she uncovers in the unlikeliest places. By turns insightful and hilarious, pointed and poignant, Grace (Eventually) is Anne Lamott at her perceptive and irreverent best.
Customer Reviews:
Funny and profound.......2007-08-12
Anne Lamott is honest and engaging. This book is a beautiful testament to a real life lived in faith and hope in the midst of inevitable disappointments and hardships.
Grace (Eventually) thoughts on Faith.......2007-08-08
I bought this book thinking I would get an inspiritial read. Instead I found that the title totally misrepresented the book. This is nothing but a self-centered, self-indulgent, whiny bunch of writings from a drug user/alcoholic, over age hippy, feeling (what?). Certainaly not faith!
Title should read "Poor Me, I can't Think Straight"
Not her best, but still brilliant.......2007-08-01
One of the most popular voices in contemporary spirituality, Anne Lamott has a remarkable gift at handling serious and unfunny topics - religion, motherhood, eating disorders, death - in a witty and disarming way.
Lamott's new book, "Grace Eventually: Further Thoughts On Faith," is a collection of essays, many of which Lamott wrote as a columnist for Salon.com. If you haven't read anything by Lamott before, the best places to start would be "Traveling Mercies" (her bestselling memoir), and "Bird by Bird," (one of the best guide to writing anywhere, another bestseller). But the two things you should know before reading Anne Lamott is that 1) she is an incredible prose artist, quirky and profound, with a style that seems all her own. And 2) she is almost completely neurotic.
"Grace Eventually," is a special book in that Lamott's description of ordinary events make them feel sacred. She is a writer with an ability to make the reader pay attention, feel present, and tune in to the story taking place around them. Although she refers to Jesus consistently, there is little that seems orthodox about Lamott's spiritual journey, and perhaps that is one of the reasons she has such a wide readership.
You'd have to be made out of granite not to find something that moves you in this unique collection of essays. You would also need to adhere to Lamott's precise and strident political positions not to find at least one portion of this book infuriating. Either way, "Grace Eventually" is a provocative and unique read, and any avid reader owes it to themselves to become familiar with one of the country's top writers.
No thank you, no good........2007-07-25
I read another one of Anne's books. The first one I did not like much, and really did not want to read this one, but when you already own it, you feel you must with 16 dollars into the book. It was some repeating of stories I really did not like in the first place, there were a few highlights or good moments, but not enough. I still feel bad for her, but most times I was like "get over it." Now I loved Donald Miller's book, which was along the same mindset, but he seemed deep or maybe just a man. Sorry Anne, you are twice if not more the writer that I am, but I was just not into the book.
She's the Best.......2007-07-25
Her words are equivalent to the phrase "A sight for sore eyes." My copy now has so many underlines and dog ears that I just don't know where to start with quotable quotes--
"IT FEELS AS IF SOMEONE FINALLY CRACKED OPEN A WINDOW THAT HAD BEEN JAMMED."
"...taught me a willingness to help clean up the mess we've made is a crucial part of adult living; that our scary, selfish, damging behavior litters the planet."
"...we get mad at each other, over and over, then we apologize, become friends again: I see how each time this is redemption. How amazing it is to share that."
"Joy is the best makeup."
"Prayer is not asking for what you think you want, but asking to be changed in ways you can't imagine."
I use this like a Bible when I need to be called to a higher place. It soothes me, calms me down, and calls me to a (much) higher place. Buy this, Bird By Bird, and the other two from this series. They are GIFTS.
Book Description
She charmed America with her smart, likable, down-to-earth personality as she campaigned for her husband, then vice-presidential candidate John Edwards. She inspired millions as she valiantly fought advanced breast cancer after being diagnosed only days before the 2004 election. She touched hundreds of similarly grieving families when her own son, Wade, died tragically at age sixteen in 1996. Now she shares her experiences in Saving Graces, an incandescent memoir of Edwards’ trials, tragedies, and triumphs, and of how various communities celebrated her joys and lent her steady strength and quiet hope in darker times.
Edwards writes about growing up in a military family, where she learned how to make friends easily in dozens of new schools and neighborhoods around the world and came to appreciate the unstinting help and comfort naval families shared. Edwards’ reminiscences of her years as a mother focus on the support she and other parents offered one another, from everyday favors to the ultimate test of her own community’s strength—their compassionate response to the death of the Edwards’ teenage son, Wade, in 1996. Her descriptions of her husband’s campaigns for Senate, president, and vice president offer a fascinating perspective on the groups, great and small, that sustain our democracy. Her fight with breast cancer, which stirred an outpouring of support from women across the country, has once again affirmed Edwards’ belief in the power of community to make our lives better and richer.
Customer Reviews:
saving graces.......2007-09-24
Felt this book artfully expressed loss. It included the gammet of feelings and expressions one might endure while experiencing loss of any type. Hopefully she also found solace in teaching us as well as finding herself. Would recommend to anyone because at some point, we all experience loss. Hopefully not as Elizabeth Edwards did.
My honor to read this life journey of E. Edwards.......2007-09-19
The book is a gift of her use of the English language. The use of words, the integrity of the writer shines through. She uses her gift to share her pain, pain many of us have felt but could not have put into words with the artistry that is just part of her. It is rare for a person to be able to put their soul in paper, but she has. Thank you, Elizabeth. Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers
Saving Graces.......2007-09-17
Great book, well written. It makes you realize you can overcome any obstacle in life with family and support from friends.
Excellent........2007-09-14
Eliabeth Edwards writes with painful honesty and hope. She is an extrordinary woman and this glimpse into her soul is a wonderful read.
Wonderful book!.......2007-09-13
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I got a whole new insight into the Edwards family. Elizabeth didn't shy away from the pain caused by the untimely death of their wonderful son, Wade, or her initial experience of her breast cancer treatment. There is also an additional chapter in this paperback book regarding the return of her cancer. Her humor cracked me up several times, and I was so inspired by the whole family. They are certainly a strong family, both Elizabeth and John come from strong stock, and it shows. I for one, given the chance, will vote for John Edwards for President. I think he's the one we need to lead this country ahead and away from our current administration's boggling.
Book Description
Words of wisdom, hope, humor, and strength from those who have been tested by fire and maintained their faith.
The first book of its kind, Grace Under Fire is an inspiring and spiritual collection of letters and e-mails by U.S. troops and their families from the American Revolution through the War on Terrorism.
Andrew Carroll, editor of the bestselling War Letters, went through his massive archive of seventy-five-thousand previously unpublished wartime correspondence to pick out the most intimate, dramatic, historic, and insightful letters and e-mails ever written about God, religion, and spirituality. The fifty best of these are featured in this incredible book, and they emphasize how extremely important faith has been, and continues to be, in the lives of U.S. troops and their families.
What is especially remarkable about Grace Under Fire is the sheer diversity of the collection, which includes several extraordinary letters by two brothers who fought on opposing sides of the Civil War; a prophetic letter by Rabbi David Goode, one of the famed Immortal Chaplains who gave his life for his fellow soldiers; a lighthearted letter by a World War II nurse who met the Pope; and a profound and impassioned reply to the timeless question, “Where is God in wartime?” by a doctor serving in Iraq.
Warfare can reveal the worst in human nature, but it can also bring out the best, and these correspondences are a testament to the heroism, compassion, grace, intelligence, and inherent goodness of American troops and their families. And although the letters and e-mails featured in this book were written in times of armed conflict, they transcend the subject of war. They are about determination, hope, patriotism, fighting for something greater than one’s self, and, of course, the enduring value of faith. Regardless of whether we have served in the military or not, we can all find inspiration and courage in these powerful and insightful words.
Customer Reviews:
BRILLIANT...SIMPLY BRILLIANT!!!.......2007-06-17
Grace Under Fire is BRILLIANT...simply BRILLIANT!
It is overwhelmingly touching, powerful and inspiring and any one of these letters will pierce your heart. I was profoundly moved by the e-mail written by the late David Bloom.
Through these letters of faith in GRACE UNDER FIRE, Andrew Carroll gives us a glimpse of our service men and women and their families; we read about what they had...what they never lost...and what it means to "have faith", feel its power, how it has changed them or how they have reconnected with their faith.
GRACE UNDER FIRE is no ordinary book--this is another literary treasure from Andrew Carroll; this is the book you hand deliver and say "You must read this."
Beautiful Sensitive Window on Faith .......2007-06-08
The threads of faith are smoothly woven by soldiers from the Revolutionary war through our current conflicts. Their personal letters written to loved ones are sensitive and plain spoken in the face of the terror of their war. Bravo to Andy Carroll for sharing these personal reflections. I found this book very inspiring!
Loved it..........2007-06-07
I loved this book. We have been sending copies to our Troops as a community project in care packages and their feedback is terrific, they love it! As w/all of Mr. Carroll's work it brings the true and authentic stories home with what our men, women, and families experience while at war. One of the nicest things about this book is the elegance and quality, it simply feels good in your hands. I have given this book out already to civilians numerous times as gifts. I appreciated reading about the spiritual aspect and how faith does bring hope and encouragement during times of struggle, loneliness, and pain.
The real stories from the lines.......2007-06-07
I thoroughly have enjoyed this book and have read it several times. I have used it several times as guided discussions in a classroom setting. I felt it an important part of our front line stories that I got copies for the chaplains on base. I have actually gone back and gotten some of Andrews earlier books and have come to realize that warfare itself has changed, the verbage we use has changed but the feelings and emotions are still the same.
First, Second and Third impressions of the book.......2007-06-07
This is an outstanding book that I've read many times and shared with numerous friends of faith. The book, the works behind it, and the multiple intents for it are worthy of as much praise as can be heaped upon it. It's written for everyone: the common person who's never been to war, those have been or are in the thick of things overseas and especially the families of those who serve. It's a way to understand others thoughts and feelings as well as your own if you're in those circumstances.
Andrew Carroll has faith and a heart that is bigger than Texas in his desire to help others in their times of need to understand things bigger than themselves. This is one of his works in that human endeavor to make life better for others. A humanitarian award should be given to him for his desire to make life a little easier or better for others and to help others share their feelings over such harsh and emotional issues in life.
This is a must read for anyone concerned about war and the feelings that it invokes in service members, their families and even their friends. Read it for yourself and then share with others whom you know.
Book Description
Her Serene Highness, Princess Grace of Monaco, the legendary Hollywood screen siren, Grace Kelly is an American icon whose beauty is unrivalled, and whose oft-imitated aristocratic style and cool elegance has never been eclipsed.
Wendy Leigh- after three years’ research – has gained unprecedented access to over one hundred sources who have never talked about Grace before, including nine of her until now undisclosed romances - among them an English aristocrat, an American tennis player, and a Hollywood legend – and also including her priest friend, Father Peter Jacobs, and Bernard Combemal, the former head of the S.B.M, the consortium that runs Monaco.
Wendy Leigh provides revealing new details about Grace’s life, including her premarital romantic swan song which took place during her voyage to Monaco, the hitherto untold story of her troubling relationship with bridesmaid, Carolyn Reybold and the moving story of Grace’s lifelong relationship with actor, David Niven.
Wendy Leigh paints a compelling portrait of Grace, the ambitious young actress, Grace, the dutiful princess who transformed the principality of Monaco into a jet-set haven, Grace, the kind-hearted philanthropist, Grace, the loving mother, and Grace, the patriotic American.
Wendy Leigh’s book has not been written for those readers who wish to view Grace as a saint, but for those who – like Leigh herself – believes that she was a strong and wonderful woman.
Customer Reviews:
Very Disappointed.......2007-08-29
I have to say up front that I didn't finish this book. That's pretty unheard of for me, but from the very start, the author seemed to bounce around from one time period to another, then back again. It was confusing. I also lost track of who all the many characters were. There were several mentions throughout the book of letters Grace Kelly wrote to "Prudy", yet I couldn't remember who exactly Prudy was. Thankfully, her last name was finally mentioned somewhere near the middle of the book and I could look her up in the Index to see who she was. Maybe it's just me, but I was looking forward to reading this book and from the first chapter, I was disappointed in the way it was written and the shallowness of character that was portrayed for Princess Grace. Not finishing this book says it all!
Nothing New Here.......2007-08-28
I was disappointed in this book for several reasons. I think that James Spada's 1987 biography was much better and it was heavily quoted in this mediocre account of Grace's life before and after becomming a princess. Also, the chapters jumped around in time and I found that format annoying.
My advise is buy Spada's book and skip this one. You won't miss a thing.
Thin Tabloid Fodder.......2007-08-12
The author says "she doesn't rehash." That is all she did. No real insight at all to the life of Grace Kelly. At least nothing the world doesn't already know. Even when she did hint at something new, she did not elaborate or delve further. Hack writing.
Plenty of gossip, but as a well rounded biography, it falls short.......2007-08-01
The majority of this biography is devoted to speculation as to the romantic liaisons of Grace Kelly, both before and after her marriage. It's a topic that has been covered before, and as is the case with Jacqueline Onassis, it seems no two Kelly biographers are in agreement as to which men she did or did not sleep with. As a result, I tend to take such speculation with a grain of salt. If this type of juicy gossip interests you, this would definitely be a good read.
On the other hand, if you are looking for a comprehensive biography, you'd be better off reading "Grace" by Robert Lacey. I felt that Ms. Leigh's book glossed over Grace's years as Princess of Monaco. We are told that Grace was deeply unhappy, and that both Grace and Rainier had affairs. And that's about it, really. The car accident that took Grace's life is barely mentioned, and the book ends rather abruptly with Rainier turning off Grace's life support.
There are some rather glaring errors here. As mentioned by other reviewers, the book includes a reference to the divorce of Jackie and Ari Onassis, which never happened. Princess Caroline is described as being named after an ancestor of Rainier, Queen Caroline of Monaco. Monaco is a principality and has never had a queen. I would guess that the author is referring to Monaco's Prince Charles, for whom Monte Carlo is named. I suppose no book is ever perfect, but someone should have caught those errors, as they reflect badly upon the author.
I'd recommend this book to those who are fascinated by rumors and gossip about Grace Kelly's love life. If you are looking for a good biography that covers all of the bases, look elsewhere.
Dissapointed.......2007-06-27
I was absolutely dissapointed with this book. The story tells us how UNHAPPY Grace Kelly was when she left for Monaco. Absolutely another picture one can find in another book. I wouldn't buy that book if I knew what poor content it is. It's nothing more than a try to make another sensation basing on "a friend told", "one suspects that...". Didn't like it
Amazon.com
You won't find this book on a school library shelf--it's pure teenage anarchy. While many homeschooling authors hem and haw that learning at home isn't for everyone, this manifesto practically tells kids they're losers if they do otherwise. With the exception of a forwarding note to parents, this book is written entirely for teenagers, and the first 75 pages explain why school is a waste of time. Grace Llewellyn insists that people learn better when they are self-motivated and not confined by school walls. Instead of homeschooling, which connotes setting up a school at home, Llewellyn prefers "unschooling," a learning method with no structure or formal curriculum. There are tips here you won't hear from a school guidance counselor. Llewellyn urges kids to take a vacation--at least for a week--after quitting school to purge its influence. "Throw darts at a picture of your school" or "Make a bonfire of old worksheets," she advises. She spends an entire chapter on the gentle art of persuading parents that this is a good idea. Then she gets serious. Llewellyn urges teens to turn off the TV, get outside, and turn to their local libraries, museums, the Internet, and other resources for information. She devotes many chapters to books and suggestions for teaching yourself science, math, social sciences, English, foreign languages, and the arts. She also includes advice on jobs and getting into college, assuring teens that, contrary to what they've been told in school, they won't be flipping burgers for the rest of their days if they drop out.
Llewellyn is a former middle-school English teacher, and she knows her audience well. Her formula for making the transition from traditional school to unschooling is accompanied by quotes on freedom and free thought from radical thinkers such as Steve Biko and Ralph Waldo Emerson. And Llewellyn is not above using slang. She capitalizes words to add emphasis, as in the "Mainstream American Suburbia-Think" she blames most schools for perpetuating. Some of her attempts to appeal to young minds ring a bit corny. She weaves through several chapters an allegory about a baby whose enthusiasm is squashed by a sterile, unnatural environment, and tells readers to "learn to be a human bean and not a mashed potato." But her underlying theme--think for yourself--should appeal to many teenagers. --Jodi Mailander Farrell
Customer Reviews:
it changed my life.......2007-08-29
After reading this book at the age of 17, I got a GED, went to community college, and now hold a Master's in English. As a highschool student I had a 1.7 GPA and as a graduate student my GPA was a 3.8. I have Grace Llewellyn to thank.
This book gave me the courage to step away from public school and follow my own path. I realized how much energy I was wasting rebelling against a system I could just walk away from.
God bless Grace Llewellyn.
How to bring up a "Theory Y" Individual.......2007-08-08
According to Douglas McGregor, an uber-famous professor from MIT's sloan business school, a person can be viewed in two ways. 1st way is externally-directed known as "theory x." 2nd way is self-directed known as "theory y." (In learning circles, "unschooling" can be equated with "theory y." )
This book's methods are for those who see a young person from a "theory y" viewpoint. It's the rare teacher, principal, or guidance counselor who views a student as "theory y." The demands and pressures put on them by the school-system itself tends to make them and even their students hold a "theory x" viewpoint. (Private school-systems are no better than their public counterparts in this regard. This reader's contact wtih private school-system educators has been contact with those who believe "theory x" to pretty much the only credible viewpoint.)
I read this book and it does provide a lot of good pointers on how to "unschool" a teenager. This reader has some reference to judge methods on how to school a teenager. This reader has taught public high-school courses for nearly a year as a long-term sub.
Read it First.......2007-07-25
I liked this book - but I am a 43 year old mother. For anyone who has put bright, interesting kids into the school system it is a validation of how poor our school system is. I would urge parents to read it first or simultaneously.
I read this when I should have been doing my math homework..........2007-07-12
and absolutely loved it! This book is helping convince my mom to let me leave school to get on with my life already! I highly reccomend this book to anyone who is not too happy with the school system. The author lists several reasons school is damaging (and I mean several chapters' worth of reasons), things to do when not in school, how to go to college if you never went to school (if you so desire), and how to get a job (easier than you thought.) Buy this book if you want to be set free!
Interesting and over-reaching ideas.......2007-07-11
I can see why this book appeals to so many young people: it's written with unhappy students in mind. One of the reasons that this book appeals to so many people is that it simply confirms what they already believe. That kind of reading is always very comforting and appealing--but is it good for us?
I'm not sure that I buy into the product that Llewellyn is selling; that is, that we can teach ourselves better than others can do it for us. The process of seeking out mentors is slightly addressed in her book, but what about seeking mentors in fields that perhaps we don't immediately have a love for? There is value in learning things we didn't think we needed to learn from people we didn't think we'd like.
Still, I do think that high schools do a disservice to a number of young people by requiring a certain number of credits in subjects and assigning grades. Llewellyn does make some interesting points regarding this and other issues that could work for some strongly self-directed and independent students.
Overall, I think the book contains some interesting ideas that would appeal to the average student, but the over-generalizations sink many of her arguments.
Book Description
The children in this book defy the stereotypes of urban youth too frequently presented by the media. Tender, generous and often religiously devout, they speak with eloquence and honesty about the poverty and racial isolation that have wounded but not hardened them.
The book does not romanticize or soften the effects of violence and sickness. One fourth of the child-bearing women in the neighborhoods where these children live test positive for HIV. Pediatric AIDs, life-consuming fires and gang rivalries take a high toll. Several children die during the year in which this narrative takes place.
A gently written work, Amazing Grace asks questions that are at once political and theological. What is the value of a child's life? What exactly do we plan to do with those whom we appear to have defined as economically and humanly superfluous? How cold -- how cruel, how tough -- do we dare be?
Customer Reviews:
A compelling eye-opener.......2007-09-10
Kozol's Amazing Grace is a true eye-opener. After reading it, I feel that I had nothing close to an accurate image of the conditions of poverty that people still live in in some of the inner city neighborhoods. The reality Kozol awakens us to shatters the illusion America holds of "equal opportunity for all," and the book is an indictment of a far-too-unaware society run by politicians who must think about quick fixes (prisons, tax cuts) that try to please voters or address problem symptoms rather than causes (terrible schools, decrepit surroundings, congestion of the homeless, and the not-always subtle discrimination that continues in society). A truly important book, which will challenge any readers who are supportive of Rudy Giuliani to defend his startling insensitivity to the issue, displayed by his cutting of funding of public services that are so crucial to many people Kozol writes of.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind.......2007-08-20
Jonathan Kozol has dedicated his work on bringing light to the inequalities that exist within our nation. These inequalities are best seen, unfortunately but not unexpectedly, along racial lines. "Amazing Grace: The Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation" is a book with a lot of questions, a lot of shocking information, but not a lot of answers; if only because the answers may not exist. It is a stunning look at the deep disparity between rich and poor within our nation.
Kozol focuses on the South Bronx ghetto of Mott Haven, the poorest borough in New York, clearly segregated from the middle and upper classes, where two-thirds of the population are Hispanic and one-third African-American. Through interviews with school children, teachers, ministers, and community members, Kozol paints a bleak picture of the equally bleak lives led by those who live in this area. He recounts stories of buildings where wires have been eaten through by rats that are the size of squirrels, of drugs being bought and sold openly on the streets (although the drug dealers have enough respect to break when school lets out), and of families too numerous to count who are being killed off one by one by AIDS. The way these children see the world is frightenly dead-on; they know when they're not wanted because it's proven to them everyday in the way they have to live.
"Amazing Grace" is not an easy read due to its topic matter. Kozol's style is matter-of-fact, made up of usually uninterrupted comments by those he's interviewed, sometimes with his questions thrown in, and his own comments and hypotheses as to how this can go on. But Kozol doesn't necessarily have answers or even blame. Surely, some blame has to go to a system that keeps the poorest people with the least chance for success segregated from others, a separation of the haves and have nots to the greatest degree. And certainly others would place the blame on the poor people themselves. Perhaps it's a combination of a lot of factors, not one or the other, but what is certain is that too little is being done (or maybe can be done) to make a difference before it is too late.
An important book.......2007-06-25
It is a book about children. Children who live in Mott Haven, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the South Bronx. I have almost never read anything that has moved me and at the same time disturbed me as this book has. Jonathan Kozol has with great care and sensitivity interviewed children living in this place that's both crime ridden and run down. Most of these kids start off as being trusting and innocent but grow into becoming more and more disillusioned about their surroundings and hope for survival. The HIV and AIDS virus has really hit hard in these places and this is connected to the large amount of the population that abuse heroin. The heroin has such self-mocking names as "Jungle Fever", "Black Sabbath", "DOA"(dead on arrival), and "True Power". Many of the children are born to addicted mothers, some of who are in jail, already contracting the disease in utero. First time mothers have an average age between 16 and 17, while grandmothers can be in their late thirties and great great grandmothers in their late 50s.
Its incredible how close Jonathan Kozol manages to come to these kids. They really take him in and open up their hearts. They share with him their stories. These stories are full of horrible and painful things that are so far from the realities that we experience here in modern day big city Stockholm. The segregation in these South Bronx neighborhoods is total, whether it's the schools, hospitals, or prisons. And almost always the kids receive the short end of the stick. Children tell of how they see murders on the street, get attacked by rats, how some are killed or burned from household fires, how some eat cold oatmeal out of the box for dinner, many of the kids live with chronic asthma due to anxiety, others live with mothers dying of AIDS, and often have classrooms that are decrepit and completely rundown. There are less qualified doctors and teachers here than anywhere else in the state of New York. There have been major tax cuts in the city that have hit these citizens hardest. Like cuts in sanitation that has resulted in mountains of garbage lining up inside buildings drawing hordes of rats. Cuts in maintenance of buildings that leave elevators broken, often resulting in playing kids falling down the elevator shafts and dying. The police refer to some of the housing projects to as "death camps" because so many drug dealers and addicts dominate them. The tax cuts have also led to many social workers losing their jobs as well as closing of several youth centers that allow kids safe places to be while their parents work. Prostitution is also common among the women. Mostly serving the truck drivers who drive through the neighborhood to deliver goods to the Hunts Point market that is close. They turn tricks for 3 to 5 dollars that go to feeding their addictions. This happens all hours of the day and night, even when the children can see. Many times when the children or adults are asked how they manage to survive they mention their faith in god and heaven. That the place that they are in now is more reminiscent of hell, but this is not where they will end up.
As a atudent of theology I cannot help but see this book as a strong wake up call. The gospels of the New Testament took the part of the poor, saying the last shall be first and the first shall be last. In the Christian nation of America that prints "In god we trust" on their coins-this is how they treat the poor. One priest who works in the South Bronx took a little kid with him when he had to drive to Queens to do some errands. There he took him to Burger King to eat. The kid had never been outside of the Bronx before. The priest later learned from the kid's teacher that he wrote an essay in school about their lunch called "My trip to Burger King"-the same way a rich kid might write about a trip he made to Florida. Most of these kids never get any Christmas or birthday presents. They don't even have their own rooms. Sleeping on sofas or on mattresses on the floor. One child says, " it feels like I'm hidden", and this is a good observation. Nobody wants to be reminded of what these children are going through. Therefore their stories are seldom, if ever, heard. This is why Jonathan Kozols book is so important. Only a short distance away just across 96th street lies the park avenue apartments that houses some of the wealthiest people in the nation, households with an average income of 300,000 dollars a year. Toward the end of the book the author talks to an old poet living in the Bronx and the start to discuss the Nazi holocaust and the concentration camps. How there are certain disturbing parallels to what happened then and whats happening now. How the outcasts and those human beings viewed as being "superfluous" are quarantined. "Its not the same" he says, "but there are some similarities. There is the feeling of eclipse. There is the likelihood of death for many. There is a sense of people watching from the outside but seeming paralyzed and doing nothing. And then there are the miracles."
Amazing Grace: Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation, The .......2007-05-07
I ordered a series of books for my daughter. Excellent email response, timely receipt and accurate updates of the order. More than what I expected. The materials were in good condition on arrival. Very satisfied with the service.
A Disappointing Look into a Terrible Problem.......2007-01-29
Having read Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol, I expected something similar in style but different in content in Amazing Grace. I was not happy with Kozol the first time around but willing to try again, and despite my second chance this was just as disappointing. Normally in a book like this there would be a story that would connect the reader to the problem and personalize it, lots of fully cited statistics, and a workable solution. The book had only two of those, a story and statistics, which is my problem with Kozol. An excellent storyteller, he wraps you in page turning narratives, an unexpected plus in a book about America's most destitute victims of racism. Endless numbers prove his every point and bring you to his side of the table. That is not where the problem lies. Kozol's writing is simply annoying! Reading this book is like being guilt-tripped for something he makes you seem powerless over. I cannot stand that in either book he does not discuss a solution. The weakness is that it gets repetitive, going on and on with little difference between his rich people/poor people examples, however, the writing manages to stay interesting. What was most interesting was the similarity of Amazing Grace to Savage Inequalities. I thought that book was repetitive and mostly unhelpful, but now this? He even used the same school in both books and a critic of the book noted that the school he re-referenced has been repaired but Kozol had not bothered to redo his research. It is a strange feeling to read a book where the author has poorly plagiarized his own work. What is disheartening is that Kozol could write in such a selfish way. It cannot be articulated in one quote, but read the book and you will understand how he makes you feel like he is the only person in the world with a heart. It feels incomplete, and I am baffled that he did he not come across any way to help during his extensive research. I would not want to read another guilt tripping Kozol book and believe this is not an extremely important read. I would even recommend Savage Inequalities over this. I took away knowledge of a racial problem in America, but was put down by the seeming impossibility of any solution and the unnecessary jabs at anyone who is white or above the poverty line.
Casey Gollan
Book Description
Do You Have
An Aging Parent Who --
- Blames you for everything that goes wrong?
- Cannot tolerate being alone, wants you all the time?
- Is obsessed with health problems, real, or imagined?
- Make unreasonable and/or irrational demands of you?
- Is hostile, negative and critical?
Coping with these traits in parents is an endless high-stress battle for their children. Though there's no medical defination for "difficult" parents, you know when you have one. While it's rare for adults to change their ways late in life, you can stop the vicious merry-go-round of anger, blame, guilt and frustration.
For the first time, here's a common-sense guide from professionals, with more than two decades in the field, on how to smooth communications with a challenging parent. Filled with practical tips for handling contentious behaviors and sample dialogues for some of the most troubling situations, this book addresses many hard issues, including:
Customer Reviews:
Good Information.......2007-08-29
I read this book a couple of times with about a year in between readings. The first time I read it, my difficult parent had not yet developed dementia, but he had afterward. I found it interesting the first time around, but absolutely got it the second time around. It focuses on the rights your parents have as human beings, but also asserts the importance of stepping in when it's necessary to protect your loved one - something that I needed to face by the second reading. I approve - I think anyone wondering if they're doing the right thing will enjoy this book.
Somewhat helpful.......2007-07-19
This book is pretty good for what it does: it gives some advice to anyone who is dealing with aging parents who are of certain difficult personality types. I especially like how the author focuses on the fact that it is important for adult children to remember that they do not have to assume the roles they once had as children. She specifically outlines how to respond to some frustrating manipulative parenting behaviors. In this respect, the book is a reminder that one can control previously automatic responses to difficult parents. The drawback to this book is that it is more anecdotal than I had hoped. What I would recommend is getting this book - if you have a truly difficult aging parent - in conjunction with Joy Lo Verde's Complete Eldercare Planner. That book is more practical and complete in dealing with the practical stuff that can be really stressful (finding longterm care, talking to your parents about care options, financial considerations, wills, etc...).
Very practical guide.......2007-05-12
My copy of this book has many pages underlined, marked and highlighted. I have used it in almost every conversation with my 86 year old mother and it has made a huge difference for both of us. I can treat her honorably and respectfully and yet still not pretend that she is someone she has never been. This is a very practical guide and I have recommended it to many of my friends who have found it equally helpful.
Helps Smooth your feathers!.......2007-02-13
To our parents we are their "children", not the adults we have become. When they become child like & demanding/difficult we don't want to parent them but that is the role we are put in to anyway. Always see yourself as an adult, don't revert to the child & fall into their PIT of shame & blame. The main thing is this book will teach you that your difficult parent is not going to change & most likely get more difficult so prepare yourself & make sure you don't lose yourself in the process.
Coping With Your Difficult Older Parent: A Guide for Stressed-Out Children.......2006-12-04
We're grateful for, "COPING WITH YOUR DIFFICULT OLDER PARENT", by Grace Lebow & Barbara Kane because in it, we found our caregiving situation articulated, explained AND were given ideas for how to best handle it.
Anyone with a less-than-apple-pie parent (which the book's quiz helps readers identify) is likely to find guidance here, too. Why? Because the authors aim themselves at helping us "grownchildren" understand the roots of our parents' behaviours so we can care for them from a position of understanding.
That's a perspective that's less stomach-churning for us.
This book has some unique offerings: 1. Actual words - that's right, real sentences - and the best tone of voice to use when talking with intractable parents - and...
2. A chapter on how to care for ourselves starting now so WE have a better old age.
Really, don't we ALL say, "I sure don't want to become like my Mom or Dad," or, "I sure don't want to do to others what my folks did to me."?
Lebow and Kane are the first we've found to give us some guidance on that. Hint: Adapt to life as it changes. Thanks!
Book Description
How the great wisdom traditions offer perspective on the physical, psychological, political, and cultural crises of our times.
Customer Reviews:
A Recovery of Sanity in an Age of Surfeit.......2004-01-27
I've been periodically re-reading this book since I first read it in 1993, and I learn more each time. Brilliant insight, wisdom, and writing.
A Beautiful Book.......2000-12-29
Spretnak does perhaps the best job I have seen in explaining where the intellectual currents of the West have brought us in this small book. What a shame it is out of print! Maybe my only complaint is the way that she lumps all of deconstructionist philosophy together, drawing conclusions from the project that not even Derrida would recognize. Nevertheless, the beauty of the book lies in the way that she argues for a CONstructive theology and philosophy, using the category of creativity and and feminine aspects of God(dess) to explain how to heal our hurts. Do yourself a favor and read this book.
Religious Experience Defined.......2000-06-15
Although I can't totally get behind the author's Goddess philosophy, her point is well-argued. This is a very valuable book for anyone who wants a fresh look at modern ills.
Her recognition of our society's destructive "savvy detachment" is pure genius.
This book will be hated by deconstructionists, half my college professors, capitalists, communists, people who fear religion, and other sundry materialists who feed on apathy and who promote the destruction of the spiritual and the true. That should be enough reason to read this book!
Book Description
Court TV host Nancy Grace presents her case in this behind-the-scenes look at the high-profile cases everyone is talking about ancy Grace is a name millions of Americans recognize from her regular appearances on Court TV and Larry King Live. Legions of loyal fans tune in for her opinions on today's high-profile cases and her expert commentary on the challenges facing the American judicial system. Now, in Objection!, she makes her case for what's wrong with the legal system and what can be done about it.
Customer Reviews:
Taking on the liberal justice system! .......2007-09-16
Nancy Grace takes on our liberal, soft on crime, pro criminal, anti victim justice system and she takes them on hard and she is holding nothing back! If you are a Nancy Grace fan you will love this book! Nancy Grace at her BEST!
OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS FOR SALE.......2007-07-27
This is one amazing woman. The story about how she became a lawyer is nothing short of awe inspiring. And the stories in the court room will make you cringe and maybe even cry. And then there's the stories of the high profile celebrities who walked after they murdered. Very disconcerting and nauseous.
Disappointing........2007-04-14
Pandering.
Easy read though. As she implicitly acknowledges in every chapter of this book, she's a prime example of what she's criticizing.
She also appears to be intellectually dishonest and does not respect the legal system. Her tirades (and "tirades" is fairly accurate) against high priced defense attorneys (easy target, everybody hates them, right? me too) are quite simplistic for what I'd expect from a former prosecutor.
I can't believe that a person who comes across as a fairly average thinker, and a zealot, somehow managed to achieve a 100% conviction rate, without bending the rules a LOT.
Still, not a bad read. Burned through it very fast.
I would have given it 2 stars, until I found out there were sections in the book plagiarized. An former officer of the court who steals intellectual property, that deserves a ZERO.
Media and money can win you a case........2007-02-14
Nancy Grace host of her own show on CNN, a legal commentator on Court TV and a former prosecutor who never loss a case criticizes the criminal justice system including defense attorneys, judges, and juries. She also comments on controversial cases like Michael Jackson, Kobe Bryant, and Scout Peterson among others. She also suggests ways to reform the legal process to help victims of crime rather then criminals. Her book is factual and you can tell she has a zeal for justice. And I agree with almost everything she says in this book, especially that criminals should not profit from their convictions.
She's Nuts!.......2007-02-02
It is impossible to read this pitifully bad book without also conjuring up the image of Nancy Grace on CNN. She appears nightly with her face invariably twisted and contorted in rage and disgust, while bullying the weak and hapless and hopeless. It is beyond bizarre that CNN allows this embarrassing, demented freak to continue to appear on its programming. Nancy Grace may be the meanest and most cynical person appearing on television. And she's crazy.
Book Description
Through fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpses of the White House captured in more than 200 photographs, many of which were taken specifically for the book, and unprecendented personal interviews with the staff so that their faces and voices could be brought to life, weaved together with an engaging narrative that leads the reader through the lifespan of the house, The White House: An Illustrated is an all encompassing look at this famous American landmark. The author explores the four main roles of the White House:
Customer Reviews:
A fascinating look at the history and rooms of the White House.......2005-12-24
"The White House: An Illustrated History" was published in cooperation with the White House Historical Association and includes an introduction by the current First Lady, Laura Bush. No wonder this is a first rate look at the most famous building in America. Catherine O. Grace not only looks at the history of the building but also behind the scenes at what it takes to run a mansion with 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 12 chimneys. Regardless of whether you are old enough to remember Jackie Kennedy taking television viewers on a tour of the White House or learned most of what you know about the Executive Mansion from watching "The West Wing," you will find this a fascinating look at the home that is also an office, a museum, and a ceremonial stage.
Grace interviewed current staff members, such as the chief usher and president's photographer, and throughout the book these people are profiled in Faces & Voices sections. The book is divided into five chapters. Chapter 1, Rooms with a View: Building the President's House, looks at the history of the building century by century, including a cutaway of the White House and a look at the Visitor Center located near the mansion. Chapter 2, "Working at the White House," looks at key parts of the White House such as the West Wing, Oval Office, Cabinet Room, and Residence. Chapter 3, Celebrating at the White House, covers everything from state dinners and rose garden ceremonies to celebrating the arts and various holiday traditions. Chapter 4, A White House Tour, Room by Room, looks at what you actually get to see when you visit the WHite House, starting with the library and ending up in the state dining room, with the China Room, East Room, and others in between. Chapter 5, Living at the White House, looks at the family quarters, famous White House pets like Millie and Socks, and what various first families have done there.
By the end of the first chapter I knew this was a great look at the White House. I like the history aspects more than the decorating, but even the latter gets pretty interesting (the paintings in the Red Room include Gilbert Stuart's portrait of Dolley Madison). The back of the book has an Epilogue: A White House Album, which looks at what each president from George Washington to George W. Bush has done about the White House. There is also a Selected Bibliography, Internet sites where readers can go For More Information, and Other Media about the White House. You also learn where to write (or fax) the president (or first lady). If you are looking for something specific the Index at the end will be of help as well, but the Table of Contents will certainly get you in the ballpark.
There are over 200 photographs and other illustrations showing both the people and the events that mark the history of the White House. You will find a painting of First Lady Abigail Adams watching a servant hang laundry in the East Room, a photograph of the White House when it was gutted during the Truman administration, and a diagram of some of the trees planted by presidents and first ladies. There are several shots of the model White House built by the Zweifels on a scale of one inch to one foot, a photograph of President Eisenhower cooking burgers, and Amy Carter carving a jack-o-lantern with her friends in the China Room (on a white sheet to protect the concert). There are also five special double pages that open up for a close up look at the amazing building through a 19th-century painting of Washington, D.C. or a shot of the Oval Office.
The Real West Wing.......2003-11-01
This is a great book for children and adults alike. It is filled with fascinating details and beautiful illustrations about our nation's most important residence. The book artfully covers the long history of the White House and offers behind-the-scenes insights into how it lives, breathes, and operates today. I particularly appreciate the Epilogue, which features vignettes about the influence of each President (and First Lady) and gives readers a real sense of the house's evolution. Also enjoyable are the interviews with White House staff, such as the director of student correspondence and the pastry chef. After reading Catherine Grace's delightful volume, I can appreciate John Adams' benediction, now carved in the State Dining Room mantlepiece: "I pray Heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof."
Books:
- Heart-Shaped Box: A Novel
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- Home to Big Stone Gap: A Novel
- Home to Big Stone Gap: A Novel
- In Every Tiny Grain of Sand: A Child's Book of Prayers and Praise
- Las Gallinas No Son Las Unicas Kens Aren't the Only Ones
Books Index
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