Amazon.com
Barack Obama's first book, Dreams from My Father, was a compelling and moving memoir focusing on personal issues of race, identity, and community. With his second book The Audacity of Hope, Obama engages themes raised in his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, shares personal views on faith and values and offers a vision of the future that involves repairing a "political process that is broken" and restoring a government that has fallen out of touch with the people. We had the opportunity to ask Senator Obama a few questions about writing, reading, and politics--see his responses below. --Daphne Durham
20 Second Interview: A Few Words with Barack Obama
Q: How did writing a book that you knew would be read so closely by so many compare to writing your first book, when few people knew who you were?
A: In many ways, Dreams from My Father was harder to write. At that point, I wasn't even sure that I could write a book. And writing the first book really was a process of self-discovery, since it touched on my family and my childhood in a much more intimate way. On the other hand, writing The Audacity of Hope paralleled the work that I do every day--trying to give shape to all the issues that we face as a country, and providing my own personal stamp on them.
Q: What is your writing process like? You have such a busy schedule, how did you find time to write?
A: I'm a night owl, so I usually wrote at night after my Senate day was over, and after my family was asleep--from 9:30 p.m. or so until 1 a.m. I would work off an outline--certain themes or stories that I wanted to tell--and get them down in longhand on a yellow pad. Then I'd edit while typing in what I'd written.
Q: If readers are to come away from The Audacity of Hope with one action item (a New Year's Resolution for 2007, perhaps?), what should it be?
A: Get involved in an issue that you're passionate about. It almost doesn't matter what it is--improving the school system, developing strategies to wean ourselves off foreign oil, expanding health care for kids. We give too much of our power away, to the professional politicians, to the lobbyists, to cynicism. And our democracy suffers as a result.
Q: You're known for being able to work with people across ideological lines. Is that possible in today's polarized Washington?
A: It is possible. There are a lot of well-meaning people in both political parties. Unfortunately, the political culture tends to emphasize conflict, the media emphasizes conflict, and the structure of our campaigns rewards the negative. I write about these obstacles in chapter 4 of my book, "Politics." When you focus on solving problems instead of scoring political points, and emphasize common sense over ideology, you'd be surprised what can be accomplished. It also helps if you're willing to give other people credit--something politicians have a hard time doing sometimes.
Q: How do you make people passionate about moderate and complex ideas?
A: I think the country recognizes that the challenges we face aren't amenable to sound-bite solutions. People are looking for serious solutions to complex problems. I don't think we need more moderation per se--I think we should be bolder in promoting universal health care, or dealing with global warming. We just need to understand that actually solving these problems won't be easy, and that whatever solutions we come up with will require consensus among groups with divergent interests. That means everybody has to listen, and everybody has to give a little. That's not easy to do.
Q: What has surprised you most about the way Washington works?
A: How little serious debate and deliberation takes place on the floor of the House or the Senate.
Q: You talk about how we have a personal responsibility to educate our children. What small thing can the average parent (or person) do to help improve the educational system in America? What small thing can make a big impact?
A: Nothing has a bigger impact than reading to children early in life. Obviously we all have a personal obligation to turn off the TV and read to our own children; but beyond that, participating in a literacy program, working with parents who themselves may have difficulty reading, helping their children with their literacy skills, can make a huge difference in a child's life.
Q: Do you ever find time to read? What kinds of books do you try to make time for? What is on your nightstand now?
A: Unfortunately, I had very little time to read while I was writing. I'm trying to make up for lost time now. My tastes are pretty eclectic. I just finished Marilynne Robinson's Gilead, a wonderful book. The language just shimmers. I've started Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which is a great study of Lincoln as a political strategist. I read just about anything by Toni Morrison, E.L. Doctorow, or Philip Roth. And I've got a soft spot for John le Carre.
Q: What inspires you? How do you stay motivated?
A: I'm inspired by the people I meet in my travels--hearing their stories, seeing the hardships they overcome, their fundamental optimism and decency. I'm inspired by the love people have for their children. And I'm inspired by my own children, how full they make my heart. They make me want to work to make the world a little bit better. And they make me want to be a better man.
Book Description
“A government that truly represents these Americans–that truly serves these Americans–will require a different kind of politics. That politics will need to reflect our lives as they are actually lived. It won’t be pre-packaged, ready to pull off the shelf. It will have to be constructed from the best of our traditions and will have to account for the darker aspects of our past. We will need to understand just how we got to this place, this land of warring factions and tribal hatreds. And we’ll need to remind ourselves, despite all our differences, just how much we share: common hopes, common dreams, a bond that will not break.”
–from
The Audacity of Hope
In July 2004, Barack Obama electrified the Democratic National Convention with an address that spoke to Americans across the political spectrum. One phrase in particular anchored itself in listeners’ minds, a reminder that for all the discord and struggle to be found in our history as a nation, we have always been guided by a dogged optimism in the future, or what Senator Obama called “the audacity of hope.”
Now, in
The Audacity of Hope, Senator Obama calls for a different brand of politics–a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship and alienated by the “endless clash of armies” we see in congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of “our improbable experiment in democracy.” He explores those forces–from the fear of losing to the perpetual need to raise money to the power of the media–that can stifle even the best-intentioned politician. He also writes, with surprising intimacy and self-deprecating humor, about settling in as a senator, seeking to balance the demands of public service and family life, and his own deepening religious commitment.
At the heart of this book is Senator Obama’s vision of how we can move beyond our divisions to tackle concrete problems. He examines the growing economic insecurity of American families, the racial and religious tensions within the body politic, and the transnational threats–from terrorism to pandemic–that gather beyond our shores. And he grapples with the role that faith plays in a democracy–where it is vital and where it must never intrude. Underlying his stories about family, friends, members of the Senate, even the president, is a vigorous search for connection: the foundation for a radically hopeful political consensus.
A senator and a lawyer, a professor and a father, a Christian and a skeptic, and above all a student of history and human nature, Senator Obama has written a book of transforming power. Only by returning to the principles that gave birth to our Constitution, he says, can Americans repair a political process that is broken, and restore to working order a government that has fallen dangerously out of touch with millions of ordinary Americans. Those Americans are out there, he writes–“waiting for Republicans and Democrats to catch up with them.”
Customer Reviews:
A must read!.......2007-10-10
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I read this book a while back, and I re-read it just last week now that Obama is a major Presidential contender. This book is very well written in terms of style and syntax, plus it takes us on a journey of man grappling serioulsy with issues of hope, worth, justice, patriotism and social obligation. It seems that whatever the outcome of the election, Obama believes in decency and hope and has pledged to do his part to make this a better society. It reads well, makes you think and makes you actually glimpse an American living closer to its ideal. This is a must read!
awesome.......2007-10-10
This was am amazing book by an amazing man. Really unique viewpoint and an interesting perspective with which to view American politics. Obama is obviously brilliant and is an American political historian...love that aspect, especially. His passion for this country and making the lives of the American people better shines through on every page. His humility, honesty and humanity are refreshing. He's idealistic, but no doormat. The man has drive and ambition...wonderful qualities for someone looking to make the lives of others better. He's smart, genuine and sees the big picture...what's best for America as a whole. He gives the reader not just his opinions or snippets of American history, but also a candid look at his own personal journey. He's obviously a Democrat, but shows appreciation and admiration for some individual Repbulicans, too. Wonderfully refreshing change from the usual hatemongering between parties that has become the ugly norm in America in recent years.
Obama Stakes Out Centrist Ground.......2007-10-09
I routinely give history books five stars, but I am compelled to limit this one to four. The political manifesto is limited as a genre, and I was not quite ready after Obama's last book to be brought back down to earth. The stories in this book, while by turns sad and funny, are no longer told for their own sakes like the ones in "Dreams from my Father," but to illustrate a point. Still, Obama manages to be polemical without being strident. When they deserve it in his view, he bestows credit and even praise on individual Republicans, and quotes the sage advice that President Bush once gave him -- that he was rising so spectacularly that people on his own side might come to see him as a threat. He also has a lot of praise for his staff members, listing the more senior ones by name and telling stories of things he and they discovered at the same time.
The leading characteristic of this book is that Obama strives to be Informed about every issue he comments on. Accordingly, he attacks those on the extreme poles of the debate on all these issues for encouraging their constituents not to be informed. He will frequently say, in so many words, that while Republicans need to acknowledge X, Democrats equally need to acknowledge Y. The eighth chapter, "The World Beyond Our Borders," indicates even if his more recent rhetoric did not that if you are looking for a candidate who will get our troops out of Iraq quickly, Barack Obama is probably not your man. He reminds me of no one, in fact, so much as Bill Clinton in his knowledgeable approach to the issues, bolstered frequently by statistics.
My favorite chapters were the third chapter -- in which Obama sets forth his view of the Constitution, and talks of his respectful meeting with onetime Klansman Sen. Robert Byrd -- and the sixth chapter, where he talks about religion and his race against Alan Keyes (having discussed most of his other political opponents in the previous four chapters). While he beat Keyes handily, Keyes made him more uncomfortable than the others for his implicit charge that Obama's faith is insincere or "adulterated," the word Obama uses. From this chapter, however, I gleaned that Obama's faith is hard-won. He had higher expectations of religion perhaps than most, a higher threshhold that he insisted it meet before he would embrace it; but he is sincere. Keyes has now entered the Presidential race (his third try for his party's nomination); I suspect that more than anything he wants another crack at Obama. In the last chapter before the epilogue, we see Obama as a family man, a side of him which didn't make it into his first book.
Obama writes far more readable and entertaining books than the Clintons do -- which doesn't necessarily mean he would make a better President than either of them. But I am glad he exists. He is one of those singular people who seek to prove we as a nation are who we say we are. If I was teaching American history in an inner-city school, and was not compelled to use the same books as everyone else in the state, Obama would be one of five or so authors I would assign. (Did I mention his insights on the need to completely restructure public education, shared in the fifth chapter, "Opportunity"? He's a bit short on details of his solution here, however.) As mentioned above, I give this book four stars.
Hope and Compromise.......2007-10-04
I am particularly struck by the contrast of Obama and George W. Bush. Obama stays in touch with the masses by talking in air terminals and wherever he finds them in public. Jim Wallis (author of "God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It") comments from his meeting the President:
"And he (George W. Bush) really did listen, more than presidents often do. He also asked questions. One sounded lofty, yet it resonated with those of us seated around the room: 'How do I speak to the soul of America?' My answer to that was simple: Focus on the children. Their plight is our shame, I told him, and their promise is our future. Reach them and you reach our soul. Bush nodded in agreement. The conversation was rich and deep for more than an hour and a half.
When the discussion officially ended, Bush moved around the room, talking with us individually or in small groups for another hour. I could see that his staff was anxious to whisk him away (cabinet appointments were being made that week and there were key departments yet to fill). Yet he lingered and continued to ask questions. At one point, he turned to me and said, with what I could only read as complete sincerity, 'Jim, I don't understand poor people. I've never lived with poor people or been around poor people much. I don't understand what they think and feel about a lot of things. I'm just a white Republican guy who doesn't get it. How do I get it?'"
Here, in Obama's book, Obama is an ordinary American who has entered a lofty position in Washington, but he has not forgotten the people, not only the people of America, but of Indonesia and Kenya as well.
Obama's style is assertive, with a stunning line or two for each chapter.
Still, I believe Obama isn't spot on. When he speaks of hope, for example, the word opportunity would be more exacting and prospective. While Obama speaks of compromise, it would be appropriate to examine areas of agreement, but work towards independent solutions rather than compromise.
A New Kind of Politics.......2007-09-30
"They are out there, I think to myself, those ordinary citizens who have grown up in the midst of all the political and cultural battles.....They are out there, waiting for Republicans and Democrats to catch up with them".
That statement sets the tone for Senator Obama's refreshingly honest look at policy and politics. In this book, you'll find Obama as open to pointing out flaws in conventional liberal thinking as he is to criticizing his opponents on the right. Likewise, he praises certain aspects of Reagan's policy as openly as he criticizes other parts of it, or as openly as he applauds Bill Clinton's policies. Obama's ability to empathize with a differing point of view, yet maintaining a firm belief in his own position is very endearing.
The most interesting aspect of the book, perhaps, is its ability to see today's issues in a historical context. When examining U.S. foreign policy, Obama first walks the reader through the positions taken by Washington, Jefferson, Woodrow Wilson, Nixon, Reagan and others in trying to preserve America's national interests through interventions abroad. Likewise, when looking at the role of faith in American politics, Obama starts by giving the readers a glimpse of the how America's founding fathers thought about these issues, and how the cultural and social changes in the sixties eventually led the religious right to start playing a more active role in politics.
Obama also talks openly about his family, and his experiences while growing up, that have shaped him as a person. While talking about racial issues, he is comfortable talking about personal experiences that offer him hope. He's equally comfortable talking about his initiation into faith, having been brought up by a mother who wasn't religious.
If you're looking to understand the details of policy that Obama would champion if elected President, this book doesn't offer you a lot. However, what it gives you is the framework of beliefs which shape how Obama thinks about politics and policy. It lives true to its title, and offers hope for a new kind of politics, one that would help us all get closer to the American Dream. All in all, a very enjoyable read, and highly recommended.
Book Description
My name is Tucker Max, and I am an asshole. I get excessively drunk at inappropriate times, disregard social norms, indulge every whim, ignore the consequences of my actions, mock idiots and posers, sleep with more women than is safe or reasonable, and just generally act like a raging dickhead. But, I do contribute to humanity in one very important way: I share my adventures with the world. —from the Introduction Actual reader feedback:
"I am completely baffled as to how you can congratulate yourself for being a womanizer and a raging drunk, or think anyone cares about an idiot like you. Do you really think that exploiting the insecurities of others while getting wasted is a legitimate thing to offer?"
"Thank you, thank you, thank you—for sharing with us your wonderful tales of drunken revelry, for teaching me what it means to be a man, for just existing so I know that there is another option; I too can say `screw the system' and be myself and have fun. My life truly began when I finished reading your stories. Now, when faced with a quandary about what course of action I should take, I just ask myself, `What Would Tucker Do?'—and I do it, and I am a better man for it."
"I find it truly appalling that there are people in the world like you. You are a disgusting, vile, repulsive, repugnant, foul creature. Because of you, I don't believe in God anymore. No just God would allow someone like you to exist."
"I'll stay with God as my lord, but you are my savior. I just finished reading your brilliant stories, and I laughed so hard I almost vomited. I want to bring that kind of joy to people. You're an artist of the highest order and a true humanitarian to boot. I'm in both shock and awe at how much I want to be you."
"You are the coolest person I can even imagine existing. If you slept with my girlfriend, it'd make me love her more."
Customer Reviews:
No Socially Redeeming Qualities Except He's Funny.......2007-10-03
Tucker Max, the author, is a narcissistic, alcoholic, egomaniacal, sexist pig with the morals of an alley cat in heat, but he has one redeeming quality. He is funny! This book is the story of his adventures, and while the conduct is contemptible, he has a gift with words and phrases, which make what he writes humorous. In addition, it is his frat boy antics that land him in many of the situations that are so funny.
Karma will one day land in Tucker Max's lap and cause him unmerciful grief. Until that day happens, however, he will continue to be a pig and will continue to write about it. If you're female, and think you don't want to read this because he is so bad, think again. It's a great lesson in how some males behave!
HILARIOUS.......2007-09-28
This book is very funny. The key is to not take it too seriously or you might think it is vulgar and rude. Overall a hilarious take on drinking and sex. Perfect for a night of reading and drinking a beer or two!
Lost your balls? get them back here........2007-09-27
So i was a little skeptical about how entertaining it would be to read the drunken (mis)adventures of Tucker Max, Duke Law Student. I read this book faster than I've ever read a book before and boy was it entertaining. I almost laughed out loud on the bus a couple times while reading it. If you can't see the humor in situations where women are treated like sex objects then don't read this. If you don't think it's funny to drunk drive a car into a bakery and leave the scene without a trace, don't read this book. If you don't think it's funny to f@ck a fat girl and then throw her clothes out the window and make her run out the front door so your roomates don't see her, don't read this book. Get it. Good.
One of the funniest books I've ever read.......2007-09-26
Rarely does a book make me laugh out loud. The last one was "A Nasty Bit of Rough"...but if you don't like golf you should avoid it.
If all the stories in here are true, and I'll bet they are, how in the hell is he still alive? Between his psychotic friends, his raging addiction to vodka and his insatiable sex drive, most mortal men would be either pushing up daisies or resting comfortably in a padded cell.
Tucker is a great storyteller and you are cheating yourself out of a ton of laughs by not reading this one. Bra - freaking - vo!
Worth it.......2007-09-25
I held off on buying the book for over a year, because he already had so many good stories on his site. But finally I realized that I was a proud Tucker Max fan and wanted his book in my apartment to show off to other people.
I'm definitely glad I bought it. Out of the 30ish stories in his book, maybe a third of them were new (ie not on the site). All of them were classic. If I had to pick one favorite aspect about the book, it's that I could trust that the stories were true. I never once got the feeling that he exaggerated or BSed anything.
Book Description
Kim Meeder has seen horses go where no one else can tread - stepping through the minefield of a broken child's soul in a dance of trust that only God can understand. From a mistreated horse to an emotionally starved child and back again, a torrent of love washes away their barren places. Kim's ranch is a place where this miracle happens over and over again. It is a place where the impossible flourishes, where dreams survive the inferno of reality - a place where hope rises.
Where Wounded Spirits Run Free
Follow a horse where no one else can tread, through the minefield of pain that surrounds a broken child’s soul. From a mistreated horse to an emotionally starved child and back again, a torrent of love revives their barren places.
In the presence of unconditional love, a mute girl speaks for the first time. A defiant teenager teaches a horse to trust again...and opens his own heart to love. A rescued horse gives a dying man his last wish. A battered girl finds love and protection in the friendship of a battered horse...
Come visit a place where the impossible flourishes, where dreams survive the inferno of reality—a place where hope rises.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful.......2007-09-19
If this testimony of God's work in the lives of those at Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch doesn't pierce your heart, nothing will. It is well writen and absolutely beautiful.
Simply Beautiful.......2007-08-21
Inspiring, true stories of how neglected horses and neglected children help to heal each other. This book reveals over and over again the powerful miracles that can happen when one has hope.
Outstanding true stories of wounded horses and hurting kids.......2007-05-13
Kim Meeder is not only a fabulous person; she is a gifted writer. These true stories of mistreated horses and hurting children coming together for healing and enjoyment will gladden any heart. Even if you are not a horse lover, you'll love this book. It's about "horse therapy" for suffering children and the bonds and breakthroughs that happen when kids and horses interact on a safe and secure level. Kim Meeder writes with her heart and out of personal experience.
Absolutely beautiful.......2007-05-07
I loved this book. It was full of wonderful stories and personal experiences. Very touching and inspiring.
Hope Rising-Book of Miracles.......2007-03-20
This is a book of miracles. It is about love, faith, and healing. Ms. Meeder plays the human heart strings like a diva, and her stories of children healed by horses are as touching as they are inspirational.
J.R. Wise
Author of
"Give a Horse a Second Chance"
Book Description
Praise for The Cancer Treatment Revolution
"A wonderful journey through modern medical science, told with warmth and insight, brought to life through the stories of people confronting cancer. This book will inspire and educate both laymen and caregivers."
—Jerome Groopman, M.D., author of The Measure of Our Days and The Anatomy of Hope and Recanati, Professor, Harvard Medical School
"This is probably the best book on cancer that exists--beautifully written and unfailingly interesting, conveying a clear sense of hope for cancer patients and survivors. Cancer treatment has come a long way but not without intense struggles and passions, which David Nathan narrates from the inside as one of the leading players. He explains cancer more clearly than anyone else, and his portraits of great cancer doctors are sharp and unforgettable, a contribution to history."
—Richard Preston, author of The Hot Zone and The Demon in the Freezer
"No one is better positioned to tell the tale of the cancer treatment revolution of the last half century than David Nathan. A brilliant physician-scientist, he has been present at the cusps of history in this life-and-death field. The story he tells here is fascinating, and his book is captivating."
—Atul Gawande, M.D., author of Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science and Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance and Assistant Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
"David Nathan is a true storyteller. In The Cancer Treatment Revolution, he tells stories that bridge cancer patients and cancer research as few others could. These gripping tales will be appreciated by those who live with cancer and those who strive to create new therapies."
—Thomas Cech, Ph.D., recipient of the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and President of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
"David Nathan, one of the nation's preeminent clinician-scientists, tells the stories of three cancer patients, revealing compelling human facets--the dedication of the remarkable teams that care for these patients and, even more, the bravery and fortitude of the patients and their families."
—Harold Varmus, M.D., recipient of the 1989 Nobel Prize in Medicine, President of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and former director of the National Institutes of Health
"Engaged by the compelling triumphs and tragedies of patients whose normal lives are inevitably altered by a life-threatening cancer, the reader of The Cancer Treatment Revolution will easily appreciate the impact of the new cancer diagnostics and therapies compared to even relatively recent cancer treatments."
—Karen Antman, M.D., Dean, Boston University School of Medicine
"This personal, highly readable account by one of the leaders of the cancer treatment revolution explains how the revolution has come about and how it will change the future."
—Sir Paul Nurse, Ph.D., President of Rockefeller University and recipient of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Medicine
Customer Reviews:
A promise of Hope.......2007-05-13
The reader is left with the feeling that just around the corner specific cancer killing drugs will be available (as opposed to the current drugs which kill all cells in sight...(which is why patients become gravely ill from "chemo" treatments). The problem is, of course, how far is the corner..10 years, 20, more?
Still,it is worth reading and gives hope where there may only have been despair...
Cancer Treatment Revolution --- review.......2007-05-12
Very clearly written, warm hearted. To me the title suggested a more comprehensive coverage than there is. There is a very good introductory chapter and then 3 individual cases as examples of the medical progress. An excellent start on the subject.
Book Description
Optimum digestion is essential to maintaining the overall health of your body, but poor nutrition choices can lead to digestive stress and problems such as heartburn, indigestion, gas and bloating. The HOPE Formula explains how a combination of High Fiber, Omega-3 Oils, Probiotics and Enzymes can help restore and maintain digestive health.
Customer Reviews:
loved it........2007-10-09
it was a very good book.very easy to read & understand. Also it actually includes pictures to help give you better understanding. I had seen her on tv and thought i should get her book. I was very impressed and had to buy her Gut Solutions book also. I havent finished that one yet.
I'm a believer.......2007-06-27
My wife and I caught her on PBS and were impressed enough to donate to them and get a set of books. We are very happy with them and they have helped us to lose weight and feel better. My wife is a Pharm D and she says they have sound medical advice. When she was going to have her gall bladder removed a couple weeks ago she looked at the "Gut Solutions" book. She wished she had seen it sooner since they had detailed information about the gall bladder and on gall stone symptoms. We have bought just about every other book she has published since. This one is a great start.
Great!.......2007-05-09
Totally what I was looking for! Saw Brenda on PBS and had to get the book. It is everything she talked about. Anyone who wants to improve their health should get this book.
Amazon.com
Available in different covers that may differ from the image shown on this page. Amazon.com is unable to accept requests for a specific cover. The various covers will be assigned to orders at random.
Book Description
Named the CMA song of the year, I Hope You Dance is a challenge to make the most out of life: "And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance."
This beautiful gift book by the Nashville team that wrote the song includes a CD with an acoustic version recorded especially for this book by Lee Ann Womack.
Customer Reviews:
Like Shining Amber, with a touch of Sap.......2007-10-10
Being a lover of this song and of gift books, I naturally couldn't resist ordering this book the minute I saw it in a store. The lyrics of Leann Womack's classic song is featured throughout the book, along with inspirational messages and beautiful photography from those who put the book together.
I did dock a star because the messages in the book that accompanied the song occasionally came off as a little too..mushy. I'm really not that harsh a critic, not of books like these, but the beautiful words of inspiration were, a couple of times, replaced by words that were definetly too syrupy for my taste. I prefer truly moving messages and stories to speak for themselves, but it occassionally seemed like the authors wanted to hammer the point home, overdo the sentimentality, and even make their message serious and cheerfully bouncy at the exact same time (trust me, that doesn't work.) For ex: throughout the book, the lyrics of the song are printed in large bold letters in order to differentiate them from the authors' separate words of inspiration. Usually, the pages featuring the lyrics had no other words on them, but at one point, right above the words of Womack's moving song, the authors' placed a bulletin that said, "Attention! This is BIG stuff!" Yes, thank you, I figured that out myself. Considering the fact that Leann's song more than speaks for itself and doesn't need any extra emotional boosting, I found those additional words annoying and almost jarring to the flow of the song and its message.
Elsewhere in the book, as I mentioned before, the sentimentality goes into overdrive. One page is dedicated entirely to love and begins with the words, "Love, love, love. You have to love." Again, I got that idea the first time. It's nice to compliment the song with additional words of motivation, but we don't need an interpretive page with every selection of the song. In another part of the book, while speaking of youth, the narrator says, "Ah, youth..new skin, wide smiles, clear eyes..the future so bright. If only we could bottle it up, sip it now and again.." This sounded more to me like a bad commercial for a fountain of youth than a motivational speech. I don't mean to sound cynical, I usually love gift books, but the tone in this one was sometimes just too sweet for my taste.
I also didn't particularly care for the version of the song in the bonus CD. There's a mainstream version with soft rock music and female voices in the background (which I prefer) and there's a country version with male voices in the background and the occassional awful twangy instruments; this one's the latter. If you like country music, good for you, but I don't like the country version of this song and since the mainstream version is the one that's played on the radio nine times out of ten, it really makes no sense to me that it's not included here.
There are plenty of good points of this book to make up for the disappointments, of course. The song is wonderful, whether you hear it or read it, and some of the separate words in the book were lovely to read. My favorite part of the book's text, other than the song, was a beautiful little haiku that the authors wrote called "You", celebrating every individual. The photographs are also gorgeous, from grinning children to nature scenery. A beautiful package, altogether.
Now, if they'd only make a gift book celebrating the beautiful song "Private Malone"..
hope you dance.......2007-07-28
This book is very inspirational and can be used a a motivator for young people embarking on their life journey. The accompanying cd is excellent as well.
Moved Me .......2007-07-27
I felt so connected to this and cried , I gave it to my daughter , who had just found out she had cancer . goldenyrs43
Fantastic Book.......2007-07-03
Leeann Womack does a fantastic job at describing how the song came about and how to apply it to every day life.
Uplifting.......2007-03-08
My mother purchased one for all of her daughters. The book and the lyrics of the song will certainly inspire. Moms...A great gift for your aspiring daughters.
Book Description
Respected scholar William Bennett reacquaints America with its heritage in the second volume of
America: The Last Best Hope (Volume II). This engaging narrative slices through the cobwebs of time, memory, and prevailing cynicism to reinvigorate America with an informed patriotism.
Customer Reviews:
Enjoyable, refreshing and insightful. A good, but conservative refresher on American History 102........2007-10-10
If you're considering reading William Bennett's, "America: The Last Best Hope, Volume II," then you are likely already familiar with Bennett's work in Volume I.
I enjoyed both books although one should not expect the author to hold himself to the same "standards" of balance that we expect, but rarely observe of our journalists. Authors of most books make no commitment to maintain unbiased writing, how could they honestly and why should we expect it?
Bennett is unabashedly partisan, he makes no apologies top the fact that this once Democrat has long since become a Republican, with all the implications that come with such a change. Readers will find that Bennett rides his own laurels as he is indeed a part of this latter history of the United States he has written.
Bennett also derides the polarizing matter of abortion throughout the latter chapters of the book. As a staunch pro-lifer, he stays firm to his assertion that the unborn deserve a level of protection that the Supreme Court has seen fit to remove. Regardless of anyone's opinion of abortion, it is fair to say that no one, "pro-life" or "pro-choice" is truly "pro-abortion." I'm not so sure Bennett sees it that way. The most militant pro-choicer would certainly rather the practice be ultimately unnecessary in the first place than an alternative to pregnancy or motherhood.
As United States Secretary of Education under the Reagan Administration, Bennett is anything but removed from the events and individuals that closed out the final years of the Cold War, which end the book. Some will consider this book an American History as good Republicans should see it, others will not even bother to read beyond the flap of the dust jacket.
Bennett is keen to point out though, that his analysis, especially of the history since the period where this book leaves off, (Dec. 7, 1988) is still too vivid for the lens of history to properly evaluate. Indeed much of the history of the Cold War is still being written and analyzed.
Conservatives will, no doubt, cheer Bennett's right-leaning notations and periodic political jabs, liberals will just as frequently roll their eyes at Bennett's sniping of left-wing policy failures and gaffes of the last 100 years or so. The intelligent reader will sift this aspect out for what it is and not be distracted from history's fundamentals Bennett has put forth.
Without a doubt, any post 9/11 book on U.S. History will be subjected to many faceted criticisms for its partisanship, as much as any pre 9/11 history of America is so severely lacking in its modern context.
Ultimately, "America: The Last Best Hope, Volume II, From A World War to the Triumph of Freedom," is a good book that's a pleasure to read. If you've taken it upon yourself to learn about American History, there is no shame in taking a look at Bennett's book.
READ IT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY: REVIEW IT! AND IF YOU DISAGREE, VALIDATE IT IN YOUR REVIEW, OR COMMENT ON MY OWN. BOOKS WILL GET BETTER AS WE READERS SHARE OUR OPINIONS.
History Comes Alive.......2007-09-01
The book was of special interest to me as I have lived through the major portion of this period of history and recall much that is written but also learn much more. The author's coverage of most of the 20th century included the American presidents as well as other national leaders. The book will probably be considered politically incorrect by many due to his casual reference to the specific prayers of several presidents. He touched on subjects other than government including books and music. Some events receiving extensive attention were World War l, the Depression, World War ll, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Cold War. . I believe for the most part he was very objective although he appeared to have a negative bias toward Presidents Wilson and Nixon and a very positive bias toward President Franklin Roosevelt. He wrote with first hand knowledge of President Reagan and the first President Bush. History becomes very interesting under this author's pen.
A superb history of the United States of America.......2007-08-23
The first volume of "America: The Last Best Hope" is, in my opinion, the finest contemporary history of the United States yet written. It is an honest telling of the nation's history, warts and all, a far cry than the America hating nonsense that is unfortunately being taught to our children.
The second volume isn't as good. Still superior to anything else on the subject I've read, but I felt that there should have been two volumes, not one. The first covering 1914 to about 1945 and the second from roughly 1945 through the Reagan years.
Why? Because I felt that Dr. Bennett had crammed too much into this single volume and, as a result, been forced to omit illuminating detail. More time and space, for example, should have been spent on examining how Democrats in Congress perpetuated racial discrimination for almost a century and fought demonically until the last to prevent passage of the Civil Rights Act.
Instead, many historically significant episodes are reduced to a few sentences. Still illuminating, but leaving the already knowledgeable reader panting for more. Dr. Bennett and, I presume, his research team have been more than diligent in teasing obscure sources out of the archives and provide new information even to someone like me who has been an avid consumer of American histories for more than five decades.
The book is not perfect. There are small, but disturbing errors, such as the misspelling of Messerschmitt, a WWII German aircraft manufacturer.
On the whole though, this remains a marvelous history of America, faults and all. It would make a wonderful gift, I think, for any intelligent high-school or older student from a giver who wants the recipient to know just how fortunate they are to live in this magnificient nation.
Jerry
America: The Last Best Hope.......2007-08-10
I hated history as a youngster, but if I'd had this master writing the courses, I might have become an historian. This is a fantastic book, and should be required reading for all Americans.
Review: America: The Last Best Hope (Volume II).......2007-07-27
I gave this book 5 Stars because I think the author did exactly what he set out to do: present a light, airy, easy to read narrative of American history covering the period from WWI to the end of the Cold War. Because this is not a text book and is limited in size and scope constraints likely placed on it by the publisher (530 pages), it necessarily raises as many questions as it answers. Considering those constraints, I found the presentation to be fast, fair, fun, educational, interesting, and accurate.
Book Description
Cross Over Troubled Waters
Hope is like the stars—always there, yet shining brightest in the blackest of nights. It is like the dawn, always rising anew. Hope is for everyone, and that includes you. This collection of more than twenty true stories from a ranch of rescued dreams unveils the heart of true strength and the character of genuine courage. Experience for yourself the kind of love and hope that change a person from the inside out. Because sometimes, just believing in someone is enough for them to start believing in themselves. It’s the galvanizing truth that no matter how deep your pain…God’s love exceeds it still.
Sometimes, just believing in someone
is enough for them to start
believing in themselves…
Without raising his eyes to look at me, in a voice barely clearing the horizon of a whisper, he said, “I know you don’t love me… You just say that ’cuz you’re an adult and it’s kinda like your job. But I know you don’t really love me.”
Suffering and blessing balance on the same high wire, each giving stability and depth to the other. The one that we feel the most…is ultimately the one that we give the most.
It was her eyes that gave her away. The conflict of her mortal illness versus her will raged behind them. Her body shouted, “I’m sick and it’s getting harder and harder to do the things I love!” while her indomitable will shouted back, “Yeah, but I’m just a little kid, and little kids should get to ride horses!”
What a relief it is when we begin to understand that it is within our hardships that truth is elevated from our hearts to our heads.
“During the darkest days I’d ever known, I was introduced to the unconditional love of a little horse and a merciful God, and my life has never been the same,” says author Kim Meeder . And her book proves that hope is not only for us to keep…but to give.
“Stirring, encouraging, and inspirational, Bridge Called Hope reminds us that hope is heaven sent for everyone, and that we, too, can make a positive difference in others’ lives."
Eric Close
Actor
“Kim Meeder vibrantly shares—and lives—an amazing story of hope and restoration. A triumph of recovery for wounded hearts!”
Louie Giglio
Director, Passion Conferences, and bestselling author
Story Behind the Book
“I was moved to write Hope Rising and Bridge Called Hope because, when I needed it the most, someone shared hope with me and it saved my life. During the darkest days I’d ever known, I was introduced to the unconditional love of a little horse and a merciful God, and my life has never been the same. Everything in our life is about choices. We cannot control our circumstances, but we can control how we choose to feel about them. The pain that we feel in this life is certain. What is equally certain is how we choose to feel about the pain. It can destroy us—or it can define us. The choice is uniquely ours.” —Kim Meeder
Customer Reviews:
As beautiful as the first! .......2007-09-19
Most sequels don't measure up to the first book, but this one is a rarity. It is as well written and beautiful as the its predecessor. I hope it's not the end of the author's writen journey.
Wonderful inspiration.......2007-09-04
This book was much like Kim's first book - "Hope Rising". Full of wonderful stories about the many horses and children who have spent time at the Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch and because of their time there, have come away with new hope about life itself. Great reading!
Keep your tissues handy.......2007-08-26
Kims stories of abused children will bring a tear to almost anyones eyes. Her writing paints a vivid image in your head, as if you are there yourself. But this is not merely a book about unwanted and abused children. It's a story of how one couple takes God's message of hope to ones who have none.
Bridge Called Hope.......2007-08-23
This was a beautiful story with and important message of reaching those who feel they are without hope in this world. the title is very appropriate and the message is one that is greatly needed in our world today. There is hope!
Hope Rising.......2007-08-19
Second book by this author that offers true, inspiring, heart-tugging stories how horses and children that need mending from abuse or other physical/mental issues help pull each other through to a path of healing; and the husband and wife team that makes it all happen through faith.
Average customer rating:
- I love this book...
- If I could give it ten stars, I would.
- Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World! They really do!
- I COULD EAT THIS BOOK!
- Yum
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Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule
Isa Chandra Moskowitz , and
Terry Hope Romero
Manufacturer: Marlowe & Company
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ASIN: 1569242739 |
Book Description
The hosts of the vegan cooking show The Post Punk Kitchen are back with a vengeance — and this time, dessert. A companion volume to Vegan with a Vengeance, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World is a sweet and sassy guide to baking everyone’s favorite treat without using any animal products. This unique cookbook contains over 50 recipes for cupcakes and frostings — some innovative, some classics — with beautiful full color photographs.
Isa and Terry offer delicious, cheap, dairy-free, egg-free and vegan-friendly recipes like Classic Vanilla Cupcakes (with chocolate frosting), Crimson Velveteen Cupcakes (red velvet with creamy white frosting), Linzer Torte Cupcakes (hazelnut with raspberry and chocolate ganache), Chai Latte Cupcakes (with powdered sugar) and Banana Split Cupcakes (banana-chocolate chip-pineapple with fluffy frosting). Included also are gluten-free recipes, decorating tips, baking guidelines, vegan shopping advice, and Isa’s true cupcake anecdotes from the trenches. When Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, no dessert lover can resist.
Customer Reviews:
I love this book..........2007-10-10
This is a wonderful cupcake book. I am so pleased with it. The cupcakes are delicious. The recipes are easy to follow and the directions are precise.
If I could give it ten stars, I would........2007-10-08
The book sold me on the photos alone, but the recipes do not disappoint. Never has vegan baking been so invisibly delicious, so perfectly dressed up as the richest, most indulgent lacto-ovo baking, totally indetectable to those not in the know. I've made the vanilla (vegan cream cheese frosting), chocolate (peanut buttercream), pineapple (pineapple topping), tiramisu (holy crap), pistachio rosewater (with rosewater buttercream), and dulce sin leche cupcakes (with a squirt of my own coconut caramel in the middle, lemony buttercream, toasted coconut, and caramel doodads on top). Every single cupcake has been moaning-aloud-in-obscene-pleasure delicious. The rise is perfect, the crumb is tender and soft without a trace of the gumminess associated with vegan baking, and the frostings are pure sin (or heaven, whatever). I've had to hide this book from myself to stay focused on school and stop making cupcakes already.
Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World! They really do!.......2007-10-07
AWESOME book!
The recipes were very easy and I loved that for the few rare ingredients that were needed, easy to find alternatives were suggested. As for the taste? Several of these recipes beat normal cupcakes hands down anyday! If you're vegan, (even if you're not!) and are looking for some sweet treats, this is one sweet book you have to buy.
Very satisfied! Thank you!
I COULD EAT THIS BOOK!.......2007-10-05
Buy this book now! DO NOT HESITATE! It is perfect! I even have a cupcake tattoo of one of the cupcakes! The coconut lime! It's to die for! The chocolate stout cupcakes amazed everyone, and they are perfect if you are in a pinch and don't have time to make frosting! My kids flipped over the cookies & cream cupcakes! I am anxious to try the pumpkin choc. chip for fall. The green tea cupcake would be so perfect for a bridal, or baby shower, they're so elegant. The next one I will try is the Brooklyn vs. Boston cream pie, they have a creamy custard filling! If you LOVE cupcakes YOU WILL LOVE THIS COOKBOOK!!!! It doens't matter if you are vegan or not, that would be a ridiculous reason to shun this book. People CANNOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE!!!! Plus, they are about a million percent HEALTHIER!
Yum.......2007-10-05
This book is fabulous! So far I've only made the basic chocolate cupcakes with the chocolate ganache frosting, but they were awesome. I am looking forward to making all of these cupcakes.
Book Description
Katharine Jefferts Schori is a bishop on the move--she pilots her plane to remote parishes around the sprawling diocese of Nevada and shares her passionate message of reconciliation and peace. As the first female primate in the 500-year history of Anglicanism, she'll have the opportunity to speak to a far wider audience. This book will be the vehicle for introducing Bishop Jefferts Schori and her platform to the wider Church.
Customer Reviews:
Christianity for the rest of us.......2007-08-18
What a blessing to read a book that reveals a Christian faith based on Jesus' example of infinite love. In this day of many loud and forthright fundamentalist proclamations about who is going to be damned, who is not "right with the Lord", and who is just not as good as they should be, it is wonderful to read a clear and humble doctrine of love. None of us are as good as we should be, but the Reverend Schori seems to tell us some ways to try.
Hopefilled wings and prayers.......2007-05-29
The sermon/ meditations are moving and inspiring. They give great hope not only for the Episcopal Church but also for Christians and other people of faith. It would have been helpful to have scripture references with the chapter titles.
A Wing and a Prayer: A Message of Faith and Hope.......2007-04-09
The author is authentic and inspiring with real life spiritual experiences. I can certainly see why she became a Bishop! Her "feel" for the downtrodden transforms her readers into not only people of faith, but people of action. Her communication skills help differing views to come together as the Lord would have us do. I liked the book a lot!
True leadership for Episcopalians and other believers.......2007-04-07
Katherine Jefferts Schori has collected in this small volume an assortment of meditations, homilies, and thoughts challenging one to find ways be a Christian in today's world. Building on a person's Baptismal vows and our Lord's call to ministry, both lay and ordained, our Presiding Bishop reveals her deep faith and belief that the church is on the brink of many exciting new works, serving the world. Throughout the book is her belief in the total ministry of the whole church. Laced with illustrations from her personal experieces as an oceanographer, lay leader, priest, and bishop. she calls all Christians to roll up their sleeves and get involved serving the poor, needy, forgotten, and destitute. It is inspiring to find such down-to-earth love for the church and its Lord in a Presiding Bishop. I was reminded often of the passion and strength of John Hines while reading her call to faith and action. This little book deserves wide-spread study throughout the church by lay and clergy alike. It served me well as a Lenten book of meditation. My only suggestion would be to incorporate more Biblical chapter and verse where they are often missing.
Not what I expected........2007-03-24
I was disappointed. Not much break-through thinking from someone I admire.
Guess my expectations were too high.
Books:
- The Book of Honor : The Secret Lives and Deaths of CIA Operatives
- The Coffin Dancer (A Lincoln Rhyme Novel)
- The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (Calvin & Hobbes)
- The Diary of Anais Nin: Vol. 1 (1931-1934)
- The Fragrance of God
- The Great Book of Guns: An Illustrated History of Military, Sporting, and Antique Firearms
- The History of Love: A Novel
- The Last Mimzy: And Other Stories Originally published as The Best of Henry Kuttner
- The Mercury Visions of Louis Daguerre: A Novel
- The Mission Song: A Novel
Books Index
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