Reviews (150)

Insightful and timely
I've been staring at a copy of Thomas Friedman's 'From Beirut to Jerusalem' on my shelf for nearly a year now, meaning to read it but always drawn to something else.Finally, recent events demanded that I learn more and I finally pulled it down, dusted it off, and read it.I'm so glad I did, especially now.
Pertinent Then and Pertinent Now
Not in the "must read " class, but a good informative personal account of Thomas Freidman, the New York Times middle east journalist.The book contains his observances of the factional fighting that took place in Beirut and the larger Lebanon, Israel conflict in the 1980s.Thebook has interesting observances of these complicated situations.This is a good book for the 21st century where it appears Lebanon is again descending into chaos, and Israel has once again tried the tactic of invading southern Lebanon.Freidman does a good job making a chaotic situation interesting while providing new insights.

A "Must Read" for Citizens of the World at the Beginning of the 21st Century
I have not yet completed From Beirut to Jerusalem, but I have been fascinated by every word.Mr. Friedman's intellectual approach to the every-day life, religions and politics of the Middle East is written in an easily understandable, conversational manner.He asks questions, finds a range of answers from varied sources, and shares his conclusions in a non-judgmental way.Mr. Friedman's in-depth study of the interplay of religions and politics in the Middle East has clarified many questions I had and has validated some of my thoughts. I better understand what is happening in the Middle East and am rethinking my own political views on today's events. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1973-1993    2. 1993-    3. Arab-Israeli conflict    4. Ethnic Studies - General    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. International Relations - General    9. Jewish-Arab relations    10. Middle East    11. Middle East - General    12. Politics and government    13. Friedman, Thomas L    14. History / Middle East    15. Journeys   

Reviews (7)

unplugged: reclaiming our right to die in america
unplugged delves into timely and essential subject matter with an entertaining, informative, wondrful style of writing.colby's insight to this pertinent topic is beneficial universally, as we all must confront these circumstances at some point in our lives.

The right-to-die debate is once again tackled
The right-to-die debate is once again tackled; this time by a lawyer who represented Nancy Cruzan in the first right- to-die case heard by the Supreme Court. While Nancy Cruzan's struggles were chronicled in a prior book by Colby, Unplugged: Reclaiming Our Right To Die In America offers a broader perspective on the topic, moving beyond Cruzan's struggle to offer answers to legal, ethical, medical and personal issues involved in the debate. Court records, interviews and the authors' own experiences lend to the discussion of current laws, proposed changes, and their effects on society.
A Book for Everyone
"Unplugged" is a book everyone who is going to die should read.It tells you what you need to do to make sure your wishes are respected when it comes to end-of-life decisions.Doing that will spare your loved ones unnecessary anguish.This book, believe it or not, is an engaging page turner and my 90-year-old mother just read it.We took its advice, talked about her wishes, and she now has a notarized health care power-of-attorney, giving us both much peace of mind.All this thanks to Colby's wonderfully written, timely, important book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Death & Dying    2. Ethics    3. Life and death, Power over    4. Medical / Nursing    5. Medical Law & Legislation    6. Moral and ethical aspects    7. Right to Die    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. Terminal care    11. Coping with personal problems    12. Euthanasia    13. USA   

Reviews (336)

Great Book
This book makes you realize things that are obvious but women don't see.I loved this book and recommended it to my girlfriends.The great part is that it changed me and the way I think when it comes to men.Loved it.

Great Book
This is a great book for women who have just broken up with someone or who are having a hard time meeting decent men. It's also a great book for women who are doormats when they meet and date men...they give him too much too soon, before he even earned it. I would recommend it only for these women (when I read the book years ago, I was in a relationship where I was definately a doormat, and it really helped me raise my self-esteem and change the relationship for the better). This book will help make unhealthy relationships healthier.
Some good advice, but goes a little too far
I think the main premise of this book is wonderful: a woman should not make her whole life about the man she is dating.It also gives helpful insight into why a man doesn't appreciate a woman who gives him everything.However, to go as far as the author advises would push many men away.After a period of time, a relationship should be a 50-50 partnership, and the author doesn't recognize this.What woman wants to play these "hard-to-get" games for the rest of her life?I don't! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dating (Social customs)    2. Family & Relationships    3. Family/Marriage    4. Interpersonal Relations    5. Life skills guides    6. Love & Romance    7. Love / Sex / Marriage    8. Mate selection    9. Self-esteem in women    10. Single women    11. Marriage & relationships   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Physical    2. Physical Anthropology    3. Social Science    4. Sociology    5. Textbooks    6. Biological anthropology    7. Social Science / Anthropology / General   

Reviews (96)

Not What I Expected as Advertised
I ordered this book after reading the rave reviews and the who's who of public school using this format.Nowhere is it advertised or even mentioned that this is a Christian book, espousing Christian dogma and assumptions.I'm surprised this is acceptable for use by Government funded public schools.Furthermore, there is a lot of non-scientific rhetoric in the book that eschews logical debate and exposition.I'm very disappointed and consider this to be false advertising.
Works For A Mom Of 8
I have 8 kids, ages 1 though 18.I read this book 6 years ago when I was dealing with 2 year old twins and found it to be very helpful. Since then I have recommended it to many people.Anything that can help mom stay calm and sane when dealing with challenging behaviors is a real winner in my book!

excellent book
Practical and easy to use. Good thoughts that seem easy to put into action. Good way to teach today's children. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Child Care/Parenting    2. Child rearing    3. Family & Relationships    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. Family/Marriage    6. Parent and child    7. Parenting    8. Parenting - General    9. Responsibility in children    10. Child care & upbringing    11. Christianity   

Editorial Review

Unlike most other books, Read more

Reviews (7)

Partial recipe for resonant leadership
A good framework for Servant Leadership style. Authors drive the point home by hammering three concepts into reader's mind: mindfulness, hope, and compassion. However the book fall short on emphasizing the power of "serving others," which I believe is a vital ingredient for resonant leaders. Many useful real life examples.

Important book!
I very much enjoyed Drs. Boyatzis and McKee initial offering with Daniel Goleman, "Primal Leadership", so I looked forward to learning more about resonnant leadership. I certainly wasn't disappointed. I very much appreciated the author's attention to citations and footnotes, indications of valid and solid research -- something that is becoming increasingly rare in these days of making-it-up-as-you-go writings.
Mindfullness, brilliant!...
Intesting book - mindfullness, benevolence, compassion, optimism and hope are behaviors that allow leaders to display the very best of their game. If you are one individuals who aspire to be a SUPERB leader who helps, inspires and drives results, this book will certainly be a roadmoap to get there... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Leadership    5. Leadership In Business    6. Political Process - Leadership    7. Social Change    8. Sociology - General    9. Management & management techniques   

Editorial Review

Few political memoirs have made such a dramatic entrance as that by Richard A. Clarke. During the week of the initial publication of Read more

Reviews (475)

Read this book, learn the truth behind the administration.
After hearing Bill Clinton's superb retort against Fox's hatchet man and kept hearing him tell the dude to read Clarke's book I said to myself, why not read it and see what he's talking about.Wow...it's an incredible insider's look at the fight against terrorism past and almost to the present.The conservative sound machine can try and spin Clarke's words however they want, but the man served 4 administrations while trying to secure our country so he's not a partisan clown.Basic upshot, Clinton tried tons of things to stop terrorism and it was a top priority in his administration, and when the chimp in chief got in to office, he was more concerned about a failed anti-missile program than terrorism and down-graded terrorism priorities; failed to properly respond to the attack by al-Quaeda by not doing enough in Afghanistan, and then started this war in Iraq that was basically a recruiting poster to even moderate islamic people to take up arms against an invading nation.I don't recommend many books, but this was a real eye-opener by a man who seriously knows his stuff, and who sinecerly cared about the security of his nation.His conclusion, be afraid people because we don't have the terrorists on the ropes and many things needed to be done to secure our nation haven't been done, and there doesn't seem to be any plans.
Continuity is Key.........
Either fight or scuttle.
Fightingthe Enemy; Fighting Ourselves
Clarke's first-hand account of the circumstances leading to his exclusion from the discussions of the counterterrorism "experts"--Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, and Cheney--followed by this terrible triumvirate's acting on the foregone conclusion that nothing but an invasion of Iraq would slake America's thirst for revenge and restore America's pride and power is, if not the only book you need to read about the post 9/11 fiasco, certainly among the more lucid, level-headed, and edifying accounts about the arrogantly myopic thinking that got us into Iraq.
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Subjects:  1. Government - Executive Branch    2. Government - U.S. Government    3. Government policy    4. Political Discontent And Violence    5. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    6. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    7. Political Science    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Politics/International Relations    10. September 11 Terrorist Attacks    11. September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001    12. Terrorism    13. U.S. Federal Government    14. United States    15. War on Terrorism, 2001-    16. Current Events / General    17. International relations    18. Terrorism, freedom fighters, armed struggle    19. USA   

Editorial Review

In a time when educators and politicians in the United States are fumbling for a fix--from vouchers to smaller class sizes--for ailing public schools, it's refreshing to read the more sophisticated take on what can be done to improve American education found in Read more

Reviews (12)

Do The Easy Things First!
American middle-school and high-school pupils continually lag their peers in other developed countries - especially in mathematics - despite years of decreasing class size, building ornate new structures, "new" math, etc.However, these efforts are bound to fail if what goes on inside the classrooms is poorly structured.
It may not be correct, but...
After reading the book and the previous posters, even if the Japanese mathematics classes were not representative of the education system as a whole, the implications of this study and the ideas that the authors came up with are what we should be focusing on.
Interesting for a Education Student
I am in a program to become a High School math teacher. Our professor recommended this book. I found it to be pretty interesting. The authors do a detailed analysis of a video study from the TIMSS study. Their analysis compares how math is taught in the US, Germany and Japan. Their conclusion is that the US approach focuses on teaching terms and procedures where as the other countries emphasize understanding concepts. They go onto to propose a system of "lesson planning" to improve teaching in the US. Lesson planning calls for teachers to work in teams and develop a single lesson plan (maybe one per semester). The process of developing the lesson plan and refining it imparts to the teachers involved a kind of "best practices" that they can then use in their everyday planning. I am not sure if this is practical, but it sure sounds reasonable to me. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Comparative Education    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Educational Policy & Reform    5. Educational Reform    6. Germany    7. Japan    8. Mathematics    9. Study and teaching    10. Teaching Methods & Materials - Classroom Planning    11. Teaching Methods & Materials - Mathematics    12. United States    13. Central government policies    14. Education / General    15. Organization & management of education   

Reviews (13)

Really important stuff, especially "moralistic therapeutic deism"
A sociological analysis of conducted between 2001 and 2005 at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill under the title, "National Study of Youth and Religion."
soul searching...
excellent content.
National Survey of the Spiritual Lives of Teens
Chris Smith did a marvelous analysis of the religious and spiritual life of teens in the United States.I am using this comprehensive research to assist us as we plan for the teens in our parish.The analysis is "user friendly" and certainly touches on a very important part of the lives of our teens. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Studies    2. Religious life    3. Social Science    4. Sociology    5. Sociology of Religion    6. Spiritual life    7. Teenagers    8. United States    9. Adolescents    10. Religion & Theology | Sociology of Religion    11. Social Science / Sociology of Religion    12. Spirituality   

Reviews (46)

excellent
Very useful and have already used it myself twice . And very accurate .

Good Medical Resource
I was introduced to this book while in the Amazon basin...It was a very handy tool for treating minor problems and emergency first-aid since medical help was hours away.I highly recommend the book.

Must have!
I recently returned from a week in Guatemala. We had a very basic health clinic set up. This book was invaluable for may things- rehydration solution, drug doses, all in an easy to use format. Although I'm an NP, this basic guide was a blessing for village medicine. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Community Health Aides    2. General    3. Health & Fitness    4. Health Care Issues    5. Health/Fitness    6. Medical / Nursing    7. Medicine    8. Medicine, Popular    9. Public Health    10. Public Health (Specific Aspects)    11. Rural health    12. Sociology - Rural    13. handbooks   

Reviews (16)

Barry AuH2O political perspectives
While written over four decades ago, this book is still topical today, and not surprisingly so. For anyone interested in politics, it is a necessary read. In all honesty, any liberal should read this book to get an understanding of the conservative mindset. While, I, as a conservative, disagree on a few points with Goldwater, I still found the book enlightening and a worthwhile read. It strenghtened my own arguments and my own conservatism. The same will be the case for a liberal who reads this book. It's true what they say: keep your friends close and your enemies closer. If you are in any way interested in politics, you owe to yourself to give this book a read.
Bedrock of Conservative Government
At just over 100 pages, this brisk handbook for Conservative political thought impressed me by its constant recourse to the sanctity of the US Constitution, and by its thorough enumeration of the ways in which the federal government has trespassed into areas forbidden it by that same founding document.It is clear that these repeated violations of the Constitution, carried out by both Democrats and Republicans (as Goldwater assiduously points out), have spoiled the Senator's good mood.Yet Goldwater has written here a gentleman's treatise.There is no partisan venom, just good, clean, political argumentation from a man who feared, in 1960, that decades of growth in federal power had taken the nation down the wrong path in several areas of public policy, and that this same growth in government was already strangulating individual freedom and sapping the souls of those dependent on government welfare.
An awesome guide for the politically perplex
A superb randition of lucid thought with a timless message applicable to current events and times. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Conservatism    3. General    4. Politics / Current Events    5. Politics and government    6. Politics/International Relations    7. United States    8. Political Science / General   

Reviews (1)

An Excellent Text
This book is very well-written and informative, promotes critical thinking, has a very high visual impact, and is by far the most interesting and impressive sociology book I have ever seen. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Social Science    2. Sociology    3. Sociology - General    4. Social Science / Sociology / General    5. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (41)

Memorable
I read this book shortly before visiting Guatemala, and I have to say it made my travel experience alot richer.I felt more sensitized to the currents of racism and political struggle still present in the country, as well as to the pain of a people recovering from a horror in the not so distant past.Nearly every Guatemalan that I met had some powerful story of the genocide, and this book gave me a good background on the facts and politics behind the peasant struggle.
Just 2 or so hours South of Miami!
It is incredible that such human suffering went on, and in many ways is still going on, just a couple of hours (by pane) away from where I live. Rigoberta Menchu's book, written as dictated by her, is sad and tells of horrible situations.
A Credible and Important Piece of Literature.
Mench�'s book is the inspirational testimonial of an indigenous Guatemalan woman's rise from absolute obscurity and extreme poverty to become a champion of human rights and eventual Nobel peace laureate.In her book, Mench� describes the typical life of a Quich� Indian who is forced to survive in a world filled with never-ending hardships. She talks about her world and how she and her penurious people struggle daily to uphold the dignity and traditions of their forefathers while suffering under extreme oppression, exploitation, and genocidal practices inflicted upon them by the wealthy ladino landowners, the Guatemalan government, and, in particular, the Guatemalan military.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. General    5. Guatemala    6. History - General History    7. Indians of Central America    8. Menchu, Rigoberta    9. Quiche women    10. Quichâe women    11. Social life and customs    12. Women    13. Women revolutionaries    14. Biography: political    15. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    16. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (1)

Very Informative
Text is laid out very well, easy to read.There is a lot of good information in this book related to aging--physical, emotional, cognitive and social factors.The chapters are organized by topic with a lot of graphs and research info. to back it up.The only negative I have is that there is a lot of research data in the text which can get make reading all of it a little boring. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aging    2. Gerontology    3. Older people    4. Social Gerontology    5. Social Science    6. Sociology    7. Sociology - General    8. United States    9. Elderly    10. Social Science / Sociology / General   

Reviews (6)

A well defended postion, but perhaps a bit too defensive
I was at one time a research scientist, but not a physicist. I took a year of Quantum Mechanics, but certainly don't regard myself as very knowledgeable in this area or mathematics. Therefore, this review is coming from a space of being an educated layperson with a broad background and open mind. I think this is important to know before you read more of my review.
not trivial, not definitive
First some background.I am not a physicist or involved in this field in any way so my review is aimed at the amateur who wants to know about the state of affairs in physics and specifically string theory.
A timely and honest critique
I've been following the arguments made by Peter Woit against String Theory for quite some time, and it's a pleasure to be able to have them all in a single volume. His arguments are very persuasive, and his writing clear and to the point. This, however, is not a book that the general audience will find easy to follow. The earlier chapters recount the canonical story of the success of the particlephysics in the 20th century, and if you are familiar with that story you can safely skip these chapters. The later chapters are the really interesting ones, but unless you have at least some familiarity with theoretical particle physics and the modern mathematics, you might find yourself lost. Even with that caveat it is still possible to appreciate the central theme of this book: theoretical particle physics took a wrong turn somewhere in the late 70s and the early 80s, and has never been able to recover from this. Woit is appealing in this book to the practitioners in the field to be more honest with their assessments of the direction in which the theoretical particle physics is headed, and the lack of any meaningful progress.
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Subjects:  1. General    2. Mathematics    3. Number Theory    4. Physics    5. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    6. Popular Culture - General    7. Quantum Theory    8. Science    9. Science/Mathematics    10. String models    11. Supersymmetry    12. Symmetry (Physics)    13. Particle & high-energy physics    14. Popular science   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (8)

Hands on, long term familiy peace
I profound and comprehensive book on long term principles and practices to preserve family wealth (human an financial).
Addresses issues of significant importance in the wealth management process
As principal of a financial planning and wealth management firm, I highly recommend this book for families who have acquired wealth and want their children and future generations to be concerned about their human, intellectual and social development in addition to the growth of their financial resources.
Recognizing the importance of human and intellectual capital in family business settings
I have read many books on the subject of family businesses, and this book has done an excellent job in recognizing that the development of human and intellectual capital in families is a precondition for the continued development of financial capital.
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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Economic aspects    4. Estate planning    5. Estates & Trusts    6. Family    7. Finance    8. Finance, Personal    9. Legal Reference / Law Profession    10. United States    11. Investment & securities    12. Law / Estates & Trusts    13. Social classes    14. Topical/Family   

Reviews (21)

Such a wonderful book
I have found myself in some difficult situations in the past year. This book is wonderful and I use it as a tool to focus my life more toward God. I feel so much better after reading it. I completely reccomend it for those who need that spirituality in their lives.

I found what I was seeking
I am a newly practicing Christian, having found myself at a low point in my life.I was looking for guidance on delving deeper into a relationship with God and this book has given me new life.It is a remarkable book on how to deepen, strenghten, and improve your connection to God.I would highly recommend it.I take my time reading the chapters and slowly read the prayers.After praying along with the book, I am closer to God and I include my own "conversations" (prayers) :)
A Must Read for Any Woman!
This book is amazing and Heaven sent!I went to the bookstore searching for something and I was not sure what.I was looking for guidance.I came across it and skimmed throu