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Book reviews for "Antschel,_Paul" sorted by average review score:

Zen Tennis: Eastern Wisdom for Western Sport
Published in Paperback by HarperCollins (paper) (April, 1997)
Author: Paul Mutimer
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Accessible introduction
Accessible introduction for bringing Eastern philosophy into sport. Playing in the zone, Yin and Yang, mind, body, belief. Written by a tennis player who was sidelined due to injury, found Zen, played better, and became a coach.


Zinger
Published in Hardcover by HarperCollins (May, 1995)
Authors: Paul Azinger and Ken Abraham
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Heart of True Champion On and Off the Links
Determination and trust in himself and now God make Zinger one of the most popular players.

So good to now see him contend like he just did at 2001 U.S. Open. He is gritty player who toughs it out on the course and as he so exemplary demonstrates here in his early PGA career and his bout with shoulder cancer.

Love the story about his hitting 3-irons over the motel from the asphalt parking lot. That's got to be a swing that can be trusted.

His anguish and yet peace with death of Payne is still treasured memory of all of us who love this game. Zinger is a winner if he never wins again. But I'm convinced that will not be the case.

Great read worth your pursuit. Lessons to be gleaned.


The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Radio Theatre)
Published in Audio Cassette by Focus on the Family Pub (01 May, 1999)
Authors: C. S. Lewis and Paul McCusker
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Lindsey's Great Review
The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe is an adventure and mysterious book of four kids, and an unknown world beyond. Lucy, Edmund, Peter, and Susan get sent to live with a professor because of a war back in London. While the four explore the mysterious mansion and play games, Lucy finds a secret wardrobe with a country just beyond.
C.S. Lewis's story of, The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe is one of the greatest books and definitely one I loved to read!
Lucy was the first to go to the magical land beyond of snow, a place called Narnia. As soon as she finds her way out, tales are told to the others about all the different creatures and things inside of the wardrobe. But all they seem to think of her is that she is a crazy liar. But soon to find out Lucy wasn't lying at all, it was a magical place they saw for themselves. With an evil spell the White Witch made it always winter but never Christmas. Trouble begins when Edmund betrays the others (not knowing anything about her) and takes side with the Witch. Because of Edmund'Lucy, Peter, and Susan need to get Aslan (a lion) to change everything and defeat the White Witch himself to break the spell and get Edmund back with them.
This book's theme can let you learn that you should always think and know before you except upon others. Well at least that's what I learned.
I loved how C.S. Lewis made parts of the book where you thought one thing was going to happen, but then after you read on, you find out you were totally wrong. That was the best thing about this book!
I would let people of all ages read this adventures novel, no matter how old you are. It's a book that you wont be able to stop reading once you start! But what will happen to Edmund, and will Aslan make the Narnia change? Your going to have to read it to find out!

The True Nature of Love
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is, of course, loved by millions as a classic, and it truly deserves its distinction. Rarely will any reader of any genre find a story so moving and entertaining and so enlightening. I can't recommend anything more highly than this little volume.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the story of Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter who wander through an old wardrobe into the magical world of Narnia. What follows is their adventure as they team with a nation of talking animals and other magical creatures versus the evil powers in the kingdom. The novel climaxes with one extraordinary act of love which tears through the kingdom and changes everything and everyone after.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is such a successful novel. It does serve as a wonderfully powerful read. The book also enlightens the reader with its commentary Christian symbolism on the nature of love. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a classic, and I really think that it is just now coming into what may be its most popular period. The world is pleading for some type of meaning, and here, Lewis is willing to offer it.

Kellen's Opinion of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
This novel is a great book to read, especially for children who love fairy tales. Every once in a while I love to glance back at this book and read it for fun. This is my opinion about this book.
The book is about four children from England who are going to a wise grown-up's house to spend the summer at. During the time, they discover a magical wardrobe in the house that leads to a huge country called Narnia, in which they become Kings and Queens. The names of the children are Peter (the oldest), Susan (the 2nd oldest), Edmund (the third oldest), and Lucy (the youngest). One day it is raining outside and they decide to go explore through the house since they can't go outside. When they're exploring they decide to play hide-and-go-seek since the house is huge. Lucy, hides in a wardrobe and discovers there are fur coats that lead to the country Narnia. As she goes in, she discovers there is a center lightpost, where she meets a faun and goes off with him to eat. She was there for hours, then finally, (I don't want to give the secret of the fuan) she decides to go back to the house. When she gets back, she told the others about it and they did not believe her. She was in the country for hours, but then she found out that it had only been a few seconds. Narnia time is different from real time.
Next game, Edmund goes into the center lightpost and a witch on a sledge comes by. She offers him food and to tell the others to come (This witch is evil for real but lies to Edmund to get him to bring the others. I don't think I should tell why though, ruins story). When Edmund comes back, he lies to the others about the country and Lucy gets upset.
Later in the story, they all go in and find it. They find out that they have to save Narnia from the witch's evil spell (It's always Winter), so they meet a great lion named Aslan. Aslan helps him to kill the witch and the spell breaks. Then they become Kings and Queens of Narnia.
That is a brief description about this novel. I would love to write more but the maximum words are 1,000. I highly recommend this book for anyone, even adults. If you ever get the chance, go ahead and read.

To C.S. Lewis:
You are the greatest author I have ever known of. Thank you for making this book. I wish I could meet you someday.

Kellen Kornegay


Much Ado About Nothing
Published in Library Binding by Bt Bound (October, 1999)
Authors: William Shakespeare, Paul Werstine, and Barbara A. Mowat
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Alas, Shakespeare can be addictive!
Since the age of 12 (I'm in my 30's now), I have tried to absorb everything Shakespeare. Even though I have trepidations about film adaptations of the Bard's work, I had to see this film based on the prodigious talent of Emma Thompson. I'm glad I gave into my gut instinct, for her portrayal of Beatrice is so natural and glorious, you will actually get swept away with her performance and believe that she actually IS Beatrice!

Most of the supporting cast is also wonderful. Hats off to the performances by Denzel Washington (Don Pedro), Richard Briers (Seigneur Leonato), Brian Blessed (Seigneur Antonio), Michael Keaton (Constable Dogberry), and a absolutely stunning performance by Kate Beckinsale (Hero). The exceptions in the casting are Keanu Reeves (Don John), Robert Sean Leonard (Claudio) and...yes...Kenneth Brannagh (Benedick). Fortunately Reeves' role is small. Leonard's performance seems too contrived, to the point of distraction. And even though this is Brannagh's baby, Brannagh himself portrays the role of Benedick with a smugness that is a bit nauseating. If you read the play, Benedick is not smug at all. Though I enjoy Brannagh's other work, he seems to use Shakespeare as a way to show superiority. I have seen this in other actors, and find such action reprehensible. Shakespeare wrote plays for people to enjoy and to indugle in escapism...not to give people an excuse to be a snob.

Having said that, this film is very enjoyable, and I've actually had friends become Shakespeare addicts after seeing this particular film. I, personally, particularly love the Tuscan locations, and the costuming is wonderful! No over-the-top lacey outfits in this film, but rather those that would be suited to the climate. This adds another depth of reality that pulls you into the story.

If you are a fan of Shakespeare, or any of the aforementioned actors, this movie is a must-see. It's actually one of the very few film versions of a Shakespeare play that I own. This particular interpretation allows the viewer to become comfortable with Shakespeare's style, thus creating an interest in his other work. Well worth the purchase. And yes, it's VERY funny!

An Exquisite Film!!!
"Much Ado About Nothing" is a beautifully made, performed, and directed film by the incomparable Kenneth Branaugh. This film includes an all-star cast that give wonderful performances and draw you into the lives of the characters. The plot is somewhat complicated, so I'll give a general version. The film is basically about love, misunderstanding, scandal, revenge, virtue, and bravery. That's a lot for one film, but believe me, it's all in there!

Kenneth Branaugh, Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Keanu Reeves, and Michael Keaton give excellent performances in this film that you wouldn't want to miss. Although the film is a period piece and the Shakespearean language is used, you will have no difficulty understanding it perfectly.

The scenery and landscape in this film are exquisite as well. I never thought there could be such a beautiful, untouched place like that on earth. I would suggest watching the film just for the beautiful landscape, but it's the performances and the story that you should really pay attention to.

Anyone who loves Shakespeare would absolutely love this film! Anyone who loves Kenneth Branaugh and what he has done for Shakespeare in the past 10 or 15 years will appreciate this film as well! There isn't one bad thing I can say about this film. Definitely watch it, you won't be disappointed!!!

Sigh no more, ladies...
One of the problems with Shakespeare's comedies, an English professor once told me, is that they are not funny. Now, this is not to say that Shakespeare was a bad comedy writer, or that this professor had no sense of humour. In fact, quite the opposite--he had turned his sense of humour and love of humour into an academic career in pursuit of humour.

What he meant by the comment was, humour is most often a culture-specific thing. It is of a time, place, people, and situation--there is very little by way of universal humour in any language construction. Perhaps a pie in the face (or some variant thereof) does have some degree of cross-cultural appeal, but even that has less universality than we would often suppose.

Thus, when I suggested to him that we go see this film when it came out, he was not enthusiastic. He confessed to me afterward that he only did it because he had picked the last film, and intended to require the next two selections when this film turned out to be a bore. He also then confessed that he was wrong.

Brannagh managed in his way to carry much of the humour of this play into the twentieth century in an accessible way -- true, the audience was often silent at word-plays that might have had the Elizabethan audiences roaring, but there was enough in the action, the acting, the nuance and building up of situations to convey the same amount of humour to today's audience that Shakespeare most likely intended for his groups in the balconies and the pit.

The film stars Kenneth Brannagh (who also adapted the play for screen) and Emma Thompson as Benedict and Beatrice, the two central characters. They did their usual good job, with occasional flashes of excellence. Alas, I'll never see Michael Keaton as a Shakespearean actor, but he did a servicable job in the role of the constable (and I shall always remember that 'he is an ass') -- the use of his sidekick as the 'horse' who clomps around has to be a recollection of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, where their 'horses' are sidekicks clapping coconut shells together.

I'll also not see Keanu Reeves as a Shakespearean, yet he was perhaps too well known (type-cast, perhaps) in other ways to pull off the brief-appearing villian in this film.

Lavish sets and costumes accentuate the Italianate-yet-very-English feel of this play. This film succeeds in presenting an excellent but lesser-known Shakespeare work to the public in a way that the public can enjoy.


Bud, Not Buddy
Published in Digital by Random House Children's ()
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
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Bud, Not Buddy
This book is about a ten-year-old orphan named Bud who is searching for his father, who he has never seen. Living on his own during the Great Depression, he meets his old friend Bugs. They decide to ride the rails west on a Hooverville train. Bugs makes it, but unfortunately Bud doesn't. This one event will change Bud's life, because Bud decides to walk to the next town and search for his father. After meeting new faces, Bud finds his believed-to-be-father, Herman E. Calloway, a musician. Although Mr.Calloway is not very friendly, Bud is invited to stay with him. In this book you learn how important communication is between people. Bud, Not Buddy won the Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award. I would recommend this book for forth to sixth graders because some events are hard to understand. I think this book has terrific facts on how people lived during the Great Depression. Something I particularily enjoyed about this book is how much the author described things. She used the five senses, especially the sense of smell. It was like the item was right in front of you. Is Mr. Calloway Bud's real father? Read this book to find out. Just remember to expect the unexpected. A great read for 5th and 6th graders.

A Place Called Home
Bud, Not Buddy tells the story of 10 year old Bud Caldwell, a young boy growing up in Michigan during the 1930's. Bud's mother died when he was only 6 years old, and since he never knew his father, Bud was forced to live in a home for orphans between his brief stays in various foster homes. Bud carries a battered suitcase which contains all the things that are near and dear to his heart; a special blanket and pictures of his mother. Although it seems as if Bud has very little, he has a drive to find his father, using the clues he feels that his mother left for him. After a bad experience at a foster care placement, Bud runs away using the rules he authored "Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself" to guide him. Will the clues really lead to his father? Will Bud finally find a place to call home?

While this plot seems pretty intense, Curtis has truly captured the voice of a 10 year-old boy. The book is filled with laugh out loud humorous scenes that make it a really enjoyable read. Curtis carefully slips in a great deal of historical events through Bud's experiences without disrupting the overall flow of the book. Bud's voice is one that will draw children into the story and this is truly a book that young readers will enjoy. Check out Bud, Not Buddy for a splash of history, a heap of humor and an overall good book.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

A got to read book!!! From Nick Doan
Bud not buddy is an excellent book. I choose to read this book because it sounded like a very good book. Bud, Not Buddy was a historical fiction novel written by Christopher Paul Curtis. The book's setting takes place during the Great Depression and in many different areas in which Bud takes journeys to find his father. The book talks about his mother who died when he was very young and he has not yet ever known his father but finds out in the end that he actually meets his grandfather.
The people he meets at the end are relevant to the story because they are band members with his grandfather. I would say the themes of this book are determination, courage, and hope. No matter what life throws in Bud's way, he is always focused and determined to find his father. A surprise observation was in the end when you expected the man to be his father but in fact it was his grandfather which was a shock to me as the reader. The plot in the story kept you interested because you always wanted to know if he was going to find his father in the end. There is a lot of figurative language and vocabulary used in the story and Bud's "Rules" provided much laughter during the reading. I think the pacing and tone, as well as the sentence length and structure was appropriate for the grade level that this was set for.
I would recommend this novel to young children who may have never known one of their parents and that they should never give up hope in their search.


Christmas Carol
Published in Audio Cassette by HarperAudio (July, 1900)
Authors: Charles Dickens, Paul Scofield, Ralph Richardson, Paul Scofield, and Ralph Richardson
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A Christmas Tale With Sincere Heart and "Spirits"
"You will be haunted by Three Spirits." So forewarns Jacob Marley's ghost to Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge, a miser of stingy, unfavorable traits. And so begins the enduring Christmas classic distinguished by almost everyone. Come along on an erratic journey with the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, all of whom attempt to point Scrooge onto a virtuous path. Meet the most notable characters ever introduced in literature: Bob Cratchit, angelic Tiny Tim, and good-natured Fred. With vivid descriptions of Victorian England and enlightening dialogue, 'A Christmas Carol' will enrapture both the young and old throughout the year with a vital lesson on hope and benevolence for humanity. This, I find, is treasured most of all in this brief story marvelously crafted by the creative Charles Dickens. No matter how many adaptations of the book one has seen on television or as films, the real source is highly recommended and should not be missed. For if you do pass the book up, you are being just a Scrooge (metamorphically speaking, of course!).

The original "Carol"
It's hard to think of a literary work that has been filmed and staged in more imaginative variations than Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"--there's the excellent George C. Scott version, the delightful Muppet version, the charming Mr. Magoo version, etc., etc. But ultimately true "Carol" lovers should go back to Dickens' original text, which remains a great read.

"Carol" tells the story of cold-hearted miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who despises the Christmas holiday and scorns all who celebrate it. But a visit from a series of supernatural beings forces him to reevaluate his attitude--and his life.

With this simple plot Dickens has created one of the enduring triumphs of world literature. It's a robust mix of humor, horror, and (most of all) hope, all leavened with a healthy dash of progressive social criticism. One thing I love about this book is that while it has a focus on a Christian holiday, Dickens puts forth a message that is truly universal; I can imagine this story resonating with people of any religious background, and also with more secular-oriented people.

This is a tale of greed, selfishness, regret, redemption, family, and community, and is enlivened by some of the most memorable characters ever created for English literature. Even if Dickens had never written another word, "A Christmas Carol" would still have, I believe, secured his place as one of the great figures of world literature.

A Christmas Carol
Well, I finally read it (instead of just watching it on the TV screen).

This is what you can call a simple idea, well told. A lonely, bitter old gaffer needs redemption, and thus is visited by three spirits who wish to give him a push in the right direction. You have then a ghost story, a timeslip adventure, and the slow defrosting of old Scrooge's soul. There are certain additions in the more famous filmed versions that help tweak the bare essentials as laid down by Dickens, but really, all the emotional impact and plot development necessary to make it believable that Scrooge is redeemable--and worth redeeming--is brilliantly cozied into place by the great novelist.

The scenes that choke me up the most are in the book; they may not be your favourites. I react very strongly to our very first look at the young Scrooge, sitting alone at school, emotionally abandoned by his father, waiting for his sister to come tell him there may be a happy Christmas. Then there are the various Cratchit scenes, but it is not so much Tiny Tim's appearances or absence that get to me--it's Bob Cratchit's dedication to his ailing son, and his various bits of small talk that either reveal how much he really listens to Tim, or else hide the pain Cratchit is feeling after we witness the family coming to grips with an empty place at the table. Scrooge as Tim's saviour is grandly set up, if only Scrooge can remember the little boy he once was, and start empathizing with the world once again. I especially like all Scrooge's minor epiphanies along his mystical journey; he stops a few times and realizes when he has said the wrong thing to Cratchit, having belittled Bob's low wages and position in life, and only later realizing that he is the miser with his bootheel on Cratchit's back. Plus, he must confront his opposite in business, Fezziwig, who treated his workers so wonderfully, and he watches as true love slips through his fingers again.

It all makes up the perfect Christmas tale, and if anyone can find happiness after having true love slip through his fingers many years ago, surprisingly, it's Scrooge. With the help of several supporting players borrowed from the horror arena, and put to splendid use here.


Alive
Published in Audio Cassette by Books on Tape (January, 1920)
Author: Piers Paul Read
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great story... average novel
Alive is the remarkable story of a Rugby team whose plane wrecks in the Andes mountains, taking about half the lives of the passengers. The powerful story portrays excellent examples of teamwork and perseverance in the fight for survival. Though this is an interesting read, I found the authors style to be very unorganized and boring. The introduction of the story, tells about the history of rugby and its existence in this teams home country. It is very boring and not really relevant. Following this dull intro, the book then takes you on a wild ride through a exulting, horrifying plane crash. This leaves many of the passengers dead and injured. After this I found the book very anticlimactic. Though it was very interesting and there were parts of the story that were exciting and very well written, I found that the author added too much dull information which could have easily been left out. The end result appears to be a book not meant for the thrill seekers, but instead, a shelf ridden book, anxiously awaiting it's intermittent rainy day use.

Amazing chronicle of human survival
A rugby team and their family and friends.. travelling together for a big match.. flying over the Andes mountains. Seems pretty regular I suppose, except that the plane crashes, and it can't be pinpointed. There is instant death and feelings of hopelessness, but there is also the spirit of life, and the desire to survive. I have read this book several times and each time I get the same emotions. It is a great book, but be warned, it is not for the weak of stomach! Still, Piers Paul Read does a wonderful job of telling the story of the Andes survivors. If you have not read it I highly recommend it. Yes, it's a little gross, but by the time you get to that part you are well immersed in the story.

Talk about taking your breath away...
After seeing the movie of the same name, I had to go out and buy the book. It took me forever to finally find it, and when I did, I didn't regret it. My own dog-eared copy -- only a few weeks old, by the way -- goes with me everywhere now. The story of the 1972 plane crash in which members, friends, and family of a Uruguayan rugby team were forced to face the prospect of eating the flesh of the dead isn't the gratuitously graphic tale it certainly has the potential to be. Piers Paul Read portrays the victims and the survivors not as cannibals, but as people who have to escape torturous circumstancesin the only way possible. In reading this book, I found myself realizing that, in the same way as I had when I watched the movie, I couldn't help but think what I would have done in their situation. It took reading this book to understand that in refusing to eat human flesh and going along with a taboo like that, I would be condemning myself in such a situation, and I care to! ! o much about my family and friends to do something like that. The strength and fortitude of the survivors -- in spending 70 days in the Andes mountains, with hardly any food or shelter -- is something to be admired and respected.


Think & Grow Rich: A Black Choice
Published in Paperback by Ballantine Books (Trd Pap) (August, 1997)
Authors: Dennis Paul Kimbro and Napoleon Hill
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THIS IS THE BIBLE OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT & ACHIEVEMENT!!
Although this book was written over 60 years ago the principles are timeless! I first read this book back in 1977 and went from a $4 per hr job to a $2,000 income from a part time business, from a 3 yr old Ford Pinto to a NEW LINCOLN MARK V. New Self-Esteem and Aliveness. I have met and known many successful people, including millionaires with net worths upwards to a 1/4 of a billion and they all attribute Think and Grow Rich as having a major role in achieving success. Truly an all- time classic anda must read for anyone serious about success. I also recommend "SUCCESS THROUGH A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE" by HILL & Clement Stone and "THE MAGIC OF THINKING BIG" by David Schwartz.

A LIFE SAVING BOOK
In 1992, I suffered three major crisis; loss of my job, marital seperation and loss of a loved one. These elements put me into a tailspin financially and emotionally. THINK & GROW RICH was one of two books that I read at that time and significantly turned my life around! I found myself with no money, huge debts, no friends and no job. I had lost my self esteem and felt powerless. The principles in Think & Grow Rich gave me the how to turn mylife around. After applying the technique descibed on page 36, opportunities began to come to me. Within two weeks, I found new employment actually at a higher income than before. I started a very successful part time home based business, within two months, all bills were caught up and within six months all debts were paid off! With a better attitude I started to attract new people into my life. I went from a extreme negative attitude to a positive attitude, from a negative cash flow to a positive cash flow and from a life of emptiness to a life of aliveness. I believe that THINK & GROW RICH is the very best self developent book of all time! I also own the 8-cassette tape program/course and highly recommend it to everyone. I mentioned that THINK & GROW RICH was one of two books that turned my life around, the other book was More Wealth Without Risk by Charles Givens which is to personal finance what Think & Grow Rich is to Personal Success. I make it a habit to review both books and their tape programs continously and get continued results and ideas.

This Book Made Me Promotable!
For years I was stuck in a dead end position. I have a B.S. and figured that would be enough to attract opportunities to me. After talking with our companies V.P. he suggested that I read "Think and Grow Rich" He told me that the most successful people he has met, including the President of this company highly endorse it.The book had a immediate impact and positive affect on my life and carreer. Within a month I was promoted to a management position. That was after working for this company for 6 years and going nowhere. The principles in the wonderful book really do work. I am now recommending this book to all of my people which is incredible because prior to "Think & Grow Rich" I never would have considered reading, let alone recommending the positive mind books. this one is definitely different! I also recommend "SUPERSELF" by Charles Givens particularly for any management or sales person who wants the maximum in personal! effectiveness. And by the way, Superself is also a favorite book at the company that I work for!


The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963: A Novel
Published in Paperback by Bantam Books (October, 1997)
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
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Don't judge a book by it's cover.
I had just finished my book and decided to go into the library and find a new one. While I was looking charity was right by me and gave me a book called the watsons go to birmingham. I was like whats this for. she said your going to read the same book as me. So I looked at it,but it didn't seem that intereting. But I just checked it out for the fun of it. WOW!!! what a great book. It startes off with this black family that live in Flint. It was a very cold day so they had to snug up to each other. There's one boy named kenny. He's the main charcter. He's a little on the nerdy side. And there is his brother named Byron. He's a tough guy at school, the bully. And then theres kenny parents and his younger sister Joetta. It's all about there arguments in life, and how Byron picks on Kenny. Well since Byron was a bad kid they wanted him to live with his grandma in birmingham. while they are there theres a terrroist attack. Thats all im going to say. Read it, its a good boook.

Here Go The Watsons
I have read many excellent books and The Watsons Go To Birmingham is definitely one of my favorites. The novel can be confusing at some points but I could easily catch up. The book is by Christopher Paul Curtis and he is definitely one of my favorite authors. The book takes place in several different places. Most of the book takes place in Birmingham, Alabama. A lot of it takes place in Flint, Michigan, the Watson's home town. Some of it takes place on the way to Birmingham. But no matter where they go,the Watsons are still hilarious. All the characters in the book have their own wacky personalities. The person telling the story is Kenny Watson, the star of the book. Kenny has a sleepy eye and many people think that it's strange. Kenny likes to read and he began reading at a very young age. No matter how weird people think Kenny is, he still has a great role in the book. The plot of the book can be hard to understand but you can catch up. The book is about the Watson family who want to eascape from Michigan's cold weather. It's so cold that your lips can get stuck on the car mirror! To get away, the Watsons go to Birmingham, Alabama where it's extremely hot. As the Watsons experience Birmingham, they learn about peace, sadness, and life. Many things happen to the Watsons in the book-both good and sad. The characters in the book are not real people but the events are true. Some people actually have died in a bombing at a Birmingham church. Sadness or happiness, I still loved the book.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963
Imagine if you were black in the year of 1963 down in Alabama. Do you think you'd like it? You can see what an African - American person feels like by reading this book. This book is one of the best books I have ever read. Some parts are emotional and some are funny. I can't explain this book with only one word, it's almost impossible. The characters are . . . unique in their own way. Like the oldest child, Byron. He causes so many problems, it's what causes the book to be comical. What caused me to read this book is the blurb. It's simply superb. I got so many recommendations for this book that that only made me want to read this book even more. The author has only written two books, and now I REALLY, REALLY want to read the other book. Christopher Paul Curtis describes the characters, plot and situation so well that they make the story even better. The way that the whole family acts and communicates with each other, they make you think they hate each other, but they really do love each other. Racism is completely horrible, there's no explanation for it.


The Prince
Published in Paperback by Waveland Press (May, 1989)
Authors: Niccolo Machiavelli and Leo Paul S. de Alvarez
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Power Politics and Diplomacy
Based upon Michiavelli's first hand experience as an emissary of the Florentine Republic to the courts of Europe The Prince analyzes the often violent means by which political power is seized and retained, and the circumstance in which it is lost. Because The Prince is a political commentary, and not a work of fiction, Michiavelli does not use "characters" in the sense of a novel or a short story. Instead he draws his examples from the current political and social events, as well as from history. His characters are the political leaders of his time. The book is a declaration in plain language the conduct of great men and the principles of princely governments. The book can be divided into four sections.

1. The types of principalities. Michiavelli lists four types of principalities.

* Hereditary principalities, which are inherited by the ruler.

* Mixed principalities, territories that are annexed to the rulers existing territories.

* New principalities which may be acquired by several methods: by own power, by the power of others by criminal acts or extreme cruelty, or by the will of the people

* Ecclesiastical principalities, namely the papal states belonging to the catholic churches.

2. The character and behavior of the prince. Michiavelli recommends the following character and behavior for princes:

* It is better to be miserly than generous.

* It is better to be cruel than merciful.

* It is better to break promises if keeping than would be against ones interest.

* Princes must avoid making them hated and despised; the goodwill of the people is a better defense than any fortress.

* Princes should undertake great projects to enhance their reputation.

* Princes should choose wise advisors to confide and consult with

3. The types of armies A prince must always pay close attention to military affairs if he wants to remain in power. A prince must lay good foundation and those foundations include good laws and good armies. There cannot be good laws without good armies, and where there are good laws there must be good armies. The study of war should be a prince's main goal, for war is a rulers only art.If princes become too refined to study this art they loose their state. The types of armies are:

* Mercenaries or Auxiliaries (loaned to you by another ruler) are both dangerous and unreliable, as they will maintain their interests preceding yours.

* Native troops composed of ones own citizens or subjects are by far the most desirable kind.

4. Italy's political situation Michiavelli outlines and recommends the following

* The rulers of Italy have lost their states by ignoring the political and military principles.

* Fortune controls half of human affairs, but free will controls the rest, leaving the prince free to act. However, the few princes can adopt their actions to times

Here's your quintessential "What Would Machiavelli Do?" book
I just had an interesting discussion with a young man who was convinced that Machiavelli was evil. I found out he'd never even tried to read "The Prince", which is the quintessential guide to Machiavelli's political mind. This young man's preconception is a very common one, alas.

In this book, presented in short chapters, one finds a guidebook to taking power and ruling a small country. Nowhere does it suggest using excessive force, nor does it suggest gratuitous violence. It is straightforward and pragmatic. Machiavelli suggests keeping one's goal, political power, in mind all the time, and is not afraid to discuss unpleasant ways of getting and keeping that power. It is the essence of ruthlessness, but what politician doesn't do this every day? In every competitive, demanding occupation, participants must keep goals in mind constantly and work completely toward those goals. Machiavelli was just one of the first to codify how to do it. And codify he does -- the book is filled with suggestions on how to handle everything from whether to hire mercenary troops to how to make the commoners love you.

Though Machiavelli's writing is somewhat archaic and definitely rich in idea density, it is worth the read. I think everybody, from students to politicos to housekeepers to entrepreneurs, would benefit from the information contained herein. I do suggest getting a decent grounding in Italian history before the attempt.

The Master Plan
This small yet informative book is the heart of power politics. It was Machiavelli's resume, written to help save both his country and his reputation. The book is often said to present a plan of leadership that is calculating and heartless. That is precisely the point; Machiavelli is a true historian who sets down the hard realities of what it is to be a leader and ignores lofty political ideals (making it obvious how few world leaders have actually studied it). As well as giving the modern reader a much needed history lesson, Machiavelli has a nearly prophetic knack for summing up the root causes of events from the 1st World War to Vietnam in a few sentences. It never fails to amaze me that leaders today would rather look at world events through hindsight than act on them by foresight.

In addition to Donno's excellent translation, this particular edition includes key points from The Discourses, which are guaranteed to astonish the reader with their obvious truth. After reading this numerous times, I found myself highlighting Machiavelli's major points throughout the book. It is not only political instruction but words of wisdom to live by.


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