Black Mutiny is a well-written, highly interesting account of the events surrounding the Amistad. It is an excellent companion piece to Spielburg's movie, AMISTAD (this is the book on which the movie was based). The reader should be cautioned, however, that this book is a work of historical fiction. It is not a scholarly account of events, albeit an interesting and -- most probably -- factual one. For me personally this did not detract from the book. But then I am only an amateur historian and enjoy historical fiction if it is done well and does not embellish extensively, and Owens did not. Nevertheless, if the reader is expecting a footnoted text, then this is not the book for you. William Ownes, the late folklorist and English professor, wrote "Black Mutiny" in 1953. To make the book more appealing to today's market, two brief essays by black activists/historians have been added. I recommend not reading either essay until after reading the text, or possibly not reading them at all. They add nothing to Owens' story of Cinque and the Amistad and both essays are bigoted, racially charged and are of interest to only a select audience.

I set upon to read this book to read a real account of what happened on the Amistad before I saw the movie which I heard was historically flawed. I don't know if that is the case because I have not seen the movie, but this book enriched me in ways I never could have foreseen. This book made me question the "inherent morality" and goodness of America envisioned in the "City on a Hill" analogy invoked by so many people. This book described in vivid detail the plight of Africans that were captured by the Spanish along the Slave Coast and their transport to Cuba. In addition, the book speaks of the complicity of the United States in allowing and, in fact, looking away as the slave trade continued in Havana long after Spain and England had signed a treaty declaring the trade illegal. How ironic that the nation that the United States broke from because of tyranny was the nation almost soley responsible for rescuing captured Africans from their Spanish captors. Owens also tells in the book of how horribly blacks were treated IN THE NORTH being driven out of towns and neighborhoods by people claiming to be Christian. This book makes one take a look at the hipocrisy that fills the history of the United States and how the case of the Amistad underscored the American paradox of "all men are created equal" and the institution of slavery. This book taught me that America has much to be sorry for though HER PROMISE is inspiring. It also taught me why many black people wish to be called African-American...it is the only way to acknowledge a heritage that was lost when upon arrival in Cuba they were given Spanish names denoting a European heritage that is not theirs.

The separate, removable map which is included makes this book worth the purchase. The map lists all sidestreets, which is necessary to navigate the city. The book itself gives just enough history to familiarize yourself with Barcelona and Catalonia, and then takes you on a neighborhood by neighborhood tour. Lots of good photos throughout. More detailed than the smaller compact version from the same company. Not quite as detailed as guides from other companies (e.g. doesn't include much for phone numbers or tourist tips), but is easier to read than they are.

This was a comprehensive guidebook that gave enough information on all subjects to get you where you were going, tell you how to do things, and alert you to diverse sites and events that were especially interesting. Most important was its way of presenting enough historical, cultural, and political information to make one aware and able to navigate Barcelona's unique environment while at the same time exponentially increasing curiousity. We were working up until the time of our flight and skimmed the book en route. We had never been to Spain, didn't speak Spanish and yet spent two weeks in Barcelona without any difficulties and used only this book as our guide. As a direct result of the ease of use and interest the guide book piqued we bought and read many books on Catalonian history, political history, social culture, Picasso, Gaudi, architecture, etc. while we were exploring the city, making our two weeks of travel instead of a tour of cities into one of the more in depth, interesting trips we've ever taken. In three months we've given a copy of the book to two other families going to Barcelona, tracked down the other Insight Guides and begun to plan next summer's trip around one of them.

This exciting book involves conflict and learning to grow up. I reccomend it to anyone who wants a good read.

The characters in this book live near one of the few old growth forests left in Canada, on Vancouver Island. The adults, just like the teens, are split on the issue of whether to cut the trees or not: doing so would bring tremendous profit to the loggers and the mill, but it would also destroy the magnificent trees and habitats. What do you think? Should we provide jobs and income to people who might otherwise not have it? Or should we take care of the environment, preserving it for our children? I really enjoyed this book. It forces the reader to take a look about how he or she looks at life, and in particular the issue of the environment.

Absolutely invincible is a good book. It is very motivational. My reason for describing it as such is because it shapes its readers attitude in a positive manner. It also persuades you want to follow all the examples set by the characters, examples such as: being persistent, patient, strong and courageous because of the way in which the characters dealt with their problems, they never gave up. The technique which the author used to keep the readers attention is suspense, as soon as you open the book and start reading, your curiosity intensifies and you keep asking wondering what the next step will be and asking yourself questions like: will George regain his memory? What caused his memory loss? Or, will he overcome his disability?. I recommend that the following persons read this book: physically disabled persons because it will give them courage, for example, one of the main character was just as disabled as himself, it will encourage them not to give up, and it will teach them self confidence. Teenagers because the main characters were teenagers, for example, they will learn the true meaning of friendship and they will understand that being in a group should be for worthwhile reasons

Absolutely Invincible is an interesting book. I think this is a good book because it tells us that people with disabilities are capable of doing many things. For example, when Heather is riding the motorcycle, she can hear nothing, but she is willing to learn to ride the motorcycle even though she has a disability. So as you can see people with disabilities are willing to do many things and to take chances. The technique for this story that kept this book interesting is that the author kept on bringing things from the past that would help readers to know the whole past of the character. For example, when George kept on getting his dreams at night, the readers wanted to know what will happen to his dreams and if George will find out who he is. The more dreams George gets the more the readers gets the information. So that's what keep the reader interested in the book. The people who I recommend this book are 12 to 16 years old students because they would find the book more interesting to them, but if you were older you would prefer a better book because the words would be easy for them. If you were younger you won't understand the words at all. So, overall I think this would be good for 12 to 16 years old students.

This is an excellent book. My English teacher gave me this book for a book report assignment. In the beginning the book was kind of slow, it wasn't too interesting. After a few chapters, the book started getting really exciting. This book is perfect for a person who loves to learn about different people and issues. The book's characters are believable because you can relate them to everyday life. The technique the author uses to keep the book interesting is bringing things from the past that would help the readers to know the whole past of the character. For example, when George was getting his dreams at night, the readers wanted to know what will happen to George's dreams and if George will find out about his life before his dreams started. The more dreams that George gets the more information the reader gets. This is what kept the book interesting to the readers. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to learn about different people and issues, they would find this book very interesting. This is an excellent book to improve your reading skills. So, overall this is a perfect book for anyone who loves to read.

I had to first read this book for reading class for our China unit. I wasn't too happy about the choices of books so I chose this one. Even then I wasn't too interested, but when I read it was very intriguing.

Alex is thrilled when he has the chance to go to China. He is very interested about China's history and military tactics. The days are calm and he visits the attractions of China but in the Spring of 1989 the dark cloud settles in.

Students demonstrate in Tien An Men Square to change the government to a Democracy. The statue of the Goddess of Democracy is created. The PLA is ordered to clear out the students but as the students refuse to move the government decided to take a deeper step. They send the twenty-seventh Field Army. This army is fierce and doesn't stop. They end up killing thousands of students and civilians but they burn the bodies to get rid of the evidence.

Alex is shot in the leg and has to try to get to an airport.

This book was assigned to me this year to read by my grade 9 World Cultures teacher. I looked at the cover and it looked like a book completely about war and artillery and other things that seemed completely uninteresting to me - by the tank going down the street and the civilians running away. Basically, the old adage comes into play here - don't judge a book by its cover. This book (novel) is amazing, when my mother read my book report I had to do on it, she told me she remembered this incident in 1989 in Beijing, China. Alex Johnson and his father who works for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Toronto are invited on a trip to China to get pictures of a conference the Chinese officials are having, and when a famous Chinese man dies, there is an uproar and many of the Chinese citizens hold a protest right outside Alex's hotel. In the meanwhile, sixteen year old Alex makes a Chinese friend. The protests get more and more violent... what will happen to Alex and his father? Will they get back to Toronto safely?

Overall, William S. Bell does a good job putting a human face on the tragedies that took place in Tiananmen Square. He is refreshingly accurate with regard to factual information. The diary format is easy to read yet leaves the book open to interpretation and discussion. The story of the fictional characters Alex, Ted, Lao Xu, Eddie and Xin hua was created as a way to explain what happened to all sides involved in this tragic event. Bell combines a mixture of powerful emotions and dynamic characters to create a true must read for all highschool students. If highschoolers get anything out of this book at all, it will be that there are people out there who will stand up for what they believe in and that violence shouldn't be used as the answer to every problem our world faces.

This was an inspiring read to me. Glen Bell like Wendy's founder Dave Thomas did not have an easy childhood. Both developed and appreciated the values of hard work at an early age and this book shows that nice guys do finish first. While it is a very light fast read unlike a book about someone like Dr. Linus Pauling. This book teaches one that if you have an idea you should pursue it relentlessly and deal with everyone fairly as Glen did. Glen Bell never started out to be the richest or most famous person in the fast food business but he made major contributions to the industy with his ideas and simple honest values. While I continue to eat at upscale mexican restaurants frequently I do confess to eating at Taco Bell on a weekly basis. Thank you Glen Bell!

In the '60s, America was on the go like never before, and wherever people went, fast food followed. But in a growing world of hot dog stands and copycat burger joints, one name stood out from the rest: Taco Bell. Yet Taco Bell strained the patience and pocketbook of its founder, year after year. A menu with no buns or mustard was challenge enough. Add the fact that lenders and investors called Mexican fast food a fad.

And few people outside the Hispanic community knew what a taco was. "I'll have two TAKE-OHS, please." Clearly, this was a concept ahead of its time. Most men would have quit, but Taco Bell's founder refused to abandon his dream. With grit and determination, he made himself and those who shared his vision millionaires, and turned his little walk-up restaurant concept into one of the most popular brand names in America.

This is the story of Glen W. Bell, Jr.

As a young man, Glen had no money. During the '30s, he rode the rails and went door to door in search of honest work and a hard-earned dollar.

From these hardscrabble root grew the passion and desire of a tireless entrepreneur. A man who understood the customer and worked day and night to build a business backed by little more than the proceeds from the sale of a used refrigerator. A man who poured his own concrete and fried his own tortillas. The business grew, in part because the food was good and different and priced right. But in largest part because Glen--in his quiet, confident manner--had a way of attracting a breed of people who understood his vision. As a result, he helped employees, managers and franchisees carve out their own pieces of the American dream. Today, Taco Bell has some 7,000 restaurants, more than 175,000 employees, and serves millions of customers weekly.

Savory, crunchy "TAKE-OHS" have become mainstream American food. Yet Taco Bell remains a rebellious, hard-working, entrepreneurial company that loves to battle the burger, just like its founder taught it to. This compelling portrait by award-winning writer Debra Lee Baldwin includes insights from a self-professed "unremarkable man" who overcame the odds to achieve a remarkable thing. His story and his "60 Recipes for Success" are not reserved for a select few. Rather, a treasure awaits anyone with the passion and determination to pursue his or her dream.

As a literary agent, I feel privileged to have worked closely with Mr. Bell and Ms. Baldwin to get this book published.

When I was developing my business plan for my brokerage firm, I looked up various autobigraphies of others in the financial industry to get inside their head. One day I stumbled across this book. I was not convinced by the cover to read it, but I grabbed it anyway. Boy was I NOT disappointed!

From reading Glen Bell's story I discovered a lot of trivia about the taco business, like Glen Bell's invention of the taco ;)

But more importantly I took away five guiding points for my life and more importantly for my business.

1. Stay ultimately focused on your vision.
2. Keep expanding on your vision, as you grow so should it.
3. Don't be afraid to scream from the rooftops by promoting your business big.
4. Never let a little thing like money get in your way.
5. Those that can't see your vision, needn't be in your vision.

Great book for entrepreneurs who think they have it bad and can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, its there, Glen Bell proves it.

Zack is the story of a biracial guy by the name of Zack, For a school project he decide to go to the south to find his black grandfather, who his mother hasen't been in touch with since her marriage of Zach's white Jewish father. When Zach find's his grandfather he realize why he and his mother hasn't been in contact. I felt there was something missing, and that more research should have been done.

William Bell has written an excellent book that is a good introduction to racism and family conflict. His ability to weave historical events into his stories is sure to pique the interest of young teens. Bell's message is that history is about people, rather than just dates and facts. It doesn't have to be boring.

I have a personal connection to the story of Richard Pierpoint, having grown up where Zack's fictional farm is located. I was very interested to read William Bell's book. I found the story to be well constructed with regards to Zack's new life in rural Ontario, his discovery of Pierpoint's story and his family connection to Mississippi. The story flows well and the use of language is very natural. The description of small Ontario definitely rings true. I think that many people (especially teenagers) would find it of interest. My personal interest in Pierpoint has led to a book that will be beneficial to those readers who want to know more about this remarkable man. It is called "A Stolen Life: Searching for Richard Pierpoint" and is published by Natural Heritage.

I read this book because my class had to do a novel study. It was a good book to read if you like ghost stories. But this isn't your ordinary ghost story where the ghosts haunt you till you go crazy, the characters get help from the ghost to resolve their problems.

I first read this book a couple of years ago, and I love it! I've read it several times since then and I find it really amazing. Read it!

I had to read this book in class and it was awesome! If you like ghost stories you'll LOVE this one!

I read "Poisoned Apple" carefully because education is my full time study. This largely anecdotal book is a description of modern reform ideas in the setting of reform efforts by Betty Wallace in North Carolina. Reformers and reform ideas are overly praised in my judgment while the very real problems of reform are too often blamed on short sighted opponents. True believers in recent versions of education reform will find here confirmation of their views. More dispassionate readers will want to read more widely

As a university professor, I have been teaching leadership and learning for the past eight years. Throughout that time, Wallace's book has been required reading in our programs at every level of graduate study. It represents a microcosm of the broader community within which schools must exist. In a well-written case study, Wallace has presented a number of the problems faced by public schools and potential solutions that were explored under her leadership in Vance Co, North Carolina. Both success and failure are presented for everyone to read. She has exposed her actions, for better and for worse, for her readers to evaluate. This is a comprehensive description of what happens in a challenging community when school reform is attempted. This book should be required reading for every school administrator, school-board member, and professor of education, not to mention anyone else interested in improving the quality of schools. The book simply must be reprinted or published in a revised form with a follow-up report of what has happened in Vance Co., NC, in subsequent years.

In Japan there is a relatively simple educational philosophy; through hard work all students can succeed in challenging subject matter
Ms. Wallace and Mr. graves present a compelling point that many American schools have established an assessment system that compares students to the average in district or in state test-taker based on the results of a bell shaped curve
The authors compare this to the teaching of high standards and benchmarks or the now politically incorrect term, outcomes, (OBE)
In order to successfully reach such goals children must progress at a pace independent of age, (grade).

Although the school district that I am affiliated with, (school trustee), is relatively successful in comparison to the North Carolina district that Superintendent Wallace attempts to reform, there are far to many students who are both held back as they await their class to advance or find themselves in high school despite suspect grades
Too often trustees don't know the questions to ask in order to solve problems
"Poisoned Apple" is written by "friends" of education and despite the title, the book leaves me with a feeling of hope
I found it in my county public library, (Kalispell, Montana), and I am extremely disheartened to discover that it is out of print, (I will call the publisher).

Pablo Neruda is one of my favorite poets of all time, however, William O' Daly does not do Neruda justice. His translation is flat and unevocative, and unable to invoke those true emotions that Neruda is famous for. I would recommend checking out translations by W.S. Merwin if you want the full ecstatic experience that Neruda usually so eloquently conveys.

The Sea and The Bells is the best poetry collection I've ever read. Uncompleted at the time of Neruda's death, only 1/3 of the poems in this collection were titled. However, the wisdom and eloquence with which Neruda worked in the last year of his life is without peer in the canon of 20th century poetry. His "Finale" written on his deathbed to his wife, Matilde, is devastating.

Neruda's balance of humor, power, spirituality, compassion and love is so clear in a few of these poems, you may find these poems like little prayers on which you can meditate. For example:

If each day falls
inside each night,
there exists a well
where clarity is imprisoned.

We need to sit on the rim
of the well of darkness
and fish for fallen light
with patience.

Maybe it's just me, but this kind of poetry reads like the wise words of a Buddhist monk high in the mountains of Nepal, man. This collection is the deaf, dope jam.

The only criticism I have is with the translation. William O'Daly makes several unusually bland decisions in translating from the original Spanish. For example, Neruda literally writes in We Are Waiting "o para asesinarnos de inmediato" where the verb "assassinate" is pretty darn clear. The phrase literally translates "or to immediately assassinate us." Given the political tension Neruda was writing under having won the Nobel Prize and having returned to Chile, it is reasonably clear why he used the word "assassinate." O'Daly's translation reads: "or to instantly murder us" opting for the bland general word "murder" rather than the clear, stronger word "assassinate." O'Daly makes similarly odd decisions throughout the text. Fortunately, the original Spanish appears alongside O'Daly's translation so you can read what Neruda actually wrote.

Beyond the translation, this is the best poetry collection I have ever read. I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates language being used at its absolute finest. The Sea and The Bells raises the bar for all of us. Read it, and enjoy!

Stacey

I have to disagree entirely with the reviewer below. If he is pining for the wild exuberances characteristics of earlier stages in Neruda's writings, he should not look for it here: for all their wordplay, these last books of Neruda's (the handful he worked on simultaneously during the last year of his life) are about preparing for death. I've noticed here and there some nuance which seemed not to have caught the translator's eye, but otherwise he has made a remarkably rewarding transation of the ruminative, supple-then-lurching tone of PN's Spanish. "The Sea and the Bells" is a crockpot of mystery, a book to read and learn slowly over years.