this book kept me wanting more Dennis and Angela Byrd are truly inspirational people. I highly recomend this book to any one who has had any kind of setback in their life or career. Dennis never asked "why me?" when he paralyzed playing football. Dennis used faith in him self and God to rise above it.

I had a brush with paralysis when I was in training camp in my second year of University. The injury I suffered ended my days as a football player but I was fortunate enough to not be paralysed as a result of it. I can still, however, relate to many of the thoughts Dennis shares in his book. His story is without a doubt, one of the most inspirational I have ever heard and I admire him for his courage. Nothing I have ever read has helped me to put my life in to perspective better than "Rise and Walk". His book is among my favorites and I enjoy reading it more every time. I would recomend it to anyone.

DENNIS BYRD'S TESTIMONY HAS TRULY GOT TO BE THE MOST FAITH RENEWING EVER. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE FACING ANY KIND OF TRIAL OR ADVERSITY IN THEIR LIFE.

"Profits from Natural Resources" appeared in the book stores in November 1998, when nobody paid attention to commodities and oil was trading at $ 10 a barrel. Now oil has doubled in price and natural resources as an investment sector has been sofar one of the hottest and best performing sectors of 1999. Say no more !

This is an excellent book, written by a physician, but from the perspective of a patient considering the many options available for prostate cancer treatment. It is particularly beneficial in describing the details of the seed implant treatment, and the impact of this disease on spouse and family. It should be read by every man who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer before a treatment choice is made.

This is an essential source of information if you are diagnosed with prostate cancer. This has certainly been a real eye-opener for me, here is a doctor, who suddenly finds himself as a patient. So well written, so personal, and yet so easily understood, none of the "latin" that we sometimes get from doctors, you feel as though you are actually sitting there with him, or even in his brain. He shares ALL his worries, frustrations, anxieties, relief's and his joys too as he moves forward in his goal to be truly the master of his own destiny. I highly recommend this book, to anyone who is having to cope/deal with prostate cancer. Doctor's too, cancer affects so many people, this book can even give you the professional a lot of insight into patients perspectives. BUY it NOW!

A great book! Prostate cancer, and possible treatments, are not subjects that are easy to explain. However Dr. Dorso is able through his position as not only a physician, but also a patient, to explain possible cancer treatment options in a clear and understandable way. His story is personal and compassionate. Thoughout the book I found his experience became my experience. His sincerity and authenticity shine throughout. "Seeds of Hope" is definitely a must read for anyone who has cancer or who knows someone that has cancer. If I were a doctor I would prescribe it!

This book should be a must read for all of educators but especially those working with our inner-city youth. It is practically my bible of teaching. There are so many things our students need to succeed and Cartwright meets those basic needs. When basic needs are met and children, parents, and staff feel proud of who they are, many great things can happen. I have been talking about how wonderful and inspiring this book is for years.

For The Children is an inspiring story about a principal who saw more than just a run down community and school. Madeline Cartwright saw something special in children that people had written off. She believed in students that no one even gave a chance to. I first read this book when I decided to get my degree in Elementary Education. After reading the book I knew that I wanted to teach in an inner city school. My heart has always been to reach out to those no one believes in, and this book helped me see that ONE person can light a fire in a child. I have now graduated and have had an opportunity to teach in an inner city school. While I was there I always remembered how Madeline Cartwright said that the children were numb to the sounds of the sirens that passed everyday, but that she was not. I too was surprised when I would be the only one to turn around when I heard the sirens and my children in the class would continue to work or play as if nothing was heard. Like Madeline Cartwright, I would push my children to do their best, even when they cried, but the when they all lived up to the expectations we would celebrate. I read the book again just this week, and as read it I realized that the book had really helped me understand the children, the parents, and the environment in which they live. I also have made it a point to keep lotion, wet wipes, and extra clothes in the class so the children will always look good. I make a point to hug my students or show them some kind of affection through out the day, because just as Madeline says in the book, "that hug or pat may be the only sign of affection they get." This book is awesome to read! Anyone going into education or anyone teaching now should read this book, and keep in mind that -WE ARE HERE FOR THE CHILDREN.

John Lewis' book,Walking With The Wind,succinctly, inspiringly ,and powerfully tells the story of how we moved as a nation from two separate and unequal societies toward 'a more perfect union', John Lewis was the leader and visionary of that journey.,He prepares us for the battlefields and physically dangerous campaigns of the civil rights movement by vividly recounting growing up in a tiny rural Alabama community and experiencing the mores of life in the 1940's and 1950's. His upbringing shows us that the so called 'least of these', with intellect, faith,and determination can make this nation move mightly in the direction of achieving the 'beloved community'. He moves on to current times and has an insider's view of events and participants. I recommend this book to all who want to know American history from one who lived it.

John Lewis chronicles his ascendancy from the backroads of Alabama to the hallowed halls of Congress - an experience which reads more like carefully contrived fiction than real life events. The struggles, the triumphs, the emotions, the meanings are all carefully woven to create a soon-to-be American classic literary canon, depicting the Civil Rights Era. Lewis, described as an American treasure, lives up to the title with his intimate details of the renown leaders of the movement and the not-so-well-known heroes, who fought tirelessly to end the social injustices of the segregated South. Twenty-first century textbook authors would be remiss, if not negligent, by not including the perspectives of Lewis' Walking with the Wind. Amazingly, Lewis remains humble, despite his successes. He is a role model, and more importantly, a 20th Century American hero. Walking with the Wind is a must-read for all.

John Lewis was seemingly everywhere during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's. From the Nashville Sit-Ins, to the Freedom Rides to the famous march from Selma and more. It is akin to someone having been at the Boston Tea Party, Lexington and Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. Not only was Lewis there but he was an active participant, one of the many brave souls who risked injury, even death to bring down segregation. Lewis knew all the key figures in the Movement, such as Dr. King, and was a leader himself. Today, of course, Lewis serves his country in the House of Representatives.
It's hard to go wrong with such a compelling story to tell and Lewis doesn't dissapoint. With the help of co-author Michael D'Orso, we learn not only of one person's participation in the Civil Rights' Movement, but gain insight into the Movement as a whole.
Lewis is vastly under appreciated by Americans today. Hopefully Waking With the Wind will help future generations appreciate John Lewis, an American hero.

Swimming with sea lions, petting giant tortoises, observing birds who have no fear of man...These Edenic images, promoted by tour companies, have led many of us to dream of traveling to the Galapagos Islands someday and walking in the footsteps of Charles Darwin. But while these images may have been true forty years ago, when small tour boats brought the first tourist-adventurers to the islands, they are far from true today. In this sad chronicle of the Galapagos, 600 miles from Ecuador, which both claims and governs them, Michael D'Orso documents the devastating changes which have taken place in the past ten years and focuses on the immediate crises of the past three years--crises which threaten the very existence of this irreplaceable natural resource.

Several astute and eccentric long-time residents of the islands serve as D'Orso's first person commentators, giving him insight in to the islands' history, explaining how they have changed, and commenting on the ecological disasters now unfolding. The disasters are many, and they are getting worse, according to D'Orso. In crisp and unambiguous prose, which he sometimes wields like a truncheon, he excoriates corrupt local officials, judges, and members of the national government. Many of these, he points out, have financial interests in the oil, fishing, boating, and tourism industries, but they also want to be seen as "populist" supporters of the poor immigrants who have flooded the Galapagos looking for a piece of the tourist action. The government, he says, is "so horrifically convoluted and corrupt that onlookers have taken to calling this country 'Absurdistan.'"

The introduction of non-native animal species (rats, feral dogs and cats, pigs, goats, and burros), along with foreign insect life (wasps, roaches, and fire ants), and foreign plants (blackberry, lantana, and wild guava bushes) has already permanently changed the environment on which much of the Galapagos wildlife depends. Fishing regulations are wantonly ignored, and penalties are not assessed for violations. Sea cucumbers and other marine life continue to be harvested willy-nilly; fishing boats with long-lines up to 75 miles long continue to hook and kill protected species; and rustbucket oil tankers, never inspected and often owned by highly placed public officials, carry nearly raw petroleum to the islands. They are already responsible for one major oil spill in the formerly pristine islands.

Most threatening, however, is the massive influx of economic refugees from the Ecuadorian mainland who have brought the permanent population to twenty thousand (to be thirty thousand by 2010). With a lack of fresh water and adequate sanitation, and the immigrants' single-minded determination to tap into the underwater riches of the Galapagos, the ecological disaster is not just threatening--it's already happened. In a recent uprising, these immigrants physically destroyed the national park and station offices, along with the personal homes of the directors, even ripping out their toilets.

D'Orso is passionate in his desire to awaken the world community to the disaster that is taking place before the islands have been totally destroyed. His forecast is bleak, but his message, and his book, are strong. Mary Whipple

You know the Galapagos Islands. Darwin made them famous, of course, as a spark for his initial insights on evolution. The specks of land on the equator, off mainland Ecuador, have continued to perform as observatories for evolution. The tiny islands, burned by volcanoes and equatorial sun, have far more life than such an environment might seem able to support, but besides the famous and unusual bird species, there are hundreds of species of starfish, eighty species of spiders, and many others. If you watch TV documentaries or leaf through photo books, you get a flavor of just how rich and strange the life there is. You might know that the animals are so unused to humans that they have not learned to flee even hunters. You might have the idea that the deserted islands harbor but a few scientists and the ecotourists who come to see the unique offerings. _Plundering Paradise: The Hand of Man on the Galapagos Islands_ (HarperCollins) by Michael D'Orso offers a different view of the islands, specifically about one of its newest and most intrusive species. There are about 20,000 humans who make the Galapagos their home, or at least their workplace. They are not just scientists, but hoteliers, nightclub owners, poachers, beggars, religious proselytizers, law enforcers, and more. The title of this eye-opening book isn't a surprise; all these people are not doing the islands any good.

"These islands were simply not made for people," D'Orso writes, but he has interviewed a lot of them for this book to portray humans that are making a go of it anyway. Some of them are eccentric, some admirable, but the islands are few, and have desirable properties, and surpassing written law, the law of supply and demand holds sway (just as Darwin knew). Humans have a poor record of improving the lands they have inhabited everywhere, but D'Orso is withering in particular scorn for the corrupt Ecuadorian government, colloquially called "Absurdistan." Such an environment only encourages people to grab any profits they can, and makes impossible long range planning for conserving the islands' resources. Global agencies are reluctant to invest as they can predict how little money would make it to environmental improvement. There has been a proposal that the Galapagos should be under UN trusteeship; after all, it is one of those sites that requires little imagination to view as belonging to the heritage of all humans. From time to time someone suggests banning tourism. Neither proposal is likely to impress those who are currently gaining incomes from things as they stand.

D'Orso's book brings an important problem to light. It is written as an entertaining profile of different members of the human species who have washed ashore on Galapagos. There are the ex-hippie who has run a hotel there for thirty-five years, the German recluse, the park ranger who endangers himself by hunting poachers, the charmingly corrupt mayor, the Jehovah's Witness naturalist guide, and more. In describing their activities, he has given a human profile to the islands. It is a sad look, nonetheless. Market forces are no way to run an ecosystem.

Christian Science Monitor, Jan. 30, 2003

The Galápagos Islands have the honor of being the only sizable, habitable land mass to remain unpopulated into the 20th century. The islands' lower slopes and some of the smaller islets are a weird moonscape of ancient lava flows devoid of fresh water. Uphill, however, are permanent water sources and soil capable of supporting orange, papaya, and coconut trees, to say nothing of herds of cattle.

Despite these lush conditions, no community had attempted to live on the Galápagos until the publication in Germany in 1923 of a travel book called "Galápagos: World's End" that described the islands as a tropical paradise. A few eccentrics came to see for themselves. They have been coming ever since.

Michael D'Orso went to the Galápagos in 1999 to chronicle the unusual native fauna. Not the huge iguanas that dive into the surf to feed, the finches that obligingly speciate while ornithologists watch, or the vast colonies of blue-footed boobies. The animals that fascinate D'Orso are the more eccentric members of species of homo sapiens, a type in which the Galápagos abound.

Take the charmingly corrupt mayor, leader of the 20,000 mostly impoverished Ecuadorians who stretch the ecosystem of the archipelago well beyond its capacity. Mayor Sevilla is only 41, but he grew up on the islands before the advent of automobiles and electricity.

"We ate a lot of tortoises," D'Orso quotes him saying. "It was free meat, just roaming around. We didn't understand why people would want to protect the animals when God gave us the animals to eat. Even to this day, I feel this way." Which explains why the mayor lets poachers out of jail as fast as National Park Rangers arrest them.

Or take Godfrey Merlen, who stumbled onto the islands in 1970 as an aimless youth working as crew on a rich man's yacht. He stayed, hung around the research station, made himself useful to field scientists, and has become a well-published, highly respected biologist in his own right without ever leaving the islands or taking an advanced degree.

D'Orso keeps trying to drag his attention back to the project that brought him here: to write about the more colorful of the gringo inhabitants - the beachcombers, con artists, and barefoot philosophers. But instead, his attention keeps drifting to the real story of these islands in the 21st century. The world's educated elite prizes the Galápagos for their dramatic and unique biology. But they belong to one of the poorest, most overpopulated, and corrupt nations on earth.

"Banana republic" is an insufficiently scornful term to describe a political system that not long ago saw three presidencies within an hour. The trouble with Ecuador is nothing new in the world: A small number of very wealthy families manage the country for private profit.

These families allow the National Park to exist, but do not, for example, allow the rangers to stop commercial fishing in park waters. The boats take everything: tuna, sea cucumbers, coral, shark fins. (Not the whole shark. They cut the fins off and throw the creatures back to die. Fins fetch astonishing prices in China where shark fin soup is a traditional wedding-banquet delicacy.)

D'Orso's casually powerful storytelling draws us in to the grotesquely unequal struggle between a unique and fragile ecosystem and the humans bent on getting rich fast.

Not that the environment pays all of the costs. On the outer islands, beyond the reach of law, and far beyond the reach of any kind of medical care, hundreds of desperately poor men dive for sea cucumbers using antiquated, badly maintained scuba gear. No one records how many die every year. No one records the tonnage of sea cucumbers shipped illegally to China, which are bought by men foolish enough to believe that sea cucumbers are an aphrodisiac.

Nor is there indication that anyone with power in Ecuador cares, certainly not the legislator who represents the Islands in the national congress. The flat roof of her house is covered with illegally harvested sea cucumbers, curing in the sun. Part travelogue, part history, and part sociological study, D'Orso's story should help shed light on these exotic islands of corruption.

Diana Muir is the author of Bullough's Pond

The authors assume way too much reader knowledge for this to be a true guide for dummies. Also, the For Dummies format does not allow for much illustration. So a lot of what they describe goes way over my head. It does help me understand what I need to say when I call a pro. That's actually a big help for one as home-maintenance-challenged as I. Don Aslett's excellent books are more my speed, though he does tend to write the same book over and over again.

The chapters are organized by area of the house (outside, inside, appliances, etc.) and really pack a good amount of advice and tips in each. As another reviewer said, there are recipes for your own cleaning solutions (deck cleaners, floor cleaners) that work really well (our deck was in rough shape). The maintenance schedule in the back is also handy. This was our first home and having this book was such a help. I've read it and keep referring to it!

The brothers Carey hit the nail on the head (no pun intended). Clear suggestions and illustrations and a maintenance schedule to try to aspire to.

In the opening prologue of Senator Lieberman and co-author Michael D'Orso's book "In Praise of Public Life," Lieberman tells about a lunch that he had with his interns and how his interns described how disenchanted many of their classmates and cohorts are with public officials and public life. Lieberman further describes how this conversation motivated him to write this book, in defense of politics and public life. From this opening prologue I expected to read about the "success" stories of Lieberman and others in passing legislation, helping a constituent, or making sweeping changes that would motivate people into running for office.

Yet, this book is much more realistic, it provides the 'real' spin on public life. Lieberman's style of writing draws upon many of his own experiences to aid in the understanding of what it takes to be a public official. From these examples Lieberman hopes that the reader will understand the sacrifices, long hours, partisanship, sacrifices of family and personal freedom required to live a life in public office. Lieberman further hopes that this book will motivate people to take a part in public life in varying degrees- from voting, contacting elected officers, or perhaps running for office. In all, this slim book is a decent read and very interesting in understanding a different side of politics.

Joseph Liberman isn't like other politicans, but it many ways he personifies exactly what we desire to elect into office: personality, honesty, and integrity. In his most recent novel, Senator Liberman opens with a preface and first couple of chapters that are second to none in showing how a powerful university education and lofty aspirations has helped him in his accention to the top of the political hierarchy. Through his grass-roots foundlings as the first individual to attend college in his family, I've gathered an aura of self-determinism that's seemingly very important in the world of politics. No one was driving him to seek the offices he did more than himself; he was his own political machine. His experiences in attending to the necessary evils of campain raising and meeting with disenchanted voters, the Senator delineates how an ordionary individual may look upon the life of a politican's day-to-day hussle and bustle. The constant struggle to gain leverage in a power-hungry Congress while not compromising morals is notably difficult.

"In Praise" has given me a taste of politics in a witty, succint view, and I would reccommend to anyone who has two hours to be enlightened.

This book was written before Senator Lieberman's nomination for Vice President, and it remains a valuable read now that Election 2000 is over. Whether you're a Democrat, Republican, third party member, independent or undecided, this book has a great deal to recommend it. It should be required reading for anyone considering a career in politics, and for citizens who want an accessible account of what the life of a modern politican is like.

Senator Lieberman begins by explaining that "career politician" -- a term so often seen as negative -- does not have to mean someone who is entrenched in graft and dishonesty. Just as professionals in other fields have a responsibility to uphold the very best standards of their professions, so do politicians. Lieberman considers politics to be his chosen career, the same as a doctor, lawyer, teacher, or other professional. He strives to do his job with a strong sense of moral responsibility, fully aware that public life is, well, public. He writes: "I assume that everything I do in my life -- EVERYTHING -- could possibly become public and therefore I should not do anything privately that I could not justify publicly." (p. 51)

The Senator's arguments in favor of politics as a bona fide career also changed my own stance on term limits. Before reading this book, I thought term limits were a good idea, as a way to prevent bad politicians from becoming entrenched. But, as Senator Lieberman eloquently points out, running a country is a big responsibility that takes years of experience. Having a large portion of the Senate turn over every few years would be inefficent, because everybody would be relatively new to the job. Besides, Lieberman points out, we already have ways to remove bad politicians. They're called elections.

As a religious Jew, I also appreciated the Senator's openness about the role that religion plays in his life. There have been other Jewish politicians in high offices, but none, so far as I know, have been as open as Lieberman about their beliefs. All too often, American Jews are reluctant to discuss religion in public, giving the false impression that we don't believe in anything. Senator Lieberman brings some balance to this issue, while educating the public about Judaism in the process. When, for example, he was asked by the press, "How do you relax?" his answer was, "The Sabbath." This book he gives a good picture of how he balances Sabbath observance with carrying out his public duties. During national emergencies such as the Persian Gulf War, he votes on the Sabbath, under the principle of temporarily setting aside the Sabbath prohibitions in order to save lives. (For the benefit of Lieberman critics who ask "How can he be revere life and support abortion rights," let me point out that Jewish law permits and even requires abortion under certain circumstances, and these differ from the Roman Catholic stance. Those who are interested in further details should read David M. Feldman's book, "Marital Relations, Birth Control, and Abortion in Jewish Law," which I have reviewed here on Amazon.)

In conclusion: I heard Senator Lieberman speak at a rally in Duluth during the Presidential campaign, and was very impressed with him, both as an eloquent speaker and a mentsch -- that wonderful Yiddish word that his campaign added to our national vocabulary, meaning "a fine human being". Our government could use a lot more politicians like him -- whatever their party affiliations. This book really deserves ten stars!

_My Son's Story_ is told by Will, the son of a former schoolmaster, a light skinned, "colored," anti-Apartheid activist in South Africa. Will and his family live in an uneasy peace amongst white Afrikaans. Will's father is known by his sobriquet, Sonny, by the blacks who admire him and depend upon his leadership against the virulent racism endemic in South Africa in those years. The family has to endure Sonny's intermittant jailings related to his political struggles as well as Sonny's love affair with a white woman, named Hannah, who also shares Sonny's anti-Apartheid commitment. Later on, Sonny's beloved daughter, called Baby by everyone, also becomes involved in the anti-Apartheid movement. The most sympathetic person in the book is Aila, Sonny's quiet, dignified wife and mother to Will, who seemingly inadvertently, but inevitably, surplants Sonny as the political activist in the family. Will's particular closeness to Aila and his resentments toward Sonny are the stuff of Greek tragedy.

Unfortunately, Ms. Gordimer's overly convoluted and intellectualized style of writing caused me to often feel distanced from her characters. The result is a novel that frequently falls dead in its tracks. Fortunately, Ms. Gordimer does occasionally write forcefully. It is in these places that her message is communicated clearly and effectively.

Nadine Gordimer deserves her Nobel Prize, her books are wonderful and terrifying and frustrating and enlightening all at once.

Gordimer's world is the world of the white anti apartheid activist (at the time of this book). She writes what she knows and it's an unusual and interesting perspective. My Son's Story is a political book no doubt but told from a very personal space, which is the mark of a great story. Thing is, Gordimer doesn't always write in the most accessible of ways, it is often difficult to get to the larger point she's trying to make, you know it's there but you have to work hard to get it and frankly, there were times when I wasn't sure I was seeing what she wanted me to see. Gordimer likes to use literary tools to make these macro points, lots of metaphor and at times, it's tiring to try and keep up, I did quite a bit of going back and re-reading. That said, I believe this to be a great book, it's worth the work I put in but frustrating as well.

I encourage others to read Gordimer for her insights into a culture which is thankfully nearly dead by now. Just go into it knowing that this is not a casual beach read, but you know, a good book sometimes takes work.

Gordimer's intricate tale of an educated black family struggling with the evils of apartheid is most noteworthy for its rich characterization. The story is told primarily by Will, the teenage son of anti-apartheid activist Sonny. Will acknowledges the horrors of the political situation around him but is painfully affected by the domestic consequences of social change (first his father's affair with white activist Hannah, and later his mother's imprisonment).

The complexity of the writing is necessary for conveying the emotional weight of the story. The chapters alternate (roughly) between the first person narration of Will and a third person account of the unfolding situation. This allows the reader to experience the pain and ambivalence Will feels, while also making the reader aware of the secrets that the family members keep from each other.

I disagree with the other reviewers that Gordimer's work is overly cerebral (if you want to see pretentious, dry, and overintellectualized, check out fellow African author J. M. Coetzee... yawn). My Son's Story is brilliantly realized in terms of both form and content. Without its complexity, the book would not be as believable, heartfelt, or utterly tragic... although I probably wouldn't have appreciated it in the ninth grade either.

After debunking the Y2K concern as a scam by "Chicken Littles" trying to sell stuff, Mr. Cook attempts to fill the pages of his latest book with generic "investment" data that we have all heard before. Subjects such as getting out of debt, paying off your mortgage in half the time, and how to form corporations and trusts have no place in a book entitled Y2K - other than to fill up pages. Furthermore,another 13 pages,(10% of the book) is dedicated to selling his other books and audiotapes. I am compelled to agree with him when he complains about people using the Y2K issue as a means to sell products!

Wade Cook gave some basic info to new gold investors. While some of the information is dated, much is still relevant in 2002 with gold getting ready to make a long anticipated run.

Over the last fourteen years, in his financial seminars, Wade Cook has encouraged people to buy gold coins. Gold retains its value, becoming a hedge against inflation. If a need should ever arise for cash, to buy some groceries or to pay a doctor's bill, then all you have to do is go to a coin dealer and cash in. Gold coins are legal tender.

This book is about how to invest in gold. By reading Y2K Gold Rush, you will understand the historical importance of gold. You will learn about the ownership of gold coins and gold stocks, and the benefits of both. You will see that adding gold to your investment portfolio will diversify your assets, safeguard you and your family against catastrophe, and add excitement and profits.

Wade Cook is Chairman of the Board of Wade Cook Financial Corporation and a proud investor in gold. He has a positive outlook on the future and is worried about potential problems, but focuses on solutions. He is preparing for the new millennium. The question is, are you?

Y2K Gold Rush, by Wade Cook, shows the value in gold investment:

Historically, the gold standard set currency rates Gold is a marketable item and easy to use Gold keeps pace with inflation Millions of gold collectors exist in the world Gold investing brings security (your IRA can own it) Gold is a hassle free investment