Lindbergh certainly was the superstar of his day. Following his singlehanded flight from New York to Paris in May 1927, the public rapturously hung on his every word. In this memoir, written only days after the event and subtitled "the Famous Flier's Own Story of His Life and His Transatlantic Flight, Together With His Views on the Future of Aviation," the "Lone Eagle" tells about his childhood, how he acquired his first plane, his career as a stunt flier, his training in the Army Air Corps, and his work as an Air Mail pilot (including his four emergency parachute jumps). Then, in great detail, he describes the preparations for his epic flight, the flight itself, and the wild welcome that met him in Europe. The "spiritual meaning" of his flight also gets a lot of coverage.

Maybe it's just the cynicism of the latter part of the 20th century, but all the modesty seems somehow self-serving. The timing of this book makes it important to anyone interested in Lindbergh, but his later "The Spirit of St. Louis" is a far better book.

Someone once said that nobody told his own story better than Lindbergh himself. When one considers the continuous flow of books written about him, this is an opinion to be seriously considered.

Thoughts naturally leap to his Pulitzer prize-winning The Spirit of St. Louis, which still has lavish praise heaped upon it by even Lindbergh's most recent biographers. Published in 1952, more than 15 years after Lindbergh's historic transatlantic nonstop flight from New York to Paris, its intriguing flow is heightened by what is known in the world of English grammar as the historical present indicative tense, a seldom-used approach by writers because it is said to be so difficult to sustain, particularly over the long haul of an entire book's length. In short, the author describes what is happening at a particular moment, but zig-zags flashback style out of the present while the author recalls moments in his history past.

Stay alert, Reader, for anyone writing in this manner must perform near-perfect writing artistry to maintain interest. Of course, The Spirit of St. Louis falls into that elegant category.

All but vanished into the shelves of juvenile literature in some libraries - or the collections of those who treasure its merits (or collect Lindberghiana) - is the long-forgotten Lindbergh memoir simply entitled "We."

Here comes the inevitable momentary comparison with The Spirit of St. Louis, which Lindbergh worked on for close to 13 years and sent to numerous critics and friends for review during the long writing process. This is not a criticism of Lindbergh, for he was a perfectionist; the book he then produced was worth its wait in spades.

But "We" is the one and only fresh-from-the-flight retelling of our newly crowned hero's lifetime adventures. Rushed to publication just three weeks later, making it the converse of its younger brother, this is precisely where the book's real value counts.

Consider the times: it was 1927 - those topsy-turvey twenties. Much as we know that they were famous for the Charleston, fashion, fun, and freedom, despite what Mom thought, they were dark times, nonetheless, for many veterans returning from World War I found their jobs had vanished. It was not long before sound waves coming from Europe were troubling. And - there was no hero in the White House, for Coolidge neither aroused enthusiasm nor had any sense that he should try. However, technology was being harnessed to an untold degree. Radio, telephone and Henry Ford's Model T were opening up linkages across America in unprecedented fashion. Aviation was being heralded as a form of communication where, unimaginably, it might even become possible to carry passengers from one destination to another.

Lindbergh's feat was not only a large miracle, but placed in his times, there comes the realization that he also had the benefit of a press and pubic longing to break the rules, see the world, and hoist a hero into history. His natural good looks and demeanor only added to the package; he was irresistible!

Written in straightforwaard, unvarnished prose, in "We," Lindbergh not only takes the reader into the fledgling wings of aviation, but recalls his early life, progressing from boyhood through planehood and on into herohood. How could anyone not be caught up in this real-life hero-in-the-making myth? Here we have simple language telling of a golden dream. Plainly told in boy next store sentences, the book is more than a dress rehearsal for the prize winner which succeeded it.

Beginning with the conventional, "I was born in... . My father was... .", of Lindbergh's still pristine memories, he wrote: "On several more occasions it was necessary to fly by instrument for short periods; then the fog broke into patches. These patches took on forms of every description. Numerous shorelines appeared, with trees perfectly outlined against the horizon. In fact, the mirages were so natural that, had I not been in the mid-Atlantic and known that no land existed along my route, I would have taken them to be actual islands."

Could anyone else have written this you-are-there recounting, told as only a young Lindbergh - not a seasoned, even embattled Lindbergh, could tell it? "We" is a near-instant, first person replay which history would be a little number without, and without which, THIS Lindbergh could not have been known.

And that almost happened, except our hero wouldn't allow it. Originally assigned to ghostwriter Carlyle MacDonald's pen by G. P. Putnam, Lindbergh was aghast to see what he considered either mistakes or misinterpretations in MacDonald's version. No one but he would write his book - which had been promised for publication in a matter of weeks. The hapless MacDonald did make one major contribution, for it was he who named "We" "We," having noted Lindbergh's overt use of the "first person plural" when referring to his plane and himself. One of the few rounds Lindbergh ever lost, "We" stuck! Perhaps it would not have mattered an iota aabout the title; it sold a riotous 190,000 copies in just two months and earned its author more than a hundred thousand dollars in the first six months, quite an achievement for that time or any other.

"We" still graces library shelves, albeit, you may have to look in the young readers' section. Or maybe, now that you are aware of it, you might try mentioning it to Aunt Isabel, because she just may have a copy sitting on her own oak library shelf!

For years I've wanted to read this book! I finely got to do it. Have the movie "Spirit of St. Louis" but the book puts you right in with the pilot. He flew this "mission" by the seat of his pants, and this was true flying. A must read!

There are hardly any toasts in the book. How many times have you been involved in a roast compared to a toast or impromptu compliment. The title of the book is totally misleading. It should be "One Liners in Search of Their Once in a Lifetime Moment." The only persons that should buy this book is that rare individual that is involved in roasts or that even rarer person that has far too many friends. Use the one liners in this book and your friends are sure to disappear. Or you run with a really strange crowd. I know a couple of strange people that I could give the book to, but should I encourage them.

As a trainer and coach, I feel this book is a good guide for any occasion - however, it is to be used in a light-hearted vein. It actually brightened my day.

It can prepare you when someone is about to pass a witty remark - and you can give an equally witty rejoinder!

However, I feel that its greatest strength is to give speakers a good starting point to develop their own brand of witty humour.

Go on - buy the book.

At least the jokes are clean. If you desire stronger stuff go to the best seller list of the new york times. Some of the jokes might be described as sexy clean. How do you write (or compile) a joke that is sexy clean? Ask Gene Perret.

Anyone who can claim to write a book on the teacher's unions and ignore the many decades of their fighting for students' and teachers' benefit is clearly only on a political hatchet mission and the truth be damned. So if your mind is already made up and you don't want reality to intrude on your pre-conceived ideas, buy this book- you'll love it.

I'd give the book less than one star if I could. As a former teacher union member, all I can say is thank God for my union. No one else seemed to care about school safety, or that the buildings were falling apart or that we had seven more kids in a class than other districts in the state or that we didn't have computer access at work for lesson planning and record keeping. None of this grassroots unionism is in his book, a major sin of omission. Instead he concentrates on salaries of officials, union lobbying activities,and dues. If the union sometimes took a stand on things I didn't agree with, well its a democratic organization, that's to be expected. If they didn't always do as well as I would have liked, they were the only ones with any clout on the right side of most issues. If there are union staff that made more than I did as a teacher, so what? As long as they were good at representing members'interests, which includes helping our kids, I'm not going to quibble. I want the best staff my dues money can buy. As for the bonanza from privatization that the unions are preventing, the Pentagon's bad experience with contracting out isn't mentioned once. It won't end up being a bonanza for kids, but for corporations. There's nothing there about superintendants leaving office to take cushy jobs with corporations, or other backroom deals on the corporate side. Why single out the unions? Judging by the other titles he's authored Lieberman makes his living by claiming that he has the scoop on unions and lazy teachers. I'll bet the worse he makes it sound, the more speaking engagments he gets. This is a sensationalist diatribe, but it does offer an interesting perspective on the way you can stack the deck so as to demonize anything.

This book is a must read for anyone concerned about the state of education in AMerica. Mr Lieberman speaks from years of experience as a teacher and an insider in the teachers unions. I highly recommend it!

I purchased this book as a gift for my mother-in-law, a retired judge. It is fortunate I previewed the book before I sent it on, or she would have sentenced me to the workhouse. This book is an absolute waste of time and money.

The author apparently collected statutes from a variety of sources, and spends 90 pages usually listing one sentence summaries with no reference and little organization. Examples from this book include:

"In Marblehead, Mass., it is illegal to cross the street on Sunday, unless it is absolutely necessary."

"In Atlanta, it is against the law to secure a giraffe to a telephone pole or a street lamp."

And it goes on and on. Forget about this book, and save your money.

Not a law book, not a reference...Just a reminder that when it comes to making the rules, it's easy to get carried away!

With election season upon us, it's good to be reminded that it's possible to look pretty silly when you try to regulate everybody's behavior all the time.

This is a book just for fun, filled with humorous illustrations.
Send a copy to your favorite politician!

After reading Myra Breckinridge I couldn't look at my passions with the same sort of satisfaction after being infused by Vidal's challenge to established normalcy.
He doesn't waste any time introducing us to his philosophical, dedicated diary-writing main character Myra Breckinridge.
Myra is a determined transsexual with an edge of determined power. Vidal draws Myra from the masses and sets her aside with an assumed background that stretches the bounds of possibility. This unconventional collection of presupposed events goes along with Vidal's overall intention to shock.
Vidal utilizes the personal setting of a diary to present his readers with a more complete understanding of the workings of an up-and-coming person living a lifestyle with freewill and self-asserted power.
Vidal's connections between shockingly different human lives and the commonplace suburban plain works well in this novel. He does not overlook the importance of love, acceptance, and stability to remain sane.
With these emotions included, the reader is allowed to remain attached with the character alongside a fascination with her seemingly educated obscenity. For this, Vidal can be commendable in his efforts.
As far as shock factor, this book is not for your grandma. Vidal himself admits Myra Breckinridge was "pretty far out" by the standards of the time, though these days, fairly mild.
However, you feel receptive after reading it and not only because the sex scenes are described with little reservations, but also because Myra forever remains informed and thus justifiably assertive.
The theories of power in all human existence are intertwined by the daily life of Myra that can be partially or wholly applied to any who read this fictional transgender's story.
"I existed totally" were Myra's words when referring to her own choice of lifestyle, but when this comment was written, Vidal was not done with her story.
Just as the rest of the book finds room to wander to and fro between acceptable and eccentric, the plot begins typical and predictable among its own established bounds but by the end you've been thrown a quick curveball. It either leaves you satisfied with the way it fits in with the personality of Myra, or causes you to assume the ideals you'd come to believe were unsound.
Either way Myra Breckinridge bestows literacy with a novel full of provoking premise to begin recognizing, by way of the extreme, that life does not have to begin and end with time-honored tradition but instead must follow more personal laws that recognize the supremacy of within.

Confusing patchwork of letters, memos, grade reports, oddball documents...seems to suggest gender dysphoric teacher identifies with attractive young female student and wishes he were her,...so she will screw him (?). An inheritance chase ensues, and he magically becomes the girl of his own dreams (beaverly played by Raquel Welch who convincingly screws a young Farrah Fawcett). But then what. As the new girl befreinds the girl he loves, she boldly tells "new girl", "I wish you were a guy". Fitting end to a slutty story! StarlaParis cautions, "Sometimes we don't know what we got 'til it's gone".

If this book really does cost what it says it does, then the editorial review is less than useless. It's sad. Hey, I understand your stock prices are dropping, but don't start loosing the quality.

IS THIS PRICE RIGHT? IKNOW A FRIEND WHO PURCHAED ONE LESS THAN I EXPECTED. AM I WRONG?

I work in a Mennonite thrift store book section and have had several requests for this book. It is a children's book, set during the time of the anabaptist movement, and my customer feels it is important for children today to read it and learn what Christians in the old days had to go through to have freedom to worship.

If you are looking for great early photographs of southern California gardens, this is the book to examine. It's narrative content is limited, but we all know how many words a picture is worth. From the transitional to the ecclectic, early gardens in California play host to numerous cultural ideas of regional landscapes. Heavily influenced by Mediterranean formal gardens, there are still other photos representing Spanish settlements of early California, and a few attempts at what I would call Maxfield Parrish-esque fantasies.

Yanoff's book has become something of a standard in this part of the world for want of a suitable replacement. There is no doubt it has good coverage of the topic, the colour photos are of good quality and distinguish it from much of the competition, and the text is generally detailed and informative. However the organisation and layout of the book are often confused and confusing. The index falls well short of what is expected and is often a source of great frustration.
Hopefully a new edition will correct these failings and secure a more-deserved first choice status for this book.

If you wanted to know a little more about Ukrainian Heritage this is an informative short book.

It is written like a long encyclopedia article and contains pictures. It's a perfect reference for a child doing a research report.