Book Description

This is Volume 2 of a four volume set

This incredible set begins with Napoleon's birth in Corsica in 1769 and ends with his entombment in the Invalides in Paris in 1840, further set off by an additional section back of Volume IV, Napoleon's Will.(And, no, he didn't leave it all to Josephine. They divorced in 1809. Four months later, he married Archduchess Marie Louise. She didn't get anything either.) That aside, these four illustrated volumes include chronologies, text, letters, and many many insights, both personal and professional, into the life and mind of a titan in world history. ... Read more

Book Description

George W. Bush has brought the question of religion back into American political life in a way that it has not been for decades. From the 2000 election through the challenges America has faced in the wake of September 11, Bush's personal faith -- and his conviction about the importance of religion in our national life -- have won him lasting admiration from the right, while attracting fury and scorn from the left.

Now, presidential scholar Paul Kengor, the author of the acclaimed God and Ronald Reagan, reconstructs the spiritual journey that carried George W. Bush to the White House -- from the death of his sister, which shaped his character, through the conversion experience that changed his life. He offers the most thorough and careful reading of President Bush's public statements about God, Jesus Christ, and the sense of confidence, perspective, and mission that his faith has given him. Kengor devotes special attention to Bush's efforts to highlight America's tolerance of all faiths -- especially, in light of potential tensions after 9/11, his extraordinary support for Muslim-Americans. He investigates whether the invasion of Iraq was precipitated by a specific religious mission on the part of the president. And he outlines the most up-to-date account of the role of religion in the 2004 election, from John Kerry's squabbles with the Catholic Church to Bush's own remarks about the "higher father" to whom he looks for guidance in times of trial.

Matching detailed new research with thoughtful analysis, God and George W. Bush is the definitive look at the spiritual life of this American president.

Reviews (1)

An entertaining juvenile biography of J. S. Bach
Having enjoyed Mike Venezia's Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists series, I had some doubts about his World's Greatest Composers series for the simple reason that music does not have the same visual dimension as paintings (I figured that out all by myself). One of the strengths of the Artists series was that Venezia could provide examples of famous paintings by the likes of Rembrandt or Van Gogh and talk specifically about artistic technique. Consequently, more often than not, those volumes constituted mini-lessons in art appreciation for young readers. However, even when these Greatest Composers volumes are reduced to being just juvenile biographies, they still constitute a delightful look at a famous person.

In the case of Johan Sebastian Bach we find once again the delightful combination of historic paintings of Bach and his times, along with Venezia's wickedly funny but still informative cartoons (e.g., Bach as a tester and repairer of organs). Young readers will be astounded by the fact that Bach has 20 children, four of whom went out to be composers of note as well, but even more so by the revelation that Bach's music was not especially popular in his own time because it was too "new." Hopefully reading this volume will get young readers interested in the music of Bach: my strong suggestion would be that a youngster reading this book should also be able to listen to Bach's music. Any of the decent Bach collections of "greatest hits" should have "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" and excerpts from "The Brandenburg Concertos," as well as examples of the various types of music composed by Bach and talked about in this volume. This would be true for any volume in this series, which includes volumes on great composers from Ludwig Van Beethoven to The Beatles! ... Read more

Book Description

This book stands apart with its fresh look into how Buffet has become the richest man in America. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Packed With Knowledge!
A sentence crafter happily at work, James O'Loughlin imparts clarity with literacy. On the rare occasion that his industrious research does not find just the right quote from Buffett or Munger (chapters average 90 footnotes), he uses their favorite metaphors from sports and life. This is excellent writing that falls short only on prophesy and damnation. Buffett must pass Berkshire on to an heir in the next decade, but exactly who might follow him is given short shrift. How this unknown magician might cope with Munger (too old to be an heir) is avoided carefully. The manuscript was begun before September 11, 2001, created insurance chaos, but O'Loughlin doesn't elaborate upon it, beyond suggesting that chaos benefits Buffett - whose main float derives from super catastrophic insurance and reinsurance. We recommend this volume highly - along with getting to know the Real Buffett, you will learn a tidy amount about economics.

Great Insight!
Mr. O'Loughlin provides a high quality analysis of Mr. Buffett's leadership style, rational behaviour and critical self-appraisal. The book is well-researched. Even more important, it is well thought out. There is truth here. The challenge for the reader is to look in the mirror and acknowledge how little he knows, then go forth and allocate capital on that limited basis.

Another Warren Worshipper trying to get rich off the man.
This book is simply a summary of all the other books about Warren Buffett. It is interesting & tries to distil the concepts, but doesn't really add to our investment knowledge, unless you haven't read anything about Warren before. The continual references to Jack Welsh also seem redundant. You would be much better off reading "Making of an American Capitalist" by Roger Lowenstein which is the definitive Warren text. However, it is easy to read & gives a good overall view of the Buffett approach, but a lot of it is assumption or extrapolation based on other writers, shareholder letters & a bit of psychology thrown in for good measure. No important players were actually interviewed & given that the writer is based in the UK it appears he just pulled out his collection of Warren books, a psych. text & Jack Welsh's biography then started writing. The Warren worship is getting a bit tired.

Very well written and very readable book
I have read this book during 4 days (mostly evenings) and when I started to read, I could not stop. Frankly, it is one of the most readable books about investment business which I have ever read. And more - although I am also fan of Warren Buffett, I have discovered lot of things which I simply do not know before. I have also discovered lot of new things about insurance business in which I am working for many years and I thought I know it very well. Lot of good ideas for me, five stars for author.

Packed with Knowledge!
A sentence crafter happily at work, James O'Laughlin imparts clarity with literacy. On the rare occasion that his industrious research does not find just the right quote from Buffett or Munger (chapters average 90 footnotes), he uses their favorite metaphors from sports and life. This is excellent writing that falls short only on prophesy and damnation. Buffett must pass Berkshire on to an heir in the next decade, but exactly who might follow him is given short shrift. How this unknown magician might cope with Munger (too old to be an heir) is avoided carefully. The manuscript was begun before September 11, 2001, created insurance chaos, but O'Laughlin doesn't elaborate upon it, beyond suggesting that chaos benefits Buffett - whose main float derives from super catastrophic insurance and reinsurance. We from getAbstract recommend this volume highly - along with getting to know the Real Buffett, you will learn a tidy amount about economics. ... Read more

Book Description

A history of the remarkable shift of power to the American presidency, told through incisive analyses of the eighteen men who have held the office in the last century.

The modern presidency really begins on September 14, 1901, argues Stephen Graubard, with the assassination of William McKinley and the succession of Teddy Roosevelt. TR's vigorous presidency foretold the expansion of wartime authority under Wilson; the growth of federal government under FDR; and the national security issues that dominated much of the foreign policy concerns during the Cold War.

In his provocative new account of the enormous shift of power to the office of the American presidency, Graubard draws upon his intimate knowledge of every president since FDR to reveal the dangerous transformation of the executive branch in the last hundred years.

Graubard sees three different "presidencies" over the course of the century, marked by increasing accumulation of authority: the presidency created by TR, Wilson, and FDR, continued under Truman and Eisenhower, in which foreign policy issues played a far greater role in presidential politics; the period of America's time of troubles from Kennedy to Carter, in which the disastrous Vietnam War spurred a further tendency to secrecy; and the third presidency, defined by Reagan and marked by spin. Learning the lessons of Reagan and Clinton, George W. Bush has inherited a far more powerful office than the one originally envisioned by the Founding Fathers. With access to former members of both Republican and Democratic administrations, Graubard has written a masterful history of presidential power--one that anyone concerned with American politics will need to read. ... Read more

Book Description

Lucille: The Life of Lucille Ball is an entertaining, informative, scholarly, and fascinating biography of one of the most revered actresses in television history. Moving beyond the typical celebrity bio, author Kathleen Brady separates the actress from Lucy Ricardo, the antic, enduring character she created on I Love Lucy.

Brady is the only biographer to have spent extensive time in Jamestown, New York, Lucille Ball's hometown, where she interviewed Ball's childhood friends. Other interviews for the book included family, employees, Bob Hope, Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Milton Berle, Maureen O'Hara, Maxine Andrews of the Andrews Sisters, and the late chairman of CBS Bill Paley. Kathleen Brady's definitive biography presents a human Lucille Ball the fans have never known: the would-be showgirl in New York, fired almost as soon as she was hired because she was too flat-chested and mousy; her great love for Desi Arnaz, their tempestuous marriage, the day she thought she had killed him with a hammer, and the incident that ended their marriage; Lucille as head of Desilu Studios, overriding the advice of her most trusted executives and agreeing to green light the pilots of Star Trek and Mission Impossible; and her run-in with the House on Un-American Activities Committee and fears of being black-listed.

Brady reveals that Lucille Ball's life was a roller coaster, going from disaster to victory and triumph to tragedy. As a young woman, Ball believed that she had to work had to make people like and appreciate her. As a star, she felt she had to work hard to maintain her popularity, and was also conscious that what her fans wanted from her was not herself, but Lucy Ricardo.

Of the first edition of this book, published by Hyperion in 1994, critic Molly Haskell wrote: "It's a beautiful portrait of someone with enormous talent as an entertainer and heartbreaking fragility as a woman. In giving Lucille Ball the serious appraisal she deserves, Kathleen Brady has really gotten behind the scenes and the cameras to provide an invaluable chronicle of several areas and eras of show business."

New to this edition of Lucille is an introductory essay focusing on the place of the character of Lucy Ricardo in the history of comedy, going back to the traditions of the Italian commedia dell'arte and forward to the end of the 20th century. In this essay, Lucille Ball is compared to other key female figures in comedy like Mabel Normand, Mae West, Frannie Brice, Gilda Radner, and Fran Drescher. As the author writes, "Lucille Ball was a revolutionary figure because Lucy Ricardo was the first female character to combine the knock-about physical comedy of vaudeville and music halls (and 15th century carnivals) while being beautiful, feminine, and sweetly appealing." This edition also includes many new photographs from various sources. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Best Bio (and I've read them all)
There are some minor factual errors with regard to some of the TV series indicating that the author--an obvious admirer--was not a fan per se. This actually helps in terms of objectivity. The book is unflinching but warm, and is the sole book to really go in depth about Lucille's childhood and teen/young adult years. "Ball of Fire" and many others are shockingly un-new in their stoties and historical references. No one can really know "Lucille" after the fact but this book, and "Desilu" come as close as you canget.

My favorite book about my favorite commedienne
When I was ten and heard that Lucy and Desi were divorcing, I was devastated. No one in my little village had ever divorced, and I did not know anyone who knew anyone who had. So, Lucy and Ricky, who were interchangeable in my mind with Lucy and Desi, were the first people I "knew" who took that drastic step. I couldn't figure out how they could be so happy on TV and still want to split.

A few years later, when Lucy returned to television, along with Ethel, rechristened as Vivian, I kept longing for DesiRicky to show up. Of course he didn't. Later, I saw some of her early movies and became one of the three people in the US who loved her on the screen as Mame. Even though I appreciated her skill and talent, for me, she was always Lucy Riccardo. Somewhere along the line, though, I realized that Lucille Ball was more complex than her TV counterpart.

Of the half-dozen books I've read about Lucy, which include the newly-released "Ball of Fire", a couple of the books about the series, and Vance's biography, Kathleen Brady's is my favorite. She comes closest to cracking the code, finding what drove Lucille Ball to the top of her profession.

Brady treats her subject tenderly, but does whitewash the harder side of her character. Rather, she tries to bring the apparently incompatible parts of her personality together into one whole, very understandable person. As much as is possible, she succeeds.

Where she is sure of details, she gives them. Where she is not, she offers alternate possibilities, for example, the unknown cause of Ball's paralysis that sent her home from NY and to bed for months or, on the more humorous side, exactly what happened the night that Tallulah Bankhead decided to disrobe during a production meeting of the LucyDesi Comedy Hour.

Well-researched and well-written, this is mandatory reading for any die-hard Lucy fan and an excellent choice for anyone who intends reading only one book about America's most famous comedienne.

Loving Lucy, but not the book...
The Lucille Ball in Kathleen Brady's book, "Lucille: The Life of Lucille Ball" is a study of contradictions. Partly an homage to a star she clearly adores, partly an expose on Lucy's dark side, this book paints an incomplete and unsatisfying picture of America's premiere television comedianne.

The Lucy in this book comes across both as a scrappy fighter early in her career, and a hardened soul at the end of it, which may very well be true, or not. It was difficult to discover the viewpoint of Lucy that the author was trying to take. At times, it was clearly injected with personal opinions and commentaries not warranted in the biography of someone else's life, both glowing and scandalous. And whereas the majority of the book takes up the years of Desilu's powerhold on the television industry, from I Love Lucy to Star Trek, it shortchanges both her early career and later career, almost as insignificant bookends to her highest pinnacle in the 1950's. Certainly, Lucy had a full, complete life, only some of which is shown here.

However, there were some parts I did enjoy. Lucy's less-than-impressive movie career which eventually gave birth to her TV persona was interesting, as you root for her to make the transition earlier. Her undying devotion to Desi in the early years, despite mutual fits of jealousy and rage, made for a deepening look at their marriage. And the occasional parts that show her softer, kinder side were warm to read.

Which leads to this thought. Clearly Lucy is loved country wide; were we ready to learn some negative things about the woman we cherished? Certainly not unknown, nor surprising to anyone who's read other things. The issue perhaps comes in balancing all viewpoints to present a clearer one, rather than being all over the board haphazardly.

As for Lucie and Desi Arnaz, Jr.'s objections to the book were clear to me as I read through to the end. Kathleen Brady seemed to have a personal vendetta against these two, as she paints them very unfavorably as spoiled Hollywood rich kids. Nary a kind word was said about these two, which leads me to think they offered no assistance in creating this book, so a price was paid for their silence.

In the end, I did not feel closer to Lucy than I had before reading this. I may suggest grabbing a bowl of popcorn, putting up your feet, and watching some classic episodes of I Love Lucy, to remember Lucy the way she wanted us to remember her, with a smile and a laugh.

Watch Out
watch out for false starements in this book. many good pics except for the one ... that doesn't even look like lucy. so beware if you love lucy watch what you believe--Steph

The Best Book i read
This book was the best, becouse of many things, she was not only in the T.V show I LOVE LUCY and not only in movies, but she was a great landy that helped and cared for many people around the world. So i am telling you to read this book. ... Read more

Book Description

"Buffett has generously endowed us all with a sensible and intelligent roadmap for investing." - Robert G Hagstrom

"Warren Buffett - The Oracle of Everything. He has been right about the stock market, rotten accounting, CEO greed, and corporate governance. The rest of us are just catching on." - Fortune

"Warren Buffett has turned value investing into an art form, piling up the world's second largest individual fortune and persuading millions to mimic the low-tech, buy-and-hold style of stock picking he practices at Berkshire Hathaway." - Time

"Buffett and Munger are, without doubt, two of the greatest investors and capital allocators of all time, so investors would be well served to study their thinking carefully." - The Motley Fool

"Warren Buffett - Ace stockpicker, and now, an empire-builder." - BusinessWeek ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Easy Read, not for the Humor-Impaired.
I bought multiple copies of this book for my clients, and they all loved it! Not only is it easy to read, it covers alot of interesting areas like:

* Buffett's WPO delivery antics
* The GEICO interview
* Saving Salomon
* Charlie Munger Partnership

raytoei

ps. Charlie Munger looks better as Manga Charlie. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

A wonderful musician bio
This book is wonderfully written. It tells a mini-story of Bach's life in a very child-friendly way. It touches on his birth (and death) and his religious life. The focus is on Bach - not his religion. The artwork is vibrant and I highly recommend the book.

Music Was His Life.....
Johann Sebastian Bach was born into a family of musicians. All the Bachs played musical instruments, and young Sebastian was no exception. But even more than the joy of playing, Bach loved composing his own music. "Sebastian heard the music in his head. The melodies came fast- as his pen raced over the page, he rarely changed a note. He heard one melody for the violin, one for the trumpet, one for the flute, and one for the oboe. Each instrument had its own voice. And when all the voices sounded at the same time, it was like good friends talking together." Bach married, had twenty children, and settled in Leipzig where he was the church music and choir director. He worked all day teaching his students and playing the organ, and composed all night as "new music filled Sebastian's head." During his life, Bach wrote over one thousand compositions. It is said that even as he took his dying breath, he was composing one last piece..... Jeanette Winter has written an engaging and informative, introductory picture book biography that brings Bach and his times to life on the page. Her simple, spare, yet eloquent prose is lyrical and poetic, and complemented by her evocative, vibrant, and expressive signature folk art paintings. Together word and art give youngsters a real feeling for the intensity of Bach's great love and devotion to both playing and composing music. Perfect for reading aloud, or for early readers 6-10, Sebastian is a fascinating and entertaining biography that will whet the appetite of budding musicians, and send them out looking for more.

Perfection In Read Aloud Picture Book Bios
Winter has achieved another perfect picturebook bio for reading aloud (see My Name Is Georgia and Diego Rivera). Simply told, with beautiful language this book is a keeper! Wow, she's an awesome illustrator too! Music teachers across the country should be buying multiple copies for their classrooms! Buy it!

If we could only give it more stars!
My daughter and I loved this book! It's story is easily understood and the beautiful illustrations are sweet and peaceful and really bring the words to life. While the author did write about Bach's church music, she did not mention his devotion to God. But there are other books about that. This is a book for everyone. ... Read more

Book Description

The story of Prince Siddharta and how he became Buddha is told here in the lyrical prose that makes for absorbing reading for people of all ages. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This book was great for teaching my daughter about buddhism!
I could tell that Chi-Lou, my daughter, was very interested in this!! We had taught her many thing about Buddha, but she learn it best when it was tell to her in story like this book! Even I liked this children book. Great for kid, and great for spirituality. I highly recomend book! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excelente
Castelot narra con gran nivel de detalle la vida del Emperador.
Cuando uno repasa su vida entiende un poco mas al ser humano que tomaba las decisiones (mas allá que fueran correctas o no).

El autor plasma en su libro a gran nivel de detalle los lugares y circunstancias en donde vivió el Corso, su juventud en la pobreza, su crecimiento y su excentricidad cuando fue el dueño de Europa y el ocaso de su imperio.

Asimismo, muestra el genio de Napoleón en las batallas, la obstinación en sus decisiones y el día a día del Emperador.

Castelot deja la sensación de no juzgarlo, sólo se encarga de decribir las situaciones, dejando del lado del lector la posibilidad de formar una opinión y entender el porqué de sus acciones.

Este libro, por un lado me daba ganas de no cerrarlo hasta terminarlo y por otro, quería que su relato no finalice.

Es muy recomendable. ... Read more

Book Description

Bridging the gap between truth and the media’s often wild speculation, The Game of His Life tells the story of what really happened on the night of June 30, 2003 in Colorado when basketball superstar Kobe Bryant and a 19-year-old hotel employee crossed paths.

The Game of His Life provides insight into the most incredible true-crime case of the past decade. Containing never before released information about both the prosecution and defense teams’ secret strategies, this is the decisive book on a case whose outcome will have profound effects on popular culture and beyond.

Intriguing and astounding, The Game of His Life takes the reader on a high-speed chase through the real lives of the two main characters, down back alleys of fact and innuendo before reaching a conclusion that will leave the reader stunned. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

A Tragic Story
Jeffrey Shapiro's book is a fascinating account of what happened between Kobe Bryant and the alleged victim on that fateful night at a Colorado hotel last year. Filled with new information and interesting details, the book offers insight into what the victim has experienced since her terrible ordeal. It also reveals what Kobe and his family have been going through, and how the incident has negatively affected them. It's nice to see a book that doesn't trash the victim, because she has gone through so much trauma already, especially at the hands of the tabloids. Even though I believe that Kobe is guilty, this book almost made me feel sorry for him. Shapiro made it a point to show both sides in a favorable light. This is a tragic story for both parties involved. A definite must read!

FANTASTIC!!!!! I can't wait for the movie!
Shapiro has clearly brought Kobe Bryant to life in this fast paced high powered drama about America's greatest NBA player! I was a little worried at first that this book would slam him, but it doesn't. Instead, Shapiro focuses on Bryant's incredible past as an athlete and portrays his story as an almost Shakesperian tragedy. I think the authors are trying to say that innocent or guilty, Bryant having invited that girl into his room changed his life forever. I did some research on Shapiro and found out that he has a pretty wild past. He used to work for the Globe tabloid and then turned against them while working on the Ramsey case in Colorado. He seems like a pretty unusual guy and his writing is definitely inventive and unique. This is a well-written piece of hard news reporting and I totally recommend it!

Another N****R Excuse Book!
This is so much crap put out to get sympathy after yet another crime by a black man. Stop making excuses you phony.

A Fair Trial
I think that this book satisfies the abyss of hunger that Americans have for gossip and possibly the truth that is burried somewhere in all of these reports and interviews that have been out since the Kobe Bryant incident came into light last June. However, the book cautions that the accuser in this case did not give them an interview per say, so I would questions whether or not this book is just a bound collection of gossip that's been no different than what's already out there. I just think it's important to remember that the trial hasn't happened yet, and the only two people who know the truth are Kobe Bryant and his accuser.

The Game Of His Life
Though I feel the author portrayed Kobe's career success in a fair light, I don't think he gives Kobe the benefit of the doubt in this rape trial. It leaves some questions in my mind. If this young woman didn't want anything to happen then why did she go to his hotel room after she got off work? I'm not saying she's automatically guilty simply because she chased a successful famous NBA star to his hotel room, but I am saying that if it is not fair to assume she is a small town girl looking for attention, who just happens to have a large imagination, then it also isn't fair to assume that Kobe (and the rest of the NBA) are a bunch of wild animals driven by their raging hormones. All I'm saying is give him a chance, no one has ever accused him of this before. And though that doesn't make him incapable of commiting this crime, it also doesn't mean that he was just a bad guy waiting to explode. As of right now, he is only guilty of infidelity...no one can truthfully or factually say otherwise. This author claims to have the "real" story and that is not the truth. He wasn't in the room that night, and if he has interviewed the ALLEGED victim, she could be lieing, after all isn't that the defense attorneys whole case? That she has a motive to outright lie about what happened that night? Let's not jump the gun, no one knows for sure what happened. He deserves a fair trial as well as anyone else! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The first of several Y2K biographies on Texas governor George W. Bush offers an in-depth look at both the Republican presidential candidate and his political family: Bill Minutaglio interviewed more than 300 people for First Son, including Bush and many members of his inner circle. The book focuses on the life of "Dubya"(the nickname used by the press and others to distinguish him from his father) and includes a combination of original material and information that has been reported elsewhere. It is neither pro- nor anti-Bush, simply reportorial and largely nonjudgmental. Readers won't find an answer to one of the season's most burning questions: Has Bush ever used illegal drugs? In a preface, Minutaglio piously says he won't stoop to such low levels. Yet one gets the sense that he won't go there because he doesn't have any hard evidence, as stories of Bush's heavy drinking are related without apparent reservation. Minutaglio, a writer for The Dallas Morning News, spends most of his time describing Bush's amazing and unexpected rise to fame. Dubya's own family, for instance, thought that younger brother Jeb would be the first to win an important public office. Yet Dubya exploited his family ties and personal charisma to have a successful business career in the 1980s and then beat a popular incumbent in 1994 to become Texas governor. (Jeb became governor of Florida in 1998, while his brother won a second term in Austin.) Minutaglio's narrative goes light on Bush's gubernatorial record and ends before his formal entry into the presidential race in 1999. Readers hungry for an overview of the man who would be president, however, could do much worse than start by looking here. --John J. Miller ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Best of the numerous Bush books
This book is the best of the countless George W. Bush biographies that are appearing all over the place. Minutaglio does a great job providing a well-balanced book about the ups and downs of our President's life and how his family has played apart. It clearly shows Dubya's attempts to move away from his father's shadow in order for him to make a name for himself. It is a great book, full of interesting stories and minimal political jargon that you will find in so many of the other books being written about Bush. If you want to read about our President, I suggest this book.

well balanced, well written, well thought out
If you are looking for tabloid like Bush Bashing, don't look here (you might try The Father's Son, that one is quite good at trying to instill some what outdated class war fare dribble). This particular book is extremely well balanced. If you love the Bush clan, or hate them, you will find something within. Personally, I found it an insightful and interesting tale of one of our nations most powerful pollitical families. Is George W qualified to be President? Well that is a question that only time will answer. My thoughts are he is as qualified as the guy we have recently given the nod to twice, except, maybe George will actually care more for the country than himself. He does seem to learn and grow. Now that would be a pleasant change. However one thing is for certain, the Bush family is a political dynasty (now more impressive than the Kennedys) and the people of Texas sincerely love both of their Georges.

Entertaining but BIASED!
I bought this book on a lark thinking it might actually be what the cover notes said is was "unbiased", but as soon as I saw Dan Rather's opinion on the book (printed on the back of the paperback I purchased), I should've known this book was not necessarily "the truth" on George W. Bush. Don't believe everything you read or hear from anyone in print or media. I encourage you to be selective and present things in context. . .

Speaking of things in context, I really can't trust this book as gospel because Minutaglio quotes sources in such a sporadic way, footnoting the quotes only to look more credible. The quotes are sometimes ridiculous and misplaced, it seems, but albeit, very entertaining.

That's just it, this book is entertaining and nothing more except to provide a biased peek at what Minutaglio believes is the driving force and reasons for our President's personality, politics, career choices, and other personal decisions.

Juicy. As in gossipy.

COME OUT OF THE CLOSET, Mr. Minutglio!
Maybe I'm slow...or too trusting. Previous reviewers kept insisting again and again that this book was "unbiased". WRONG. From the first page, the author had an attitude about Bush - and the GOP. It gradually became clear that the author is a passionate Democrat, as he approvingly whitewashed all personal Clinton and Democrat party issues and glorified people like Al Gore. The bias abounds throughout the book... RNC party strategists are called "political terrorists", while their DNC equals are portrayed as sincere victims at each turn of the two year campaign. And you Mom's and Dad's out there, tell me: what parent (such as George, Sr) would hug the son he loves (George W.) on the happiest day of his life, but instead of thinking of the incredibly close relationship of family love, pride, and respect that the father and son have always shared, the father is now thinking only of the three times in a lifetime that father/son had been briefly angry with each other. And why remind the reader again and again, as much as four times over hundreds of pages, of each small tidbit of negative information? Was he afraid we would forget? Why did it take me hundreds of pages of wasted time to finally realize that no matter what the Bushes say or do, this author is biased to hate Bush and the Bush family, and to love Gore - and the Democrats - and the RNC. Period. Every possible issue and personal examination is slanted toward contempt for the one, and pride in the other. BOTTOM LINE: This book was promoted DECEPTIVELY. If Mr. Minitaglio wanted to write a hate-piece, fine - but why not be up front about it? My recommendation for busy people who love to read is simply that you beware. Know before you go. I'm rating the book a 3, because my friends who are Democrats may enjoy this book. (but why waste time, since he is already president and there's nothing you can do about it?) BUT... my Republican friends, STAY AWAY from this book, because it is unfair, duplicitous, full of seething, underhanded bias that Bernard Goldberg courageously exposed in his excellent book "BIAS". The bias peeks out from - and underneath - every sentence. Hope this helps reverent readers like me who just want to read, and who just want the TRUTH.

Enlightening
It was fascinating to read the true story of the Bush family, not the assumptions often reported. Who knew that he came from such a downtrodden background, worked so hard to rise from the ashes and achieve greatness at Yale? It's no small wonder that we have this great man leading our country through the holy wrath of war!

Like his father, George W. is a stern and honorable, if not particularly well-spoken, fella'. He reads a teleprompter with unequalled ease and skill, a testament to his ability to comfortably rely on others. AS this book shows, these are all traits he learned while growing up with the help of many other wealthy and able men who were able to take the burden off of poor George W.'s shoulders. He truly is great, not to mention lucky, and he has strutted his lightened shoulders into the White House with only the slightest help from his father's friends in the Supreme Court.

Were it not for men like Bill Minutaglio, the world would be in horrible danger of being exposed to the false and misleading face of the truth. Buy this book!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Richard Rose was an unlikely Zen master: A rugged, plainspoken, ornery West Virginian, he scraped out a living raising goats, planting crops and painting houses. But Richard Rose had a secret: Having once vowed to “find the Truth or die trying,” Rose experienced a cataclysmic spiritual awakening at age 30 that thrust him into “Everything-ness and Nothing-ness," or what he called “the Absolute.” The experience left him with only one earthly desire: to do anything, for anyone, on a similar quest for Truth.

David Gold was an unlikely student: An arrogant, ambitious and egotistical law-student, David Gold only agreed to meet the “enlightened hillbilly” in the hopes of showing him up. But when Rose turned the tables by seeing right through Gold and painting a devastatingly accurate picture of the fears and obsessions that ruled his life, a humbled Gold found himself hungry to know more.

Thus began a remarkable 15-year adventure—part spiritual odyssey, part legal thriller—in which death threats, corrupt politicians, and life-threatening cancer run parallel to glimpses of the divine and extraordinary manifestations of timeless wisdom.

Reviews (6)

I'm usually writing negative reviews on fake guru books.
I think Richard Rose was/is the genuine thing. He has written a number of books himself which you may find on Amazon and other places that I recommend. He's upsetting to many "New Agers" who are expecting a guru on a fluffy cloud. Mr. Rose is more like one of the old school harsh Zen masters.

I've read this book and and don't know the politics that are going on with it but it seems like a credible telling of the Richard Rose story from the author's perspective. Be careful what you wish for.

Richard Rose Speaks The Truth
I have been studying metaphysics and philosophy for quite a while with many powerful teachers. Rarely do you find a teacher like Richard Rose who so unflinchingly tells the truth. While many believe pursuing a life of bliss is the answer, Richard confirms my experience that life is often struggle and hard work. And it is only by going into those dark places, which he apparently was a master at creating for others, do we recover our wholeness and humanity. It is sad that some have chosen to slam this work for their own purposes. I don't know anything about organizations and all that, but I do know that Richard Rose spoke the truth as recorded by David Gold.

One Star For Memetic Self Promotion
This book is also for review at the writers SKS promotional website where business and writing have mutated into self promotion.

Two young guys from very middle class upbringing were seduced in thought and possible practise by a man who is now an invalid, all
coming together shortly after Woodstock, Altamont, Vietnam and the era of so called metaphysical self discovery.

This is not Wittgenstein's Poker with Popper and Ludwig W. meeting head to head at Cambridge but a tale of much lesser metaphysicians and philosophers and a sad tale of commune like life.

It is sad that the writer and his cadre of supporters did not spend greater time at one of the great Universities for the study of Philosophy (Univ. of Pittsburgh) hbefore imbarking upon a journey which has lead them to a Hegelian like self promotion.

For no other reason, this book may be read to understand how to turn a wierd and sickening experience into self promotion.

Spawning a Bad Metaphysical Meme
I have read enough of this book as well as publications from the
spawning organization (SKS) to know a bad meme, ref."mimetics", when read.

Sadly a bizzare experience by a couple of young middle class kids in the late sixties and early seventies and on a largely male dominated farm in the hills of WVA has secured a place in cyberspace as well as some disingenuous minds in Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC areas.

We obviously live in a Cowardly New Worlsd where third rate metaphyics can gain some stock, especially when combining it with the business ventures of its principal exponents (Turak-Gold-Clark-Buehler).

Entertaining and Insightful
Reading this book has been a very pleasant and positive experience for me. Depending on where you are in your life and how much truth you can handle today, this book might be for you.
Let me share a few quotes that I extrated from it:

"The path to Truth only seems complex because we have to navigate the complexities and interferences of the mind. As these interferences are removed, the path becomes simpler. That's why one of the first things you need to do is get your house in order. Get your life organized to the point where you can at least think. Take an honest look at your life to see what's holding you up. Maybe it's fear, or an appetite, or a habit that no one else would consider destructive--and maybe it isn't destructive, except to the search."
...
"All you need is your own inner determination. Maybe a few words or lines in a book will help you, maybe they won't. But if something you hear appeals to your intuition, check it out. Prove or disprove it for yourself. Because when you get into these matters the only thing you have to go by is your intuition. And the more perfected your intuition becomes, the better you are at discrimination."
...
"The mistake people make is to wait for something to happen to them before they begin searching. They want the voice of God, or something, to tell them to get started. Or maybe they know they should be doing something but they procrastinate, hoping that tomorrow they'll have more conviction and be more determined. What they forget is there may be no tomorrow for them."
...
"I'd come to realize that if a man is ever going to grasp anything it won't be by learning. His being has to change. You are what you do, not what you know. A man never learns, he becomes. To become, you must find ways and means to change your entire state-of-mind. This in turn will lead to a change of being."
...
"When you finally realize that you're not doing anything in this life--that you're incapable of doing anything--then you stumble into a state of mindlessness that proves to be creative, that's all."
...
"The ego is the single biggest obstruction to the achievement of anything. Between-ness is the act of acting without ego. You act, but you are not the actor. You do things, but you are not the doer--and you know you are not the doer. It's the ability to hold the head at a dead standstill in order to effect certain changes. You desire the change, but you do not care if it comes to pass."
...
"Once a person has the formula, anything can be changed, even the future. Through determination, a man can discover how to completely change his destiny. There's thoughts--which are not yours, but come from elsewhere--and there gaps between thoughts. When you get into that gap between thoughts, you have the opportunity to completely reshuffle you life. This may sound impossible to you now, but try not to let your ignorance get in the way of understanding. I have just told you something of priceless value."

I'll stop here, but expect to find much more wisdom and insights in this book if you read it. ... Read more

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My miserable hearing does not trouble me here. In the country it seems as if every tree said to me: 'Holy! holy!' Who can give complete expression to the ecstasy of the woods ! O, the sweet stillness of the woods! ... Read more

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From the author of The Money Masters and "America's pre-eminent investor" (Business Week), this book ". . . imparts a wealth of lessons for any investor to emulate, no matter how skilled."The Market Chronicle ... Read more

Reviews (2)

What It Takes to Be a Good Investor
Before judging this book one should understand that it was written in 80's, those dark ages of investments. Therefore the approach taken by the author is to create an "awe" without going into any specific details about the Buffett's approach. I really liked the briefness of the book. Lots of information on his life is packed in hundred pages or so.
Best part of information there is is the part on how to invest like Buffett. Most valuable advises are: Look, Understand Figures, Value of Parts, Want It Enough, Innovate, Be Risk-Averse, Energy.
Overall, nice quick read.

Save Your Money.....
If you want Warren Buffet by John Train.....read his excellent 'Money Masters'.....his chapter on Buffet is first rate, and the entire book is worthwhile for both novice and experience investors. The best Buffet Book is the recent Roger Lowenstein book.... ... Read more

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Kobe Bryant may be one of the youngest basketball players in the NBA, but no one would dare call him inexperienced.The son of former NBA player Joe "Jellybean: Bryant, Kobe spent his childhood watching professional basketball.From the moment he could handle a ball, he was learning to dribble and shoot.At age eighteen he was given the chance to prove his stuff when he was drafted into the NBA.Fresh out of high school, Kobe showed he had the talent and the heart to make it in the pros. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Bio of Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant maybe one of the youngest basketball players in the NBA. He is the son of Joe"Jeallybean" Bryant, a basketball player and star of various European teams. Kobe's childhood watching professional basketball games made him pick up a basketball for the first time. He was learning how to shoot and dribble. His basketball education was a unique combination of lessons on basic fundamentals, one-on-one game against his dad, and keen observation and analysis of the world's best players. Kobe learned his lesson well, and at age 18 he was given the chance to prove it. He was drafted into the NBA when he was fresh out of high school. Kobe showed that he had the talent and the heart to make it in the pros. From one out of five, I rate this book a five because it made me want to play basketball.

bY:cHrIs

very much on point
Kobe Bryant is gonna be Scary in 5 years is what I tell everybody who I talk to about Basketball.right now along with Shaq&the Rest of the Lakers they are on the Verge of a serious Dynasty run.this Book shows the start of how Kobe Bryant has been making choices&the way He has picked the path for his destiny.He has overcome alot already more than most folks truly give Him Credit for.i enjoyed the way this book out-lined everything He is About thus far&the road that has lead Him to the Player He has become.

A superb juvenile biography of Laker star Kobe Bryant
First off, you have to love any juvenile book, even a biography of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, that uses the word "exponentially." Obviously there is no dumbing down the writing by Glenn Stout. But apart from the style "On the Court with . . . Kobe Bryant" has a substantive point to make. When Bryant finished his senior season of basketball in high school he had to make a decision about going to college or trying to jump right to the NBA. Stout does a solid job of explaining both sides of the controversy, but he has also set up the decision in terms of Bryant's life. The first part of the book talks about the important of Bryant's father, a former NBA player, who gave his son not only some nice basketball genes but also taught him about the game. Stout emphasizes that Bryant's understanding of the game and his work ethic were as important as his physical skills in preparing him for the NBA. Also, when their son was suddenly a teenage millionaire in the pros, the Bryant family moved to L.A. to provide a support system that a lot of other phenoms never had and certainly could have used. Hopefully any young player who wants to grow up to be like Kobe will understand the lessons embedded in this biography, because, as Charles Barkley and many others have repeated noted, most of the kids in the NBA today simply do not know how to play the game. Bryant is an exception to the rule and this book clearly explains why. I also like the fact that most of the book is not about Kobe Bryant in the NBA, but pays as much attention to his high school career and to the time he spent living in Italy. Young readers will not just read about what Bryant has done but will understand the hows and whys of his success. This book includes 10 black & white photographs from Bryant's career, along with his NBA statistics through the Lakers's first championship in 2000 and a short list of career highlights. The cover of this book proclaims it to be "The #1 Sports Series for Kids." Well, if the other titles are as good as this one, then it deserves to be. ... Read more