Book Description

Sheila Walsh reads a condensed version of her struggle to find a truth strong and real enough to set her free.Read by Sheila Walsh. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Powerful Testimony & Book
A few years ago I found a new copy of this book at a used book store for a decent price. I gave it to my dad for Christmas because he's an avid reader of non-fiction, especially biographies & autobiographies. I wish I'd read it first before I gave it away. I eventually bought a copy from Amazon & read it recently (4/04). I'm glad I finally read it myself.

Sheila Walsh got saved when she was 11 years old. On the outside, she was a successful Christian talk show host, singer, & author. But she had ghosts from her childhood that she had never dealt with properly. At what seemed like th peak of her success(age 35), she stepped down from her spot as the co-host of the 700 Club & checked herself into a Christian Psychiatric Ward in Washington, D.C. That was probably the best thing that she did for herself. From there on out, God began to work on the the things that had tormented her for so many years. Today she is happy, healthy, whole, & restored. her life is truly a testimony to what God can do if we surrender totally to him.

Thank you, Sheila, for writing this book. My prayer is that your books, sermons, & music will continue to touch many people as they already have. God bless you, Sheila Walsh!

WONDERFUL -- speaks to the heart
I have struggled with, at times winning and at times losseing, depression since I was a small child. I am a strong full-faith Christian. Believe it or not, and a lot of people don't -- you can be both. Sheila breaks that ground and opens her heart and her soul for the good of us reading. She has hurt sooooo much; and come soooo close to the edge of darkness. This book speaks to the heart and damaged maind of every depressed reader; I have cried on each page; for her and for me. It is a great read for the non-depressed to illustrate that a real and active Christan can still be attacked. The support the book offers for fellow depression suffers is excellent. It is not a total explanation of depression, nor of "seeking help" but it is a personal journy that empowers other to walk the path. It is not all you need to read; but it is a read support.

A light in the dark
It has been a few years since I read Sheila's book, so I don't remember a lot of specific details about it as much as the feelings I had about it. I got the book after attending a Women of Faith conference where I heard Sheila speak. Part of what Sheila shared with us was about her struggle with depression. I was deeply touched by Sheila's story, as I could relate to many aspects of it. I began struggling with depression while I was in high school. My life seemed to be going well as I was an honor student apparently headed for a good college and career. But inside, I felt like I was falling apart. It was hard for me to share what I was feeling as I was also dealing with denial and shame. While I was never hospitalized as Sheila was, I always had the feeling that I was just barely hanging on. Fortunately, I was able to find some answers in books I read, but as I tried to share what I was experiencing with other people, I encountered as much misunderstanding and condemnation as compassion and understanding. So I could relate to Sheila's feelings of isolation, and her need to hide her true self from the world.
As for Sheila's book Honestly, it was like a light in the dark for me, to hear from someone who had experienced something similar to what I went through. It helped me know I was not alone, and played a role in my healing process as I read it and reread parts that were most significant to me. It was also encouraging to see how God was using Sheila's painful experiences to enable her to minister to others, a concrete example of how God can take the bad in our lives and transform it into good.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with depression, shame, and feeling like they have to hide their true self from other people. It is helpful to hear from others who have shared these feelings, and we can learn from their experiences. For those who may not be going through these things, I would recommend this book as a tool to gain some understanding of those who are, and to better know how to respond to others' pain with compassion.
Just as an added note, for those who may think depression is just something to be "fixed", I went into it as an atheist, and came out with a rock solid faith in God. The pain of depression can be helpful in that it may cause us to question our perception of reality, to be seeking something more, and to see our need for and be more receptive to God's love and compassion. In this respect, depression can be a catalyst for spiritual, emotional and mental growth.

Honestly
I would like to retract the review that I made earlier this evening. My review was honest and true, but I fear much too hard after thinking about it. If one person is helped by this book, then it will be THE ANSWER for them.

Honest
I have just completed reading Honestly by Sheila Walsh. After hearing her CD Hope, it was my hope that this book would be anointed by God to bring healing to those who had gone through something similar to what she had gone through. It was my hope that it would give direction and maybe even some answers to God's silence during times like this. I was able to relate to many notations in her book, because I have spent time looking for help and have read many of the old classics. Especially Dark Night of the Soul. Many phrases in her book spoke to my heart and let me know that she had been where I am and have been for a long time. Though her writing was honest and she bared her life to her readers, I do not want anyone to be misled that this book offers THE ANSWER. She gave some wonderful recommendations for getting help -- find a Christian counselor, talk to Christian friends, don't shut people out. Sheila Walsh was very fortunate in that she did not feel foresaken or deserted by God. She is very lucky in that she continued to experience God's presence in her life during her time of recovery. ... Read more

Book Description

Read by the author
3 cassettes5 hours

From the bestselling author of What I Saw at the Revolution comes an elegiac tribute to one of America's most beloved leaders.

It is twenty years—a full generation—since Ronald Reagan first walked into the White House and ignited a revolution.From the beginning, he enjoyed the American people's affection but now, as he approaches the end of his life, he has received what he deserved even more: their deep respect.

What was the wellspring of his greatness?Peggy Noonan, bestselling author of the classic Reagan-era memoir What I Saw at the Revolution, former speechwriter, and now a columnist and contributing editor for The Wall Street Journal, argues that the secret of Reagan's success was no secret at all.It was his character—his courage, his kindness, his persistence, his honesty, and his almost heroic patience in the face of setbacks—that was the most important element of his success.

The one thing a man must bring into the White House with him if he is to succeed, Noonan contends, is a character that people come to recognize as high, sturdy, and reliable.

Noonan, renowned for her special insight into Ronald Reagan's history and personality, brings her own reflections to Reagan to bear in When Character Was King and discloses never-before-told stories from the former president's family, friends, and White House colleagues to reveal the true nature of a man even his opponents now view as a maker of big history.

Marked by incisive wit and elegant prose, When Character Was King will enlighten and move listeners. ... Read more

Reviews (141)

A-plus-plus
For devout Reaganites, Peggy Noonan's new book covers familiar ground. We're well acquainted with this quintessentially American success story, and with the deeply patriotic and moralistic ideals which underpinned RR's policies, particularly in the foreign policy sphere.

Yet, what makes this book so special is Ms. Noonan's extraordinary gifts for storytelling. A measure of her formidable talents is her ability to take well-chronicled events -- the hardscrabble Illinois childhood, the SAG and GE years, the 1976 near miss, the PATCO strike, the assassination ordeal, Iran-Contra, the Iceland Summit, etc, etc -- and infuse them with fresh energy and perspective.

As Ms. Noonan recounted RR's clear-eyed, strong-willed, visionary posture vis-a-vis the Soviets, I could not help but reflect on how those qualities have been sorely absent from U.S. foreign policy over the past decade -- and how urgently important they are right now. Indeed, the book's penultimate chapter is devoted to the lessons George W. Bush absorbed from nearly a decade of watching RR.

"When Character is King" advances Peggy Noonan's reputation as one of the finest political writers of her generation. A worthy successor to the memoir of her years in the Reagan White House: "What I Saw at the Revolution."

At first disappointing, but it satisfies in the end
Peggy Noonan - who really does write "like an angel" as someone once said - would no doubt argue that to understand Ronald Reagan's character one must know in considerable detail about his origins. The first half or more of her book is a biographical chronicle of Reagan's rise from childhood to presidency. It is only sparsely salted with illuminating stories as it carefully recounts the progression of a life that was, until later, not extraordinary. It leaves us wanting more.

However the book delivers more in its later chapters as Noonan recounts less-known stories from her own and others' experience with Reagan as candidate and president. She knits them together with insight and astute observations to illuminate a fine man. The book in the end adequately depicts Reagan's strong convictions in his principles and sense of ethics, his respect for people of all stripes and his extra gentleness for the powerless and ordinary, his often self-deprecating humour, his love of nature and physical work, his seemingly-boundless optimism and other cornerstones of his character and his success.

Ultimately, the book fails in only one respect: it does not show much of the steely edge which most people experienced in politics would believe that Reagan must have had to make it to the Oval Office. Not showing this part of the man's character makes Ms. Noonan's picture less complete. However it is certainly not the one-sided deification that a few one-star reviews by obvious flaming liberals have claimed, and is well worth the time in reading.

A Stirring Tribute to a Great Leader
I agree 100% with the other reviewers who have praised this book. Peggy Noonan's book serves as a concise but relatively thorough biography of Reagan, an informative explanation of the influences that guided his decisions before and during his political career, and a spirited and insightful defense of some of Reagan's controversial actions (controversial, at least, to those who Reagan called "our liberal friends" who "know so many things that are not so"). Plenty of funny, enlightening, and touching anecdotes help to make this a great tribute to one of our Nation's greatest leaders.

An insiders view of a great president
This book was written by a former speech writer for Ronald Reagan. It features more than just a look inside the Reagan White House. It tells of his childhood in northern Illinois all the way through to his battle with Alzheimer's. There are amusing tales of Reagan's meetings with foreign heads of state. There is great detail of Iran Contra and Reagan's meetings with Gorachev. I expected the book to take a vary favorable position of Reagan (which it did for the most part) but Noonan was not exactly complimentary at times.

The best part of this book told the story of Reagan taking on the Communist infiltration of Hollywood in the 40's. I was unaware of this and found it quite interesting. It laid the foundation for his life in public office. Another interesting theme of the book shows how Reagan made the conversion from the Democratic to Republican party. I bet not many people knew he was a Democrat until midlife.

"DON'T LET THE TURKEYS GET YOU DOWN."
When Ronald Reagan left office, he told George H.W. Bush, "Don't let the turkeys get you down." This is sage advice of the highest order, and applies to all people, famous or not. This is the Ronald Reagan that Peggy Noonan writes about.

Reagan was excoriated during his time, but he never became petty. The way he handled criticism is a model for the way all good people should handle criticism. The Reagan model is to stay positive and upbeat, no matter what the drumbeat of stupidity is. To follow his example is to stay above the fray, to maintain the Christian principle "forgive me my tresspasses, as I forgive those who trespass against me." The lessons that average people can learn from Reagan is that if you are a good and decent person, even if the small people, the various and sundry pizzants of the Dumbellionite Class, the ignoramuses, the people of low moral character, the dregs and the ne'r'do'wells attempt to mock you, to bring you down to their level, to react with jealousy at succeses they are unable to achieve, simply continue on a path of honesty and good works. Forgive them and let not your heart be troubled.

God bless Ronald Reagan.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
... ... Read more

Book Description

From the renowned biographer and national bestselling author of The Kennedy Women and The Kennedy Men comes the third volume in the epic multi-generational history of America's first family.

Sons of Camelot is the compelling story of the Kennedy sons and grandsons in the aftermath of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. It is the most intimate biography ever written about the Kennedys, with the cooperation of family and friends at a moment when they are ready to talk with integrity and depth about their lives. Among the many stunning portraits in the book is the definitive account of John F. Kennedy Jr.'s life, including interviews with his ten closest friends, none of whom has ever talked to an author before.

Based on five years of rigorous research and unprecedented cooperation from the five surviving sons of Robert Kennedy, the four Shriver sons, Maria Shriver, and other Kennedys, Sons of Camelot is the most authoritative and revealing book ever written about these lives. Characterized by overwhelming drama, the lives of Joseph P. Kennedy's youthful progeny are full of exalted aspirations, notable achievements, and the most spectacular mishaps, excesses, and tragedies.

Heartbreaking and inspiring, Sons of Camelot is a spellbinding history of individuals and a family, a journey of character through time told by a brilliant, masterful writer.

Reviews (18)

JFK, Jr. and so much more
This book has handsome JFK, Jr. on the cover and opens with young John-John saluting his father's coffin, and capturing our hearts. However this book is not devoted to President Kennedy's namesake. He's included here, but so are his equally fascinating -- if not as glamorous -- male cousins. Here are doomed Michael and David, ambitious Joe and a pair of gifted Bobbys (Kennedy and Shriver). There's Tim Shriver, trying to find his way within a powerful family. Ted Kennedy's sons have led particularly poignant lives, dealing with the legacy of Chappaquidick and their mother's alcoholism as well as their uncles' assasinations. I came away from this book with a renewed respect for Jackie and Eunice for their mothering skills, for their sons of Camelot were guided with surer, more attentive and imaginative hands than many of their cousins. While it was an interesting and educational read, I wish it had been longer and gone into more detail. So many of these young men were previously unknown to me and I wanted to know more. Still, I recommend it.

Spreading lies about JFK Jr. and his wife using anonymous so
Spreading lies about JFK Jr. and his wife using anonymous sources.
People that think that this was for selling better are in denial.
The reason is much more sinister. For some reason the goal of the book is to cover-up the circumstances of his death.
The other reason is to diffamate his memory. Does November 2, 2004 ring a bell ?

Should have been the Sons and DAUGHTERS of Camelot
Here is the next generation of the Kennedys, warts and all. If you idolize the Kennedys, you won't be happy and if you hate the Kennedys, you won't be happy. But if you want a fairly well rounded account of the younger generation of Kennedys, Laurence Leamer's book does a good job. The sordid (the liberal use of drugs among the next generation, death of David Kennedy, the scandalous life of Michael Kennedy, etc.) and the positive (JFK Jr.'s loyalty to his friends, RFK Jr.'s rehabilitation into a leading environmentalist, Tim Shriver's teaching career helping disadvantaged children, etc.) are both discussed here. It deals in scandal, of course, but all in all is pretty even handed.

However, Leamer does not discuss some of the outstanding female members of the next generation, including Kathleen Kennedy, Lt. Governor of Maryland, Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver. Joseph Kennedy promoted his sons in public life while virtually ignoring his daughters (even old Joe admitted that if daughter Eunice "had b*lls, she'd be president."), but several of the female members of the next generation have made their mark. It's too bad that Leamer brings his book down a notch by ignoring the Kennedy women -- they deserve some mention as well.

a good read
This is a comprehensive, non sensationalized account of the lives of the younger Kennedys. The book manages to be interesting without becoming tabloidish in tone (as some of the other books have). The author appears to have made an effort to be thorough and fair in his reporting of events.

A tasty appeteaser
Mr. Leamer has done a wonderful job of introducing the new generation of Kennedy sons.I just completed the book; and felt I wanted to learn even more.There are apparently too many Kennedy sons to focus on in one book.I had the feeling they all merited their own individual biographies.

While the author did offer up new information on the family; he sometimes held back in a very agonizing way.For example, he spends most of the book focusing on JFK, Jr.At the end of bk; as he describes John's last days -- he states that John had many complications in his life, espcially marriage, family and business.He briefly noted that John did not get along with Caroline Kennedy's husband, Mr. Schlossberg.He didn't give a hint of what was going on, yet many people are intrigued by Ms. Kennedy's mysterious Jewish husband.It left this reader wondering what was going on.The author knew, and he didn't care to share.

Since he did include Ted Kennedy in this volume; it would have been interesting to hear about how he and his second wife got married -- and how she interacts with the family.

The Lawford branch was given very short shift, and you can't tell me those kids don't have good stories to tell!

This book was long, but it was only an introduction.The Kennedy fans will enjoy it, but they will close the book hungry for more! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A very enjoyable introduction to Mozart
It seems the most popular budget classical music label, Naxos, not only makes most of the Western musical output available at very reasonable prices (no top stars who demand absurd fees make this possible), but it has also issued three very nice boxed sets of recordings on cassettes and CDs (I have the latter) that together give you a quick, fairly accurate, and quite enjoyable survey of three major topics. Perry Keenlyside's (NA 314412) is on three tapes or CDs and more or less delivers what the title promises in about 3 hours and 40 minutes. The text is considerately divided into sections--"Mozart, the child prodigy," "January 1762, the first journeys," "Paris and London, 1763-4," and so on--with tracking cues for each section. The narration and quotations from letters and journals of the time are accompanied by the appropriate music drawn from the bottomless Naxos catalogue. Nigel Anthony is the narrator, aided by Paul Rhys (Mozart), Edward de Souza (Leopold Mozart), with David Timson and Anna Patrick in "other parts." I have not seen the original books to see how much of an abridgment this is, if at all, but that is immaterial. The voices are personable, the information digestible, the whole project very worth while, especially at the price. My only objection to the Naxos recordings of books in the low recording level that makes it a bit difficult to hear on a walkman set up on (say) a noisy train. But this should offer no problem to home hearing or even in your car. These sets are really perfect listening for long trips. ... Read more

Book Description

A riveting and uproarious collection of true tales of fishing and adventure at sea by Linda Greenlaw -- author of the New York Times bestsellers The Lobster Chronicles and The Hungry Ocean.

When New York Times bestselling author Linda Greenlaw goes fishing, she catches us all -- hook, line, and sinker.

Just before Christmas, Linda meets up with her best friend and fellow fisherman Alden Leeman for lunch and a drink at the Dry Dock, a well-worn watering hole in Portland, Maine. Alden, the captain of Linda's first fishing expedition, has seen his share of mishaps and adventures at sea. When Linda shares memories of navigating her ship through one of the craziest storms she's ever seen, Alden quickly follows up with his own tales. Then other fishermen, who are sitting on the periphery attentively listening, decide to weigh in with yarns of their own.

All Fishermen Are Liars brims with true stories of the most eccentric crew member, the funniest episode, the biggest fish, and the wildest night at sea. Denizens of the Dry Dock drift in and out as the bar begins to swell with rounds of drinks and tales that increase in drama. Here are some of the greatest fishing stories ever -- all relayed by Linda Greenlaw in her inimitable style.

All Fishermen Are Liars will give readers what they have come to love and expect from Linda Greenlaw -- luminous descriptions and edge-of-the-seat thrills. It's the perfect book for anyone who loves fishing and the sea. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Aww, what the heck¿another round please!
Linda Greenlaw landed the mother of all catches with her first book, The Hungry Ocean. Unfortunately, her subsequent work will always be compared with that initial gripping tale of longline swordfishing. As with her second book, The Lobster Chronicles, this new compendium of fishing tales, in All Fisherman Are Liars (AFAL) she provides an enjoyable, entertaining read, but nothing to compare to the can't-put-it-down original novel.

AFAL is an assemblage of perhaps a dozen good stories from fisherman of their time at sea. Far and away the most dramatic is the tale of David Marks, caught in a Caribbean hurricane in chapter four. The trouble is we don't get enough to fully satisfy; this one 'Shackleton-esque' story might have made an excellent novel itself. As with some of the other tales, it begins too fast and ends too soon.

Greenlaw uses a one-night gathering in Portland, Maine's Dry Dock Bar as a device to hold the stories together. Ostensibly she has a lunch date with old friend Alden Leeman, a salty ex-boss and longtime fishing friend, with whom she hopes to have a serious discussion about his health and impending retirement. Lunch turns into a continuous run of sea yarns from Linda, Alden and various other close friends in their fishing community. The clothesline on which she hangs the stories droops after a few chapters with the sogginess of her meeting's premise: her concern for Alden's health grows repetitive. We just want the next story, please.

Still, she brings color to her characters and the stories she has collected. Readers of her previous books will recognize some of the characters and boats. And the "Bar Snacks" with which she separates the chapters, feed us with amusing tidbits and observations, for instance, "Fibs and Exaggerations of Crew Members." An enjoyable summer read. Keep writing Linda.

All Fishermen Are Liars - From One Qualified to Tell It
We first met Linda Greenlaw when she was introduced to us by Sebatsian Junger in The Perfect Storm. During that epic event she was a longline swordfishing captain on the Hannah Bowden and while the book was not about her, she played a significant role in the story. Later she introduced herself to us in her first book, The Hungry Ocean where she told us of her history and experiences in one of the most dangerous professions a person could chose. In her second book, The Lobster Chronicles, she has "retired" from swordfishing and is living with her parents on The Isle au Haut while she goes about the coastal business of lobstering with her Dad as her sternman and also goes about the business of adjusting her life to that of a successful author and recorder of the life and times of that place off the Maine Coast.

In her third literary effort, Lindaw recounts a very long "lunch" with her best friend, Alden Leeman. However, it is much more than that. Leeman is recovering from heart surgery, Greenlaw is worried about his insistence on continuing to be a commercial fisherman. As she points out, "Fishing is not what Alden does for a living, it is what he is." He is also stubborn, profane, a curmudgeon and a person you can count on when the sea is rough and the wind is coming from a bad quarter.

The "lunch" takes place in a Portland watering hole namewd the Dry Dock. During the course of it, which lasts until closing time, yarns are spun, stories swapped, lies told, memories churned and lessons are taught and sometimes ignored by those hearing them. The purpose of the lunch was to get Alden to slow down or even consider retiring from fishing. The result of it was a chatty and interesting book which those who have liked Greenlaws's writing will appreciate. It is a little thin, in my judgement for the price, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it, for I did. She has been promising us a novel about the sea, drawn from her experiences for a couplke of books now. Whether or not that will happen is still in the wind, but her insights into the personal condition and the hearts of those who go down to the sea should be a wonderful framework for the effort, when it is ever undertaken.

This enjoyable collection will hook readers from the launch
Linda Greenlaw (author of THE HUNGRY OCEAN and THE LOBSTER CHRONICLES) writes of her adventures at sea in such passionate, loving terms that she inspires fishing dreams in the most landlubberish of readers. This collection of "true fishermen's" stories was gathered in one prolonged lunch with her best friend Alden at Portland, Maine's Dry Dock Bar. The tales are separated by entertaining short extra pieces called "Bar Snacks."

Greenlaw approaches the lunch nervously thanks to her determination to coax Alden to retire from fishing because of his heart condition. She fears fishing will be the death of him, but she knows he won't accept her guidance in any remotely graceful manner. The author describes Alden as her mentor. He taught her countless lessons about fishing and about life, and gave Greenlaw her first experience as a ship's captain. However, Greenlaw adds affectionately, he has also given her the world's worst advice in all areas. Thanks to his financial counsel, she disregards student loans and credit card payments. She also credits Alden with teaching her countless bad habits. He's lacking in the social graces and has taken pains to never learn a thing from her. Yet Greenlaw adores Alden and calls him "the most amazing man I've ever encountered."

Before the subject of Alden's ill health is approached, a random comment from him launches Greenlaw into the first story, a musing on an ex-beau, Alan, and his incredibly poor luck as a fisherman. That bad mojo included wrecking a friend's motorcycle, mechanical problems with his boat, poor fishing, sunken ships, and being cheated. He was also lied to, stolen from, punched by a crew member, and on and on.

After Alan's story is finished, Greenlaw gathers her courage to introduce the subject of Alden's health as they order lunch. A storm threatens, which inspires Greenlaw to relate her tale at sea during "the storm of the century." At the time of the storm, in March 1993, Greenlaw was captain of a lobster fishing rig. She chose to ignore warnings to head to shore --- a decision she profoundly regretted when the storm hit.

Alden then gleefully one-ups Greenlaw's tale of terror. And so it goes, one story after the other. The lunch and storytelling last until after ten at night. The tales consist of horror stories and a ghost story, high adventure and low humor. In one yarn, a whore awakens to find herself at sea on a fishing expedition; in another, Greenlaw encounters a legendary and charming outlaw. All the stories celebrate the love between fishermen and the sea.

If I sometimes feel Greenlaw describes the technical details of fishing a little too thoroughly (a tangled wire is a tangled wire, and telling what it is, how it tangled and how to untangle it slows the story), I suspect others won't necessarily agree with me. At any rate, the book's yarns are so enthralling that any mini dissertation is a mere minor distraction. Indeed, Greenlaw's love for fishing and the sea invigorate her prose. Her beautifully compelling description of life at sea is so irresistible, it's all I can do not to head for the nearest fishing vessel and (try to) sign on when I read:

"The ocean has a way of swallowing your troubles, leaving you with a carefree feeling, while at the same time enforcing the notion that you are indeed the master of your own destiny. So, if you are making any headway at all toward a desired destination, you become so content that you dream of staying offshore forever.

The simplest things became astounding. The commonplace became remarkable."

The same can be said for ALL FISHERMEN ARE LIARS, a book that will hook readers from the launch and make them glad (...) ... Read more

Book Description

On May 24, 1869 a one-armed Civil War veteran named John Wesley Powell and a ragtag band of nine mountain men embarked on the last great quest in the American West. No one had ever explored the fabled Grand Canyon, to adventurers of that era a region almost as mysterious as Atlantis -- and as perilous.

The ten men set out down the mighty Colorado River in wooden rowboats. Six survived. Drawing on rarely examined diaries and journals. Down the Great Unknown is the first book to tell the full, true story.

Reviews (20)

Down the Great Unknown
I have never been down the Green River, the Colorado River or even to the Grand Canyon. Having read Dolnick's book about John Wesley Powell's first expedition, I definitely want to go there and read more about this. Dolnick's writing is so vivid, and clear that you almost feel like you are on the expedition too. It would be hard to write a fictional account of an adventure that would be more exciting than Powell's expedition. Every day there was some thing more awful or wonderful than the day before. Real unexplored territory! Looking at the bibliography and chapter notes, it is obvious that Dolnick did a great deal of research before he wrote this book. The use of the primary sources, especially diaries of men on the expedition, add a great deal to the delight of reading this book. You get to know some of the "characters" quite well. A highly recommended read.

Exciting, but Flawed, Historical Account
If author Edward Dolnick had been content to provide a straightforwrd account of John Wesley Powell's historic exploration of the Grand Canyon, then "Down the Great Unknown" would be a timeless adventure classic. Dolnick is a gifted writer with a great flair for enticing details. Unfortunately, he continually gets sidetracked with stories having little or nothing to do with expedition, and often goes, if you'll pardon the pun, overboard with his cutesy metaphors. The end result is an informative book that is almost as exhausting to read as the expedition itself was to endure.

The tale of the Powell expedition hardly needs embellishing. He set out with nine men down the Green and Colorado rivers through what at the time was virtually unknown territory in wooden boats battling some of the most forbidding whitewater in the world. That his party survied at all is remarkable. That they did so without any deaths or serious injury (at least from accident or mishap), is astounding.

Dolnick's problem as a narrator presents itself early on when he detours from the trip for two full chapters describing Powell's losing his arm at the Battle of Shiloh. Certainly, the injury is an important part of Powell's story, but a complete retelling of the history of battle itself is unnecessary. As the book progresses, Dolnick gets distracted with other Grand Canyon anecdotes, and often spends time describing in the second person what it is like to go rafting in the area today. One or two such descriptions would have sufficed, but the author keeps going back to them again and again.

Overall, "Down the Great Unknown" covers a fascinating subject, but is a widely uneven reading experience.

Good subject, terrible writing
I finished this book because the subject matter was so interesting, when all the while the narrative style was killing me!
The author really beats a dead horse trying to drive home how dangerous, fast, and powerful the river is. I felt like screaming "enough already"!
However, some images from the book still haunt me. And I did finish it cover to cover, staying up late at night, despite the annoying author!

The True Story Behind the Powell Expedition
There are several epic sagas of exploration in the present-day "lower 48" United States. Chronologically, the first was Cabeza de Vaca's 1527-35 trek from Florida through the American Southwest and into Mexico. Then there was the journey of Lewis and Clark in 1803. Finally, there was that insane one-armed army major who with nine companions floated down the unmapped Green and Colorado rivers.

Having read and enjoyed John Wesley Powell's own book about his 1869 expedition, I was shocked to hear that is was written decades after the events had taken place. Time had added an optimistic, even roseate glow to what was actually one hundred days of hell on earth with a crew that was grumbling and even mutinous at times. Instead of basing his book exclusively on Powell's book, he used the actual diaries written by Powell, Bradley, and others at the time to round out his tale.

No doubt, you know that thousands of people of floated down the Colorado in recent years. But Powell and his men used keeled rowboats in which the men with their oars faced the rapids with their BACKS. In other words, they were facing the wrong direction most of the time. When they undertook the journey, they had no way of knowing whether there were waterfalls that would plunge them to their deaths. (There is one such waterfall on the Little Colorado, which feeds into the Colorado proper south of Lee's Ferry.) As it was, irrespective of how much they grumbled, Powell saw all his men landed safely, except for the three who abandoned the party at Sepration Canyon and were mysteriously murdered by Indians or (possibly) paranoid Mormons who disbelieved their story of running the Colorado.

Dolnick's descriptions of the perils of white-water running rival Krakauer's descriptions of climbing Everest in INTO THIN AIR or the tempest in Sebastian Junger's THE PERFECT STORM. The author's attention to detail and apparent knowledge of his subject made DOWN THE GREAT UNKNOWN a joy to read.

My only real complaint is that Dolnick interrupts the journey with a multi-chapter flashback of Powell's experiences at the battle of Shiloh, where he lost his arm. The matter, however interesting in itself, should have been introduced earlier, along with more background information about his crew, rather than interrupting the main narrative. My only other complaint is that I would have preferred standard superscripted numerical endnotes to the phrase cues he uses; and I would have preferred a better map of the entire expedition that appears on the endpapers of the hardback version.

Still and all, this is a superlative page-turner that I would recommend to anyone with an interest in American history or even tales of adventure.

By far the best JWP book I have bought
This excellent book is a combination of facts, suspense, humor, and social and political background that will keep you interested throughout the book and hoping it will not end. The author has the ability to keep your interest and bring the entire journey to life. I found reading it along with the photos of "In the Footsteps of JWP: An Album of Comparative Photographs" helped me experience the beauty as well as the dangers of Wesley's adventure. I have only two regrets-First that Edward Dolnick has not written more books and Second that books like this were not around when I snoozed my way through my history and life science courses in high school! ... Read more

Reviews (106)

Like a Picture From an Old Life Magazine
Mary Karr has nailed the language, smell, taste, sounds, colors and feelings of a childhood in Texas and Colorado in the 60's and 70's. She tells us the story that only a child raised on adrenalin can tell - one of humor, fear and alert, honest observation. Her memories are sharp and clear and exactly what a child would have chosen to note. This is the painfully honest and extrordinarily funny (as only the truth can be) story of two little girls trying to raise their alcoholic parents and the pasts that led the parents to that point. What is so wonderful about this memoir is that, in spite of the tribulations these little girls go through, their love for their parents and their willingness to protect them surpasses all other emotions. If for no other reason, read this book for the language. I've heard people say that it's exaggerated or embellished for this book. I can tell you that she must have a memory like a steel trap because she brought back words and sayings from my childhood that I had long forgotten. If you are only going to read one memoir this year, forget "Angela's Ashes", forget "The Color of Water". They both pale in comparison to "The Liar's Club".

Strength out of misery
Mary Karr grew up in an ugly place, the refinery/swamp town of Port Arthur, Texas, and in an ugly situation, with a mentally unstable mother and a hot tempered, hard drinking father. Yet out of such ugliness, she extracted great beauty in order to write this dazzling memoir. Despite Karr's dysfunctional childhood, her writing is completely devoid of woe-is-me whining or psychobabble.

Karr has a gift for spinning a tale, perhaps inherited from her father or honed at gatherings of his friends in "The Liar's Club," a group that met to drink, play cards, and swap stories. And boy, the stories she tells! There's the stories about her mother's manic/pyschotic episodes, including one time when she set her children's belongings on fire, another time when she attempted to drive the family off a bridge, and a third time when she threatened her lazy husband with a gun. Karr also tells about her inconsistent relationship with her father, who suffered a difficult life but emerged, if not unscathed, then unbroken.

Most remarkable about the book, though, are not the amazing stories but the matter of fact, even at times hilarious tone in which they are told. The woman telling these stories is no victim; she is a survivor. A miserable childhood did not cause Mary Karr to surrender her spirit, but rather forged her in fire and made her stronger.

Funny writing, down-to-earth style
I thought I was sick of daughters-with-crazy-mothers (often from the South) books, but this one sucked me in with its wit and candor. It's hard to stop and feel any sympathy for the narrator because you're laughing so hard. Definitely a great summer beach read. Other good crazy-mother books: Sights Unseen, An Egg on Three Sticks, Blackbird.

Disturbing Fiction
This book is fiction, not a memoir. The author writes that her mother was in a hurry to marry her Dad because she was already 30. By the time Mary's older sister is 9, Mary's grandmother moves in with the family. Mary Karr writes: "It must be terrible to have cancer at age 50". So, the grandmother was 50 at the time and the mother was (at least) 30+9+9 months = 40 years old? I don't think so!

I liked the way Mary Karr tells the story - for a while. I really enjoyed the tall tales her father made up in the first third or so of the book. After the second sexual abuse scene, however, I had thoroughly enough of the despicable characters. No need reading somebody else's nightmares stated as a fact.

Wow--just Wow
If you don't own a copy of The Liars' Club, your collection is incomplete. This is by far the smartest, ballsiest, sassiest, best-written memoir I've read. Karr takes normal words and turns them into pure emotion and eye-opening description. Never have I come away from a book feeling as though I've lived that life, experienced those situations. This book is the exception.

Karr takes us into her life growing up in Texas, the daughter of an odd set of parents and the product of too much time and too little to do with it. She tells of family tragedies and heartache so plainly, so matter-of-factly that the reader comes away with a sense of belonging to the madness that was Karr's life. What's more, deep into the book, one realizes that quite possibly, the title of the book may be revealing a private joke Karr is playing on her readers. The seed of doubt is planted, thus enhancing the story and the experience.

I enjoyed this book thoroughly. It's worth a second and third read. I'm awaiting Karr's third book with the same patience as a kid on Christmas Eve. ... Read more

Book Description

Reagan In His Own Voice features Ronald Reagan's radio addresses from the late 1970s. Edited by Kiron K. Skinner, Annelise Anderson, and Martin Anderson, they are introduced by George Shultz and feature additional introductions by Nancy Reagan, Richard V. Allen, Judge William Clark, Michael Deaver, Peter Hannaford, Edwin Meese III and Harry O'Connor.

From 1975 to 1979 Ronald Reagan gave more than 1,000 daily radio broadcasts, the great majority of which he wrote himself. This program represents the opening of a major archive of pre-presidential material from the Reagan Library and the Hoover Institution Archives. These addresses transform our image of Ronald Reagan, and enhance and revise our understanding of the late 1970s -- a time when Reagan held no political office, but was nonetheless mapping out a strategy to transform the economy, end the cold war, and create a vision of America that would propel him to the presidency.

These radio programs demonstrate that Reagan had carefully considered nearly every issue he would face as president. Reagan's radio broadcasts will change his reputation even among his closest allies and friends. Here, in his own voice, Reagan the thinker is finally fully revealed. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A Precious Historical Legacy
As I write this, the news has come through of Ronald Reagan's sad passsing at age 93. It marked an appropriate occasion for me to listen to this set for the first time that had been given me as a gift.

This is by far a precious historical legacy. In Ronald Reagan's own voice, delivering radio commentaries from 1975-79, we gain a better understanding of why he became President in 1980, and our greatest president of the last half-century. Students of recent political history should listen to these to really understand the measure of Reagan's convictions, and his plain-spoken, amiable personality that enabled him to connect with the American people in a way no other President of the last 60 years has done before or since.

Godspeed, Mr. President, and thank you for what you gave to our country and to the world as well.

Timeless commentary
I found myself consumed with this collection. I listened to the entire 5-CD set in one sitting. Though these commentaries took place in the 1970s, the wisdom contained within is timeless. You will find Reagan's words prophetic and very applicable to the 21st century. As you listen to these, keep in mind that Reagan personally wrote each of these commentaries. Outstanding collection!

A Visionary and Motivator
Simply a superb human being in spite of his shortcomings. The country needed him in 1980 and still does. Reagan was a man with a combination of wisdom, charisma, and he was intelligent and well read too; Qualities that are lacking in the leaders of today. You will be inspired all over again when you listen to these tapes.

Statesman
In my eyes, Ronald Reagan will be remembered best for uniting Americans and the entire world behind his plans while avoiding making enemies. Hastening the end of the Cold War without a single shot fired is his greatest accomplishment.
These CDs show a shrewd mind and the keen attention-to-detail he paid to his plans many years before his run for president.
His commitment to fiscal responsibility, international leadership and personal integrity is clear.
As a Reagan Democrat, I am proud to have lived during his presidency and believe that recent administrations could learn alot from studying this statesman.

Mr. Reagan was God's Gift to America
At a time when Americans measured their misery on Jimmy Carter's Misery Index, Ronald Reagan came on the scene with a clear plan, firm convictions and faith in the American people to pull ourselves out of hard times. All government had to do was lower taxes and get out of the way. How right he was... Everyone that is NOT paying 70% or 80% income taxes today should be thanking Ronald Reagan. Everyone that is not living behind a wall in East Berlin or behind barbed wire in the Eastern Block should be thanking Ronald Reagan for bringing about such change. I am old enough to remember Reagans original radio broadcasts. I listened to him and remember thinking... wow, I wish this guy would run for President. Listening to this CD brings that feeling back. We were very lucky to have had him for our president. Thank you Ronald Reagan and God Bless America. ... Read more

Book Description

2 cassettes / 2 hours and 20 minutes
Unabridged
Read by Academy Award-winning actress Claudette Colbert


"A wise and beautiful book." - Harper's

A modern-day classic: here are Anne Morrow Lindbergh's elegant and wise meditations on youth and age, love and marriage, solitude, peace, and contentment, as she set them down during a brief vacation by the ocean.

She helps us to see ways to reconcile our most deeply personal needs with obligations to family, friends, lovers, and work, ways to separate loneliness from replenishing solitude, and ways to find solace in the simplest of daily tasks.

Gift from the Sea is marked by a greatest and simple wisdom, lifting listeners out of the rush and worry of daily life and opening a path to inner peace and self-realization.
... Read more

Reviews (44)

Self-help without the jargon
This title was a recent selection for a book discussion group that I helped organize for my library. As the only male in the group, I felt somewhat compelled to offer token protest to the selection of this classic example of a "woman's book," but actually I was intrigued by it. Everything I had read about "Gift From the Sea" praised its meditative quality and I had to admit that the promise of that rather appealed to me.

I wound up reading the bulk of the book on Mothers' Day, which seemed quite appropriate, given that among the many issues Lindbergh addresses here is the need for mothers to find a balance between their own needs and those of their children and husbands. The need for time to one's self, a "room of one's own", the need for a spriritual dimension to one's existence--well, it seems so obvious that these needs have to be met if a woman--if any human being--is to be fulfilled and to be able to meet her (or his) responsibilities with joy rather than with dread. But the lessons that Anne Morrow Lindbergh taught in 1955 still need to be voiced in 2000--perhaps more than ever. Lindbergh seems prescient when she speaks of the dangers of the "life of multiplicity" which had already taken root in the immediate post-War era. We know all too well that it has not gotten any better in the past 50 years and that women's lives in particular have become more stressful and, to use Lindbergh's word, "fragmented" in the past half-century.

What distinguishes Lindbergh's book from today's current crop of self-help or New Age sprititual books though is its lyrical quality. Her careful, belletristic prose is soothing and, yes, meditative in and of itself. Reading it seems to bring about the very centeredness and balance that she seeks to describe.

Although she includes no bibliography (and rightly so, as this is not a tract), I would hope that many of her readers would be inspired to seek out the works of some of the writers she quotes in the context of these essays. She does the world a great service in suggesting how Rilke, for example, whose poetry may seem impenetrable at first, can actually speak to the concerns of our own lives.

A true gem!!
I had no idea, when I found this book in a little beach bookstore recently, that it was written in 1955. Had I known, it probably would have dissuaded me from buying it. I now know how fortunate I am to have not known!

I believe that books, words and people come into our lives at the time they are most needed, and Gift from the Sea certainly fits that bill for me. While small bits of it may be dated, most of it speaks as clearly and truly to modern day woman as it would have to 1950s women. In fact, with so many women in search of their most authentic self these days, it may even be MORE relevant to today's woman! It is a delicate and thoughtful essay on solitude, couplehood, inner peace and the wonder of nature. I can't imagine anyone not being inspired and uplifted by reading it. Truly, a gift for the soul.

Gifts From the Sea
Quila Mackinnon, a twelve-year-old girl, is just crushed by the death of her mother. Now she is only left with her father and the old light house on Devils Rock. Everyday, her father works in the light house while Quila cleans not only the house but the light house too. One morning Quila decided to go out onto Devils Rock. Breathing in the deep blue sea air was nice until she saw something. As she started down the large rocks, stepping onto the cold wet sand she remembered her father telling don't go down to the waves where they will take you away. Quila sat there shaking when suddenly yelled out, "Papa, Papa!" Her father came running out saying, "What is it?" "A baby Papa, I found a baby."
Natalie Kinsey-Warnock, the author, has a wonderful style of writing. I liked it because she used a lot of description and detail. She can tell in good times and show in good times as well. Find out if they keep the baby and what happens about having no mother!

Franny

Five... Cinco... Cinq STARS*****
This is THE book for your feminine lifetime. It is not only a journey.... it's an adventure... and a healing. (+ reality check!)

The perfect gift for Moms
Even though this book was written in the 1950's, it's subject matter is as current and relevant as if it was written yesterday. This is a small, sensible, gem of a book on the often overwhelming and thankless task of being a wife and mother. No, it's not a feminist rant, just a realistic look at what it means to sacrifice yourself for others. This book would make the perfect gift for every mother with young children...trust me. ... Read more

Book Description

"People have told me that their lives have changed because of me. I take away from this the sense that I'm on the right track."

"I believe you're here to live your life with passion. Otherwise, you're just traveling through the world blindly—and there's no point to that."

"Oprah's on." It's the catchphrase that inspires millions around the world to tune in to one of the most trusted women in the history of television. Almost everyone follows Oprah's every move. One word about a book club selection sends an obscure first novel rocketing to the top of the bestseller list. Oprah Winfrey possesses what is arguably one of the world's most influential voices.

Alive with her unique warmth and insight, Oprah Winfrey Speaks reveals the mystique of Oprah in her own words. Drawing on hundreds of sources, Janet Lowe provides an evocative, personal portrait. Here are Oprah's opinions on everything from childhood and overcoming adversity to dealing with fame and staying real. Oprah Winfrey Speaks highlights Oprah's abiding faith, no-nonsense business rules, generosity, and love as well as her 10 commandments for lifelong success.

Oprah's lifetime theme has been personal transformation—she's constantly seeking, questioning, changing, and growing. This uplifting theme echoes throughout Oprah Winfrey Speaks.

Here is just a hint of the wisdom you'll discover:

• "Just tell the truth. It'll save you every time."
• "Don't complain about what you don't have. Use what you've got. To do less than your best is a sin. Every single one of us has the power for greatness, because greatness is determined by service—to yourself and to others."
• "I am a woman in progress. I'm just trying like everyone else. I try to take every conflict, every experience and learn from it. All I know is that I can't be anybody else. And it's taken me a long time to realize that."
• "If you're angry, be angry and deal with it. Don't go eat a bag of Ruffles."
• "God blesses you better when you pray on your knees."

The world listens when Oprah Winfrey Speaks

Here's just a hint of the wisdom you'll find inside...

"I am what I am because of my grandmother.

My strength. My sense of reasoning. Everything.

All that was set by the time I was six."

"Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity."

"I always feel if you do right, right will follow."

"You know the old clich—, 'a good man is hard to find'? Well, it's true. And the smarter you get, the harder they are to find."

This book has not been prepared, approved, licensed, or endorsed by Oprah Winfrey, Harpo Productions, or by any entity that creates, produces, or broadcasts THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

An excellent insight
I believe that books of thsi nature are to show and elucidate hwo certain kinds of peopel think and act. I think that the consumer shoudl remember that most of these books are gleaned and compiled from interviews, articles and TV quotes not the person directly. Which means that things can be taken out of context or contrary events can be exampled to a person's time static comment.
All the same, this book is pretty good for insight in Oprah and her thoughts on some issues as well as maturely seeing how her opinion has grown/matured over the years.
A good subject makes a good book but this isn't the indepth exploration of Oprah that one may hope. Perhaps in some ways she can't truly be seen in any other context as she has a show where she talks about herself and her experiences. Only a book absolutely written by her could ever truly reveal her. Someone truly interested in her thoughts will have to wait for that day.

Change your life! If Oprah did it, you can too!
When I think of Oprah, I think of "awareness." Her presence on earth is to bring us all to the awareness of our potential. If you want to know more about her life, Janet Lowe will take you on a journey through Oprah's life. Within a few hours you will see Oprah in a whole new light.

What I find most fascinating about Oprah is her love of reading and quotes. Those are things I can relate to well. Now it seems, I have been collecting "Oprah quotes!" Throughout this book you will find Oprah's wisdom presented in an organized fashion in sections so they relate well to the topic.

Oprah speaks from a background of adversity. The events of her life have changed her, yet she has decided to take charge of her destiny and become a positive influence. Her background is almost shocking when you think of who she has become. The contrast is sharp and it is very apparent that she drew on an inner strength.

The book begins with details of Oprah's roots in Mississippi and her educational background. There is a discussion of "Harpo" and how she deals with her fame and fortune. Her generosity is impressive and her efforts for children's rights are commendable.

There are some things in life money can never replace. I was saddened by some aspects of her life and see how her own sorrow, abuse and lack of a loving relationship with her own parents early in life influenced her. Some of the best things in life are free. Money helps, but I don't think it heals the longing we all have for love.

Oprah's love of reading has encouraged others to delve into knowledge and better themselves. She also enjoys writing in a "gratitude" journal. Janet Lowe brings out the positive and negative aspects of Oprah's life. With more than 22 million American viewers hanging on her every word, she continues to have the instinctive knack of feeding their desire to find meaning in life.

Oprah started me reviewing because after seeing Gary Zukav on her show, I wanted to know more about the books she was talking about and knew others would also want to know more. I thought maybe I could help others see what was in his books.

Oprah sent me on a journey to delve into the minds of our time. A journey of discovery I have just started on! For that I thank her.

Oprah Winfrey is the Strong Voice of the American Woman
Hello, My name is Sabuyen and I am from Hokkaido, Japan. ...Itruly enjoy this book becase Oprah Winfrey represent all strongintelligent woman in America. In this book you shall read all herinsight and charm. Perhaps I am more awareness becase of a childhoodin Japan, where it is vey different to be a woman.

This is the firstlong book I have read in English. It took me a vey long time to read,but please belive, it was worth every minute. I am delight to alsodiscover that there is a "cassete" version of this bookavalable on www.amazon.com. I shall listen as I ride the bus orexercise.

When you read this book you shall feel power and energyfrom Oprah. She think positive, despite a difficult background, andshe has work hard for what she have. Here Oprah does share her wisdomand intelligence. It is very plain to see.

Oprah, if you are readthis, please know that you are my hero and roll model, and for everyother woman in America. You have give so much to all.

If anyone wishto read more about me, please read my profile. Love, Sabuyen.

INSIDIOUS!
The boorish broad from Baltimore strikes again! What makes this book so insidious is the way that the heroine peppers her pseudo-intellectual do-goodisms with an underlying capitalist mentality. Given her background, she should know better. Shame on you girl!

A Winner!!!
This book really gets to the heart of what Oprah is all about. The book is filled with quotes taken from Oprah's childhood and throughout her entertainment career. The quotes are inspiring because they allow you to figure out ways to relate them to your own life. Janet Lowe's biography about Oprah is a very likeable book because it presents such topics as fame, fear, fortune, and family. To hear Oprah talk about her perfections and imperfections and how she is coping with them makes you feel like saying, 'If Oprah can do it, I sure can'. There is extensive research as her endnotes suggest. The book is an easy read and a good choice for people who are looking for a little more motivation in their everyday lives. The only thing that this book does lack is finding new, unique information about the talk show host/movie star/producer. Other than that, it is a winner! If you've ever watched her show on TV and heard Oprah say something that caught your attention, but ten minutes later couldn't remember it, then this book has it for sure. I recommend this book, especially for women. (Makes a great gift too!). ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Engrossing & Inspirational
John Adams' legacy has not been taught to the extent it should have been and seems downplayed in every other souce I've read to date. This book is a great depiction of the sheer sacrifice of him and his family at the time. this book tells how Adams was far more involved as (1) of our founding fathers than he was ever given credit. As to his analyzing his own faults, this quality proves to be endearing & proves his great character and integrity and love/pride of this great country. Great read !!!!!!

Author invented his Vietnam war experience,Why?
The book seemed OK , until I discovered that Mr. Ellis had invented his experience as a Vietnam Vet . If somebody does this, what's the value of the book?

If you have skipped over one of our major "Founding Fathers"
John Adams, you may want to consider Joseph Ellis's fine work, "Passionate Sage".Mr. Ellis does not dwell on Adams childhood or early years & that is fine. Not really that extraordinary for histime.Adams biggest problem was & is that he has never had the armiesof p.r. men that have promoted Washington, Franklin & Jefferson thruthe years. Adams knew this yet respected & envied them. He also knewhis intellectual gifts surpassed the big three of the revolutionarygeneration. His integrity & forthrightness made him a most disagreeableperson. He rationalized his unpopularity, feeling that virtue with fame isno virtue at all. His unpleasantness mellowed in his later years but nothis brillant mind. In their last 14 years he pursued a livelycorrespondence with Thomas Jefferson. This may be his best legacy. ... Read more

Book Description

Winner of the 1982 National Book Award for Biography, Mornings on Horseback is the brilliant biography of the young Theodore Roosevelt. Hailed as a masterpiece by Newsday, it is the story of a remarkable little boy -- seriously handicapped by recurrent and nearly fatal attacks of asthma -- and his struggle to manhood.

His father -- the first Theodore Roosevelt, "Greatheart," -- is a figure of unbounded energy, enormously attractive and selfless, a god in the eyes of his small, frail namesake. His mother -- Mittie Bulloch Roosevelt -- is a Southerner and celebrated beauty.

Mornings on Horseback spans seventeen years -- from 1869 when little "Teedie" is ten, to 1886 when he returns from the West a "real life cowboy" to pick up the pieces of a shattered life and begin anew, a grown man, whole in body and spirit.

This is a tale about family love and family loyalty...about courtship, childbirth and death, fathers and sons...about gutter politics and the tumultuous Republican Convention of 1884...about grizzly bears, grief and courage, and "blessed" mornings on horseback at Oyster Bay or beneath the limitless skies of the Badlands. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Buy all 5! You won't be sorry!
Do not buy this audio recording unless you get parts 1-4 and listen to them first. We love Tom Bodett, so much so that when we were in Alaska, we went to "the end of the road" aka Homer, just to see the place he writes about. I got the "Freefall of Webster Cummings"(the first tape) at the library along with 2 other volumns, not knowing that it was one huge story. We only had parts 1,2 and 5- my husband refused to let us listen to 5 until we got parts 3 and 4. The library did not have them all, so I went to the bookstore (the days before Amazon) and bought the entire set for him as a gift. The American Odyssey is wonderful, truly a classic. You have to listen to it on cassette as no one can spin a yarn like Tom, but beware, if you get the fifth volumn without listening to 1-4, you will have cheated yourself beyond measure. We buy lots of audio books, and once we listen to them, we give them away, but not this one! We bought it when it came out, listened to it on a trip - loaned it out, with my husband threatening to kill anyone who did not return it. We got it back, and on a trip out west this summer, we listened to all 5 volumns again. It was just as wonderful the second time around. Each volumn is good, but the story as a whole, told in all 5 is exceptional. Tom has outdone himself. You keep wondering how he is going to weave all of these story lines together, but he does it. If you can't afford the entire set, go to the library and get them (I know Amazon won't like that) Don't miss this book. It is quintissential Bodett. Not only a soul searching American Odyssey, but truly an American classic that will have you laughing and crying. This book truly touched our hearts! ... Read more

Book Description

Frank McCourt's glorious childhood memoir, Angela's Ashes, has been loved and celebrated by listeners everywhere for its spirit, its wit and its profound humanity. A tale of redemption, in which storytelling itself is the source of salvation, it won the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Rarely has a book so swiftly found its place on the literary landscape.

And now we have 'Tis, the story of Frank's American journey from impoverished immigrant to brilliant teacher and raconteur. Frank lands in New York at nineteen, in the company of a priest he meets on the boat. He gets a job at the Biltmore Hotel, where he immediately encounters the vivid hierarchies of this "classless country," and then is drafted into the army and is sent to Germany to train dogs and type reports. It is Frank's incomparable voice -- his uncanny humor and his astonishing ear for dialogue -- that renders these experiences spellbinding.

When Frank returns to America in 1953, he works on the docks, always resisting what everyone tells him, that men and women who have dreamed and toiled for years to get to America should "stick to their own kind" once they arrive. Somehow, Frank knows that he should be getting an education, and though he left school at fourteen, he talks his way into New York University. There, he falls in love with the quintessential Yankee, long-legged and blond, and tries to live his dream, But it is not until he starts to teach -- and to write -- that Frank finds his place in the world. The same vulnerable but invincible spirit that captured the hearts of listeners in Angela's Ashes comes of age.

Frank McCourt's 'Tis is one of the most eagerly-awaited audiobooks of our time, and it is a masterpiece. ... Read more

Reviews (528)

Frank McCourt is a brave, brave man . . .
Writing a memoir invites accusations of myopia and self-indulgence. Writing a sequel begs comparison (with novelty often tipping the scales in favor of the first work). Along comes Frank McCourt who combines the two and manages to succeed admirably. Picking up where Angela's Ashes leaves off, 'Tis recounts young Frankie's impoverished early days in New York, his broadening stint in the Army, and his subsequent development from an unschooled laborer to a teacher of creative writing able to inspire others to make that same arduous climb.

McCourts narrative voice is a paradoxical wonder. Muscular prose and keen observation lay bare dire circumstances and woeful ignorance. Financial poverty stands in sharp contrast to an abundance of imagination and desire. Indeed, it is his driving hunger--both physical and metaphorical --that spurs him to read and write his way out of despair.

McCourt's style captivates with his underlying Irish lyricism and his overlay of poetic repetition. Young Frankie's incredulous tone reveals a touching, often frightening, lack of sophistication. It's a wonder the lad survives his youth. Ever so slowly, he trades that innocence for a college degree, a young wife, and teaching jobs that range from thankless and intimidating to purposeful and rewarding. Never stooping to sentimentality, McCourt evokes plenty of genuine emotion, a skill that serves his reading public as well as it must have served his students.

It is in the final quarter of the book that McCourt stumbles. His hard-won (and much described) sweetheart mutates quickly into a difficult wife, then fades to near obscurity. That they eventually divorce is no excuse for this disappearing act. McCourt needn't have trashed the ex-wife to expose his own grappling. His daughter, with whom he ends up on better terms, suffers similar abridgement, aging years in the space of two pages. Subtext (not to mention the character of the author) suggests a backing off due to pain and guilt but that's an inexcusable squeamishness in a memoir. This abbreviation and lack of candor give the reader a sense of having been rushed through important territory.

His relationship with his parents is drawn with a bit more detail but then it's generally easier to focus on others' failures than to examine your own. Case in point--McCourt spoke of the abysmal effects of his father's chronic alcoholism and admitted he saw himself making some of the same mistakes, yet his reactions seemed to stay on the surface. I kept hoping he'd make peace with his father's fallibilty even as he came to grips with his own but he retains his judgemental tone till the end, missing a valuable connection that might have shed some light on a man he regarded as something of a mystery.

Despite these deficiencies. McCourt's story vibrates with honest intensity and the great ache of anyone whose passion intially exceeds his eloquence. Whatever he turns his hand to next (surely this isn't the last we've heard of him), the lad with the bad eyes, the bad teeth, and the gnawing belly grew into a man with much to be proud of.

A really good book for different reasons than Angelas Ashes
I really enjoyed the book and was disappointed when I read a New York Times book reviewer who panned it for being too cynical and bitter. The innocence, openness and hope that came out of Angelas Ashes reflected the child and youth of Frank McCourt during the time about which he was writing. In 'Tis, Frank confronts the reality of adulthood on his own, in the multi-cultural, and multi-spectral world of NYC - as an immigrant Irishman, Paddy-off-the-boat. His humanity shows. He describes with a lot of humor but not too much rancor, his envy, bitterness, anger, a tendency toward irresponsibility, and occassionally co