Book Description

Last Train to Paradise is acclaimed novelist Les Standiford’s fast-paced and gripping true account of the extraordinary construction and spectacular demise of the Key West Railroad—one of the greatest engineering feats ever undertaken, destroyed in one fell swoop by the Labor Day hurricane of 1935. Brilliant and driven entrepreneur Henry Flagler’s dream fulfilled, the Key West Railroad stood as a magnificent achievement for more than twenty-two years, heralded as “the Eighth Wonder of the World.” Standiford brings the full force and fury of 1935’s deadly “Storm of the Century” and its sweeping destruction of “the railroad that crossed an ocean” to terrifying life. Last Train to Paradise celebrates a crowning achievement of Gilded Age ambition in a sweeping tale of the powerful forces of human ingenuity colliding with the even greater forces of nature’s wrath.

“A dramatic story . . . and Les Standiford has a good deal of fun with it all.” —Washington Post Book World
“A rousing—a deeply sobering—story.” —Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Nickel and Dimed
“A fascinating and incredibly compelling account . . . I could not put it down.” —Donald Trump
“A definitive account of the engineering feat that became known as ‘Flagler’s Folly’. . . A rousing adventure."—Atlanta Journal-Constitution ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A superficial look at Flagler and the Florida East Coast RR
Last Train is a short book about a big project...one that essentially created the state of Florida as we know it today. The book focuses on the last leg of Flagler's railroad that crossed ocean and swamp to connect Key West with the mainland.

The book seems more like an expanded magazine piece rather than a thorough treatment of this fascinating man and his amazing project.

Yes, buy the book, but don't expect a Steven Ambrose-like treatment of the subject (considering my opinion of Ambrose's writing ability this is faint praise indeed).

Couldn't put it down
I loved this book. Standiford is a tremendous storyteller, as good as Sebastian Junger, or David McCullough. The rise and fall of the Key West railroad, which was built over 150 miles of water by tycoon Henry Flagler, is a story I knew little about. Great fun and I learned a tremendous amount as well. One warning--be prepared to go to work a little bleary-eyed tomorrow--you won't be able to put this down until the last hurricane has hit...

Truly Awesome - Could not put it down
This book shows how fiction can never compare to real life. I only wish there were other non-fiction books by this author.

The man who "invented" modern Florida
Ten years ago, when I visited Palm Beach, Florida, I noticed a lot of places named after someone called Flagler. At the time I had no idea who this person was, or why everything in the area seemed focused upon him, but after reading this book, I understand. It's pretty clear that, without Henry Flagler's vision, and money, Florida today might be an entirely different place. This man, almost singlehandedly, changed Florida from a hot, sleepy area into a mecca for tourists. His building of luxury hotels, the Florida East Coast Railway, and later the Key West Expansion, gave us our modern state. This story is extremely interesting, and I found it well-written. It tells something I did not know before, and that's always important to me when I read any non-fiction work. It's a tale of insight, struggle, ultimate success, and subsequent destruction by the forces of an all-powerful natural storm. Men such as Henry Flagler do not walk among us any longer, and perhaps we are all the poorer for that.

Go To Key West!
Les Standiford has put together a spell-binding tale of the last of the privately financed infrastructure projects undertaken by the larger than life 19th century businessmen. Here Henry Flagler races against his own mortality to complete a railroad from Jacksonville to Key West, with the final run south from Miami requiring herculean engineering, management, and financial resources. Flager was a partner of John D. Rockefeller in an earlier venture known as Standard Oil who decided in his 70's to pursue a second career in railroading, land development, and luxury hotels in the then desolate country of South Florida and the Keys.

Standiford weaves together Flagler, Rockefeller, their arch-rival trust-busting Teddy Roosevelt, WWI bonus armies, and big-game hunting author Ernest Hemingway. While Rockefeller also owned vacation homes in Florida, he and Flagler ultimately had a parting of the ways, with Rockefeller pointedly not attending Flagler's funeral. Flagler had been an early supporter of Roosevelt in his successful bid for the New York governorship after Roosevelt's success in the brief Spanish American war. Later Roosevelt brought antitrust action against Standard Oil and at least in Flagler's mind was behind government resistance to his plan to build a deep water harbor in Miami. Ironically, the US victory in the Spanish American War, together with confirmed plans to build the Panama Canal, were the motiviation for Flagler's railroad adventures, as Flagler projected, incorrectly as it turned out, that Miami and Key West would grow in stature as ports.

The final thread introduces Hemingway into the mix. The author was already a well-known Key Wester when the hurricane of Labor Day 1935 ravaged the Keys. Although Hemingway's home and his beloved boat Pilar were not seriously damaged, Flagler's railroad was destroyed. A group of WWI bonus army veterans were working on road construction. Many were killed, despite a daring railroad rescue attempt. By 1935, Flager was long dead and the railroad was in bankruptcy. It was never rebuilt, although some bridges are still standing, for the exclusive use of fishermen and birds. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

rawther opiniated, yet still delightful
What's with the cover picture? I mean, I love Victor/Victoria, but Julie is a beautiful woman... why did he choose this picture? Also, there were times in the book where Windeler's personal opinion was a little offensive to me. I suppose that is alright, because he is allowed his opinion, but it seemed to me like he was bashing the movie "Star!", which happens to be one of my favorites. Other than the difference in opinion that occurred occasionally between the reader and the author... this book was a delightful, yet 'real' holiday about Julie Andrews. It's loaded with anecdotes and great accounts of 'The Adventures of Julie and Carol (Burnett)' (as I call them). Over all, this is a good read for the Julie Fanatic, just keep in mind that you don't always have to agree with what this biographer has to say . ;)

A Woman of Wonders
This book about Julie Andrews is extremely interesting. Julie has had many inspiring experiences in her life and continues today to have many more. This book explains how she became what she is today. Also, this book tells the reader many interesting facts about Julie Andrews personal life and career.

GREAT BOOK!
Julie Andrews: A Life on Stage and Screen is a great read and I have to say that I found it rather informative. Aside from a few spelling and grammatical errors, it was a good book. Any serious Julie fan should read this!

The Sound of Julie Andrews
SLIGHT ERROR on my reivew of Robert Windeler, JULIE ANDREWS, A LIFE ON STAGE AND SCREEN; this review was made on the HARDCOVER versiuon of the book, not the paperback (as stated on my review). Thanks for correcting this slight error ASAP. Sincerely, Robert Corbell

The Sound of Julie Andrews
This is the 3rd edition of Mr. Windeler's original 1970 biography on Julie Andrews, and is a very handsomely-produced book. It covers her career from childhood through the Broadway run of VICTOR/VICTORIA in 1995-97. While some fans may disagree with some of Mr. Windeler's opinions, he has done an admirable job of presenting Julie's life and career in an honest and up-front manner. The book contains a generous photo section, with some rare childhood pics as well as many beautiful poses from some of her famous roles - MY FAIR LADY, MARY POPPINS, VICTOR/VICTORIA - to name a few. Apart from a few minor errors and omissions, this is a handsome and well-rounded look at the life of a well-known and beloved star. Highly reccomened for any fan of Broadway or film musicals, as well as the serious Julie Andrews fan. ... Read more

Book Description

The talented and beautiful woman who has moved us with her singing now moves us with her words.

Celine Dion -- My Story, My Dream is an unforgettable true story of courage, perseverance, dedication, and devotion -- told with the wide-eyed honesty of someone who has basked in the glowing adoration of millions of fans but has never lost touch with her working-class roots. Here is a book for anyone who has ever wondered about the real person behind the magnificent voice. Touching and funny, fascinating and uplifting, it is an exquisitely detailed portrait of a remarkable woman who has never backed away from any challenge...even the most daunting challenges of the heart.

Reviews (34)

Good, but write a sequel!
When she finishes the book, she's finally become pregnant. She wishes it to be a little girl, because she feels that a little boy would be cold to her. She did end up having a little boy. I would like to see how this has worked with her career, her time at Caesar's Palace, and her fathers death. Many of the stories in her book are very touching, but she tends to be on the melodramatic side more times then not. I have to agree with the reviewer who wrote that it was disturbing to read about her ideas of seducing Rene Angelil when she was 14. Rene and Celine have a beautiful love story, but at 14 that would be wrong, and it feels invading to read it. She does come across as a diva in many points, but all of these shortcomings are minor compared to the wonderful story she writes.

Amazing Woman...
I bought this book as a gift for John - although we are both huge fans of Celine Dion's.Her voice is amazing, but she has a rare quality in her personality that made me buy the book to discover more.I didn't read the book for over a year, but when I started reading it, I couldn't put it down.It was extremely well written.

I was so interested to learn of the role that David Foster had in her American recordings.David Foster is a master with talent.He also has introduced the world to Josh Groban.It is my utmost hope that Celine and Josh will do many duets and shows together.It isn't just their voices - it's their personalities.They are both confident, but they are both so unpretentious as well.

I was awed by the strength of Celine and her family.What a unique environment to grow up in!Additionally, Celine seems so honest about her life - both the good and the bad.

I was amazed at the details regarding her husband, Rene. Amazed that Celine had such a love for this man that it triumphed over YEARS when he repeatedly "rejected" her.She was famous and could have had any number of boyfriends, but instead her heart wouldn't allow her to love anyone but Rene. I believe that Rene was MEANT to be with Celine and her family; that he truly didn't begin to live until he met them.Likewise, I think that Celine is everything that she is because of Rene.Not just her voice, but her looks, style, education, etc.

Celine, a "homewrecker?"Give me a break!She was 14 and mesmerized by a cultured, attractive,genius agent who put her first in his life.I don't think that any marriage could have survived when one woman becomes such an obsessionas Rene wanted the whole world to hear Celine.And in all fairness, the marriage had been over for a long time before he finally made love to her at 20.To me it is one of the greatest love stories of our time!!

Rene groomed Celine to become the woman she is.And he is her whole world.What man could resist this?Personally, I think he should feel as though he is the luckiest man in the world to have the love and loyalty of this gifted, funny, and amazing woman.

The Firsthand Account of Celine Dion's Life
"Remember this name because you will never forget this voice." That is the sologan of one of the greatest singers of all time, known all over the globe: Celine Dion. 'Celine Dion, My Story, My Dream' written by Celine Dion herself has the all the information that you've never read in the tabloids, and the truth on the stuff you did. What was Celine Dion doing in a public L.A. hosptal in her bathing suit? how her grandfather died so tragicly, and what is Celine and Renee's secret sign? Plus, Do you know how many shoes does Celine has? (Neither does she. It would take forever to count them, and she is a busy lady). This book has everything from before she went to kindergarten, to when she took her sabbatical in 1999. And what makes this one of the best books written about her? It's because she wrote it herself! This book is great for anyone who loves Celine Dion.

-
I feel that anyone who likes Celine Dion, or anyone who has a passion for music (like myself) will enjoy this book. Very well written, I must say that Celine is a very powerful individual and I look at her in a different light after reading this book.

She gets very personal with the readers and goes into great depth about her relationship with Rene. I couldn't put it down and hope that she writes another book, to update us about her life after her son was born.

juicy juicy
Although I doubt she actually wrote a word of it - not that she couldn't b/c she is a very eloquent speaker- this book is sooooooooooooooooooooo engrossing.It really tells the intimate details of EVERYTHING about her.If you are truly a fan and you like to read about her, this is one of two books you must read - the other being "Tour de Force" by Georges-H?rbert Germaine. ... Read more

Book Description

Tamar Feingold's life is haunted by the painful, yet unspoken memories of her parents time in a Nazi concentration camp. Battling between her feelings and her religion, the secrets of her past threaten to explode and destroy everything she has. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Nice read, if a bit predictable
This book was loaned to me along with Naomi Ragen's other book, "Sotah." (Which I am currently reading.) The book does give a glimpse into a world seldom ever shared with outsiders, and I found this intriguing. The book certainly "grabs" its readers from the beginning. However, the flashback scenes to the main characters childhoods, even though providing necessary information, was almost a distraction. As well, the flashback takes up a good 1/3 of the book and I felt it might have been better stated at the beginning of the book.

When the book is half finished, it becomes rather predictible. The main character is raped by a black man, has sex with her husband the same night, and give birth to a white child. That would seemingly end the story, yet it continues. This leads the reader to pretty much figure what happens next.

Even with that, I enjoyed the book as a pleasant diversion. (And enough to go ahead and begin "Sotah" as well) 3 stars is lower than I would give this book, but it doesn't quite reach 4 stars, in my opinion. I would truly give it 3 1/2 stars, if that were possible.

I thought the more interesting points in the book were below the surface and how three differing points of view, from three very different women, were demonstrated: from the rebellious Hadassah, to the accepting Tamar, to the reflective Jenny. All three women are strong characters in their own right, and all follow different paths. The relationships between the three and within their own worlds is a fascinating character study.

A desilusioning "Ragen"
I am not a complete fan of Naomi Ragen's style of writing, but from "Sotah" and "The Ghost of Hannah Mendes"I learned about a community foreign to me or a historical period. This book was too predictable, I do not like it when after the first chapter I stop being surprised. I thought the characters to be too limited and charicutaristic, the negative use of the "violent black genetic material" enoying.

Read Ragen's other books first
Though I gave the book four stars, it is clearly not the book "Sotah" and "Jephte's Daughter" were.There was too much of getting the message across rather than true story-telling in "Sacrifice," and Ragen is usually a superb story-teller.I neither thought the book was racist nor denegrating of Orthodox Judaism, and I feel the readers who "saw" those elements in the book were projecting them because they were only reading the surface.The emotions and opinions of Tamar and the othercharacters are valid as far as what is happening in this particular story.Calling the author a racist is confusing her with her characters.I just wish things hadn't tipped so far into melodrama and polemic.I haven't found Ragen's characters to be such stick figures before; they're usually more three-dimensional.

The Sacrifice of Tamar
I read "The Sacrifice of Tamar," by author Naomi Ragen, after reading her first and second novels, "Sotah," and "Jephte's Daughter." Ms. Ragen's voice and style show significant growth with each new book. Her characters and their responses to crises are much more complex, and less predictable in each successive novel.

I found "Sacrifice" a compelling story, set as it is against a cultural backdrop rarely accessible to non-Haredi Jews. However, I was very disappointed with one aspect of "Sacrifice." In it Ms. Ragen positions blackness as an inherently flawed, deficient human condition. And she writes as if this were a universally acknowledged fact.

I have no problem with Ms. Ragen using a black rapist as a plot device; it's certainly plausible that a woman attacked by a black rapist could project her hatred onto all black people. Not admirable, but understandable.

But that, as the story line goes, one's blackness should be sufficient grounds on which to be found repulsive, disgraceful, and utterly lacking in human value ... Well, that's another thing. (...)

I'm reluctant to brand Ms. Ragen a racist -- she has proven herself a champion of justice and human dignity in other arenas -- but the premise of this particular novel is pretty nefarious.

(...)

A great book dealing with a very dramatic dilemma...
A young Jewish women, newly married to a Rabbi, is raped by a blaack intruder who broke into her sister's apartment, and the same night not only does she hide the fact fromer her husband, she also has sext with him. When she finds out she's pregnant, but is not sure who's the father... She turns to two of her childhood friends to help her out, and eventually decides to keep the baby and the secret, which is kept until her son's wife suddenly has a black child, and she feels she has to finally take the blame, and find out - too late - she could have unburdened herself earlier with no unwanted results... Unlikely as this story seems to be, I think it shows 2 major aspects of American orthodox jews:

1) Their different lifestyles - of more or less observant Jews, with both their positive and negative sides.

2) More implrtant - women's lack f knowledge with anything to do with the most basic rules of their lives, which could cause so much confusion and misunderstandings... ... Read more

Book Description

One of our most esteemed writers and critics paints a deeply insightful portrait of the greatest political mastermind of a century

Our twenty-eighth president was, says Louis Auchincloss, "the greatest idealist who ever occupied the White House." And who better than Auchincloss, with his penchant for quirky personalities andfascination with fin-de-sicle society, to explore this complex persona?

Woodrow Wilson sheds new light on Wilson's upbringing and career, from the grim determination that enabled him to overcome dyslexia to the skillful dance of isolationism and intervention in World War I to the intransigence that--despite his most cherished vision--caused the Senate's rejection of the League of Nations. Here, from the dynamic figure whose ringing speeches hypnotized vast crowds to the gentle voice reading poetry aloud and the comic star of family skits and charades to the rising academic and president of Princeton who made the giant leap into politics are all the triumphs and final tragic irony of this flawed apostle of world peace. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

A Whitewash
Of all the men who have tried to fill the shoes of Washington and Jefferson, who was the worst? Our current crop of "Hallmarxist" professors consider anyone who would assign Wilson and FDR to the lower depths as deserving a quick commitment with Ezra Pound into loony bin of St. Elizabeth's, and for anyone to hold Lincoln among the worst invites being regarded a simple crank.But Thomas DiLorenzo's _The Real Lincoln_ has finally exposed Old Abe as well worthy of infamy, and Jim Powell's _FDR's Folly_ has corrected the omission of Murray Rothbard's _America's Great Depression_ by exposing FDR as really nothing more than - pardon the pun - Hoover on wheels.

This leaves only Wilson, the man whom Mencken denominated _Doctor Dulciferous_ for his cooing blovations. The lack of a good biography of Wilson that reveals him for what he was - our worst president -or at least a book as good as DiLorenzo's on Lincoln-is not remedied by Louis Auchincloss (hereafter LA).

LA for the first 64 pages gets his facts roughly right and his conclusions quite wrong.For example:
- LA calls Wilson's claims to being a Southerner "factitious".This is putting it mildly: Wilson in his heart was an utter New England barn burner and witch-hunter, oblivious to the positive achievements of Calvinism (Milton, Rembrandt, and the Jansenist Pascal) and a perfect specimen of non-conformism's worst faults: obstinacy, a cocksure belief in one's moral correctness, a deluded sense that he was the agent of the Almighty, and that his opponents were tools of the Devil.
-- Wilson's view of blacks can only be called sheer racist, even in a time when "racist" has become a word of cultural socialist McCarthyism - yet LA offers the lame excuse that everyone else from his background thought the same.
-LA faults Wilson for appointing an Anglophile to the Court of St. James, yet LA's own facts prove Wilson the most Anglophilic of all.He tried to remake Princeton into the image of Oxford and Cambridge.He wanted American government to resemble Westminster, knowing full well that in Britain today the Prime Minister is a dictator, free of any checks.Wilson wanted the same for the President in a manner that would make evena Gaullist blush.Indeed, one of Wilson's many bad legacies is a chief executive out of control.Mencken was right to observe that the US State Dept. was simply an antechamber to the Foreign Office in Whitehall.
- LA mentions Wilson's stokes, one after another it seems, and tries to blame them, wrongly,for his manifold shortcomings.In fact, I have yet to see in print what seems quite possible: That Wilson - and for that matter Theodore Roosevelt - were really unhinged.

Wilson's 2nd worst foreign policy blunder was his treatment of Latin Americas - a treatment inept when it wasn't contemptible.LA tries to make Bryan the fall guy for Wilson's folly, and considers the Villa fiasco as "necessitated".I pray the Mexicans now flooding into the country have short memories.When it comes to economics,LA really shows himself wanting.He considers the Federal Reserve Act a "great success", giving us an "elastic currency", when in fact the fiscal solvency of the US -- relatively sound after Hamilton's schemes were put down and prior to Wilson - has been a shambles ever since.Need proof?Check the inflation monitor at the Commerce Dept website and see what a dollar in 1950 is worth now.And thank Woodrow Wilson.Desperate for something good to say about Wilson's domestic turn at the helm, LA chooses his tariff reduction -only on the same page to state, rightly, that the taxpayer was now to be equally robbed by the new Federal Income Tax (also a Wilson deed), that tariff reform was aborted by the Great War, and that it was repealed in 1922.

LA never mentions Wilson's lasting effect on domestic US politics: Completing the work of Lincoln in the destruction of the Jeffersonian party in the US (I'm grateful to Thomas Dilorenzo and Clyde Wilson for this insight).Prior to Wilson, we had such a party, the Democrat Party - with support for minimal government, subsidiarily, states' rights, low tariffs, originalist construction of the Constitution, Anglophobia, gold standard (at least until Bryan), staying out of European affairs, and a healthy suspicion of banks.Wilson turned this party into a socialist party.In fact, now we really only have the choice between two socialist parties: The Hamiltonian version of the Republicans, and the 100 proof offered by the Dimmycrats.

After page 64, LA offers a complete whitewash.Wilson's utter disaster- still visited upon all of us, and re-uttered in the inaugural addresses of Kennedy I and Bush II - was, or course, his entry into World War I, with all the suffering that this decision caused.LA can only find sympathy for Wilson's views, and wastes a whole chapter of this short book demonizing Lodge. I am reminded by the estimable Clyde Wilson (no relation, certainly!) that Woodrow Wilson was our only Ph. D. president. LA offers nothing better than the socialist and PHuddy-Duddy camorra presiding in our Potemkin universities

So, as we wait for a good biography, anyone who really wants to know the truth of the Old Fool should save his money and buy instead Jim Powell, _Wilson's War_, and Thomas Fleming, _The Illusion of Victory_.

Two stars for being mercifully brief with readable prose.

Good overview with some surprising omissions
This is a reasonable brief introduction to the career of Woodrow Wilson. His upbringing and early academic career are disposed of in short order in the first chapter. Then one chapter deals with his presidency of Princeton, one deals with (or covers the same time period as) his governorship of New Jersey, and the remaining seven cover his Presidency, all in an engaging and chatty style.

The book's strongest point is describing what happened, although even here there are some strange omissions. It mentions his break with Hibben in Princeton without describing the circumstances, noting that Hibben went on to succeed Wilson as President of the university, or exploring the parallels with his later breaks with House and Tumulty. All of this could have been covered in a single paragraph. In addition, there is no mention of the country's Caribbean adventures in 1915; none of the Red Scare of 1919; and, probably worst of all, nothing about the Sedition Acts and the imprisonment of Eugene Debs, and no discussion of why America behaved worse towards its own citizens during and after the war than either Britain or France did. The first time the book mentions the League of Nations, it doesn't clearly describe what its purpose was (and it would have been nice if it had mentioned that it was actually the idea of the British Foreign Secretary, not Wilson). Still, as an overview of the events of Wilson's life it hits most of the main points.

The book has less to offer on why things happened. In trying to explain why Colonel Harvey picked Wilson for Governor of New Jersey, it gives two pages on what Harvey got wrong about Wilson, but nothing on what he got right. It also takes at face value the idea that Wilson was offered the governorship "without ... even lifting a hand". It describes Wilson's feeling of betrayal by House when he returned to Paris in March 1919, but not what House had actually done!

As noted by another reviewer, the book also fails to put Wilson's international achievements in a broader context. His aim of a just, lasing peace with Germany failed; his aim of encouraging self-determination among smaller nations succeeded, and he is still looked on as a hero in many smaller nations of Europe. Some more insight and context, and a more detailed assessment of his legacy, would have been welcome.

Woodrow Wilson was a fascinating and controversial President. This book helps explain -- and to an extent shares -- the fascination, but it doesn't do enough to help the reader assess the controversies. Still, it's an reasonable starting point for people who know little about Wilson.

One final comment:I'd also have been interested to know how the author is related to the Gordon Auchincloss who attended the Versailles conference -- it's not that common a name, after all.

barely alive
If you don't know much more about Woodrow Wilson than an overview of the important events of his life, this book isn't going to help much. There's very little political analysis, almost no attempt to portray what diffiulties Wilson needed to overcome, and no passion at all in the writing. Actually this book feels a lot like a high school term paper that someone knew they had to write and just wanted to turn in for a passing grade. Auchincloss talks a bit about the two Wilsons (one good one bad) and hints at Wilson's dependance on women, but neither of these positions is fleshed out or used consistently. Maybe Woodrow Wilson's life is just too large for a book this small.

The biggest hero of WWI
Washington and Lincoln were the great presidents, though this book points out that "It may be well to remember of our two most revered presidents that Washington fought a war to affirm the doctrine [of self-determination], and Lincoln one to deny it."(p. 95).Having a great president appeals to the kind of people that truly believe it makes so many states worthy of uniting into a single country, though Lincoln, who preserved the Union, might have been a deeper thinker than anyone in the pellucidly placid times in which we ought to live would realize.Hundreds of years later, we should be grateful that we don't have the problems they faced, particularly the wars fought on American soil in their times.Woodrow Wilson is the first (or the first American president after Polk, McKinley, and Teddy Roosevelt) to think that the power of the United States might be so great that fighting a war in other parts of the world could settle the hash of the rest of the world so well that all nations would be forced to see things our way.I'm afraid the book, WOODROW WILSON by Louis Auchincloss, makes it easier to count the ways in which Wilson ended up being wrong, even when he counted up to 14 points, than any history could show how compromising could have helped, on a few important occasions.

Louis Auchincloss seems to be well informed about the leading cultural figures of Wilson's time, and the book contains a number of quotations from people who were paying attention, as well as clear descriptions of the positions of Colonel House, Henry Cabot Lodge, Walter Lippmann, and Edith Bolling Galt or Wilson.There are ten chapters and no index, so it is not easy to look up anything specific, such as who considered Roosevelt Dionysian in making emotional appeals to the people, while "Wilson was the Apollonian, favoring the primacy of reason."(p. 47).Not everyone thought so."Lindley Garrison, his first secretary of war, described him as a man of high ideals but no principles."(pp. 47-48).Wilson had prepared for the presidency by studying and writing, speaking well to crowds and offering policies that people might vote for.He cut tariffs so much, he had to institute the income tax to provide sufficient government revenue, and tariffs went back up after he was no longer in office, but it worked:people could import cheap sugar for a few years.

The medical information in the book is specific.The president had a doctor, and also a wife who protected his health, after September, 1919, in her fear "that any frank revelation of his health might have been fatal to her husband."(pp. 2-3).The anger that overwhelmed Wilson at the end of his life was related to the disability he had suffered, but it seems to relate as well to the intellectual sense of being stymied, after winning his big war, by the big questions, why?, for what?, that retained some religious significance for him, humbled though he had been in so many ways.This book provides more than an outline of Wilson's character.It is a tragedy that could spook the daylights out of anyone who thought some plan had been prepared for the situation that the world faces today, if not sooner.

lacks substance and depth
Cecil Spring-Rice, the British ambassador to Washington, described Woodrow Wilson as "a mysterious, a rather Olympian personage and shrouded in darkness from which issue occasional thunderbolts."At least to his contemporaries, the twenty-eighth president may well have been something of an enigma.After all, he did somehow move from a fairly conservative philosophy toward a more activist government, including a reversal on child labor laws.Unfortunately, Auchincloss contributes little to shedding some light on these riddles of Wilson's character and mind-except for the all-important (to Auchincloss, at least) reason for the estrangement between Wilson and his advisor/friend/confidante Colonel Edward M. House, which is attributed to Edith Wilson.

Auchincloss paints a very superficial picture of Wilson, and maybe that's because of the nature of the Penguin Lives series, but there was much that was mentioned in passing and not really mentioned again.For example, Wilson's southern birth and upbringing are given early and justified attention, but the consequences of this southern heritage on Wilson's life and politics are not pursued, even though the question is particularly interesting, relevant, and important for the president's views on race.Wilson's deep Presbyterian faith is given similarly superficial treatment.It did much to create the man's stubbornness and sense of moral rectitude, but how it shaped the specific elements of Wilson's idealism, Auchincloss does not explore.All that emerges is the all-too typical portrait of a man with a "divided" nature.

I did find his discussion of the 1916 election interesting, particularly the contingency plan in the case of a Wilson defeat.In this period of international crisis, had Wilson lost to Charles Evans Hughes, Vice President Marshall and Secretary of State Lansing would have resigned, Hughes would have been named Secretary of State, and Wilson would also have resigned.I had never heard this before and hope to explore the issue further.

Besides an apparent affinity for describing certain remarks as "intemperate," Auchincloss seemed to be fixated on the grandson of Henry Cabot Lodge and on Bill Clinton, both of whom he mentions twice.Lodge's grandson receives considerable scorn for trying to justify his grandfather's behavior (his "hatred" of Wilson and his reading of the Versailles Treaty in the Senate).The Clinton impeachment is mentioned as an example of the people's representatives taking action against the will of a majority, and Clinton's definition of "is" is compared to Lodge's grandson's definition of "hatred."Maybe these are legitimate comparisons (though probably not), but they seemed wholly out of place in this biography.

These Penguin biographies aren't necessarily intended to be the deepest or most insightful of books, but they should at least contain some substance.This one, unfortunately, contains very little that can't be had by reading an American history textbook. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As a young woman, Jane Goodall was best known for her groundbreaking fieldwork with the chimpanzees of Gombe, Africa. Goodall's work has always been controversial, mostly because she broke the mold of research scientist by developing meaningful relationships with her "specimens" and honoring their lives as she would other humans.

Now at the age of 60, she continues to break the mold of scientist by revealing how her research and worldwide conservation institutes spring from her childhood callings and adult spiritual convictions. Reason for Hope is a smoothly written memoir that does not shy away from facing the realities of environmental destruction, animal abuse, and genocide. But Goodall shares her antidote to the poison of despair with specific examples of why she has not lost faith. For instance, she shares her spiritual epiphany during a visit to Auschwitz; her bravery in the face of chimpanzee imprisonment in medical laboratories; and devotes a whole chapter to individuals, corporations, and countries that are doing the right thing. But most of all Goodall provides a beautifully written plea for why everyone can and must find a reason for hope. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (37)

a place for Jane to dump her old diary entries
Boring and overly senamental.
I couldn't even finish this book because I was so tired of reading exerpts from Jane Goodall's childhood journals.SOme of her poems were cute and amusing, but I couldn't help feeling that I was trapped into reading her old diaries...I can only compare it to being a cordial guest at someone's dinner party and being stuck looking at all their old photo albums...
but...it is Jane Goodall and she has a good heart and message...if you can stand the sentimental quaintness of this book.

Great
She has such an wonderful way of presenting herself and her ideas. She is the opposite of arrogance!
I like the way this reviewer put it:

"Jane made an amazing and commendable effort to be honest and humble with her readers, sharing her deepest and seemingly most private thoughts, which all have played a part in shaping her life and character. anyone will appreciate this book, be they from a scientific, animal welfare, spiritual or casual background."

She is not boastful, but sticks to her points. Her honesty reminds me of my father's honesty about life.

A DIFFERENT APPROACH
When it comes to issues concerning animals and the environment, most people have a hard time staying cool. But from the minute I heard Jane Goodall speak back in my freshman year of college, to the second I finished reading this book, I knew that I?d found a new role model?A gentle, contemplative, and fiercely intelligent role model.

It?s Jane Goodall?s calm, sensitive approach to effecting change that made her life extraordinary, and made Reason for Hope a pleasure to read. In this book she tells a story, woven with memories, lessons learned, and quiet introspection.

From her blissful youth overshadowed by World War II, to her peaceful days in Gombe surrounded by violence, Jane struggled to understand the sharp contrast between her life and those of others. Her compassion was not limited to people?it was amplified by her love of animals and appreciation for nature.

But you?ll never find Jane Goodall protesting on the streets. You?ll never find her raiding animal laboratories in the middle of the night and freeing its prisoners. Instead, you?ll see her chatting quietly with the ?bad guys,? sharing her experiences in such a humble and non-threatening way that they don?t even realize how much it?s changed the way they see things. Jane has the ability to take a step back and analyze her observations logically without losing sight of or being overcome by the emotions that started it all. She writes:

?Real change will come only from within; laws and regulations are useful, but sadly easy to flout. So I keep the anger?which of course I feel?as hidden and controlled as possible. I try to reach gently into their hearts? (p. 270)

This is what makes her unique among most of the scientists and activists we see today.

?Not that her story will resonate with everyone. Even I didn?t identify with some of her religious speculations, or the little poems scattered throughout the book. I was particularly put off by her call for a ?moral society,? driven by her belief that ?We will have to evolve, all of us, from ordinary, everyday human beings?into saints! Ordinary people, like you and me, will have to become saints, or at least mini-saints?? (p. 200). It?s not that I don?t believe it?s possible?I just don?t think turning 6 billion people into saints is the most effective way to go about doing things.

Then again, what I appreciate most about Jane Goodall is her approach, and not necessarily the beliefs that underlie them. In dealing with issues that are so often drenched with emotions, Jane Goodall remains an example of how to handle things both gracefully and objectively. This is something we could all stand to learn.

Very uplifting, insightful, and inspirational
Jane Goodall writes openly and honestly about her awesome and inspiring life.Jane Goodall tells us about her amazing travels-- from a young ambitious girl growing up in the birches of England to a brillant woman documenting apes' behavior in the forests of Africa to bravely fighting for environmental change around the world.

In this book, Jane Goodall pours from the deep corners of her heart.By sharing her personal experiences, Jane Goodall is a witness to the true innate goodness of all human beings, the triumph of the human spirit, and the great God in which we all live, move, and have our being.

Jane Goodall ponders the greatest of human questions throughout her book.Is God real and present in our world, even with all of the modern discoveries of science?Can human beings achieve greater levels of moral, intellectual, and spiritual growth and overcome the great obstacles that they face?Jane Goodall makes sense of these questions and helps the reader to come to a better understanding of how to live in the world.

I read this book for an assurance that science only adds to the wonder and mystery of existence, and that science can help us come closer to God.My favorite part was when Jane Goodall went to the forest after the death of her second husband, and felt a connection to the "great spiritual energy of life itself."She reaffirmed her conviction by discovering how science was only a part of the human pursuit of understanding and knowledge, not the complete and final truth.

At the end of the book, Goodall asks a significant question as she reaches the autumn of her life, "And when I reach the end, it will be the beginning?"I recommend this book to all who want to remember that the journey of growth, understanding, and knowledge we are all on is always just beginning.

Simply... remarkable. Utterly inspiring.
Jane is a remarkable woman, who's story of struggle as a young and inexperienced scientist with what were thought to be absurd ideals and methods of study, received much flack from the scientific community of her time. Still, many scientists under go the rigors of the scientific community's lateral and blinkered thinking. Reason for Hope, serves more than to encourage individuals into believing that each is capable of achieving their ideals and dreams, but that the simpler, intangible qualities like motivation, tenacity, courage and love, can triumph in the end with belief and resilience.
Jane made an amazing and commendable effort to be honest and humble with her readers, sharing her deepest and seemingly most private thoughts, which all have played a part in shaping her life and character. anyone will appreciate this book, be they from a scientific, animal welfare, spiritual or casual background. because jane's work relates to of all of us in the simplest of ways - we all have ambitions we wish to fulfill, depending on what they are we're often hard challenged and many of us have been defeated, yet we hold true to our beliefs and jane reminds us all, that that is which matters most - that is which will pull through to the end. that that, could only be, our reason for hope. ... Read more

Book Description

No matter what else was going on in his life or where he was--travelling to make movies for G.E., in the California governor's office, at the White House, or on Air Force One, and sometimes even from across the room--Ronald Reagan wrote letters to Nancy Reagan, to express his love, thoughts, and feelings, and to stay in touch. Through letters and reflections, the characters, personalities, and private lives of a president and his first lady are revealed. Nancy Reagan comments on the letters and writes with love and insight about her husband and the many phases of their life together.
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Reviews (60)

What love! What devotion! Truly sweet and sincere ...
Sweet and sincere best describe this lovely collection of love letters from Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan. The media seemed to show that Nancy Reagan was a control freak and overbearing during The White House years, this book tells another story. The story is of a man and a woman deeply in love and totally committed to one another. What impressed me most was the sweetness and the vulnerability of this once very powerful man.

Many of the letters have been scanned from the original copies so you get a real taste of the time and the personality of Ronald Reagan. The letterhead is often from various places and penned in his own handwriting. These letters show his most private and personal feelings of loving his wife and just how much she meant to him. You also get some insight into his sense of humor and in his ability to love and express love. I was charmed by the feeling that he never took his position(s) in government life so seriously that he lost his true core and his true heart.

At first I was a bit shocked that Nancy Reagan would share something so personal because that was not the impression I once had of her. I also wondered what was in it for her? Fame, she has, fortune? But I later learned the proceeds from this book will benefit the Alzeimers Foundation. Whatever her motivation this is a wonderful surprise of a book and a great way for her to share some really neat things about one of our ex-presidents.

Beautiful Glimpse into the Private Life of Ronald Reagan
What a warm, touching tribute to our late President from his wife! The letters lovingly saved by Nancy Reagan show us a portrait of a genuine, down-to-earth man. I just finished reading this book for the second time, (it's a very quick read), and I was reminded how much I enjoyed the book. Mr. Reagan's integrity, charm, and sense of humor are clearly evident in every letter and "doodle" in the book.

More than half of the letters are from the period before Reagan entered politics. For several years, Reagan was the host of the General Electric Theatre and spent huge amounts of time travelling the country to promote the show. The letters from this period are particularly poignant.

Thank you so much, Nancy Reagan, for sharing your treasures in this lovely book.

GREAT LOVE STORY
seldom read books written by celebrities as too often they are only self serving pap. HOWEVER, this is one of the greatest love stories of all times. Hard to imagine that a man who led such a busy life would find the time, inclination and energy to put his thoughts in writing. A greater gift I can't imagine. The thoughts that occurred to me were the minor things that made him and Nancy so happy with each other and with themselves. My husband was in the Air Force and was gone a lot and was constantly in touch with me either by phone or letter so I know how much it means to have someone thinking of you even when they are so busy and so far away.Thank you Nancy for sharing these intimate parts of your life with us. You have a wonderful husband and I am so sorry you have lost him. But in his own way somehow I know he is still communicating with you.

If You Want to Know What Makes a Good Marriage - Read This
I loved this book. There was little commentary by Nancy so you're left to judge him for yourself. The vast majority of the book is composed of the actual letters he wrote to her and what woman wouldn't love to have a husband say these things to her?? I also appreciated that she put in a couple of non-positive occurances and verbiage that things weren't always perfect. The other thing I liked was that she wasn't embarrassed by their pet nick-names they had for each other. I've been married and my late husband and I had silly nick-names for each other. I'd be embarrassed to tell them publically in a book so I admire that she spent about two sentences explaining them and let it go at that. If you want to understand a truly loving relationship (no matter what your politcal views), this is a must read.

Reading some of the rotten reviews has really
made me mad. But whereas I might get mad or Nancy would be furious, Ronnie would laugh it off as "they're just having a bad day." This was the type of marriage we hope for, dream about, talk about. It is the kind most kids want to see from their parents, the type parents desire for their children, one where they are newlyweds for 50 years. Patti Davis said she knows her father loved his children but when Nancy walked into the room, there was no one else. Just perfect!!

These letters reveal a man helplessly and deeply in love with all his heart. If this is corny or childish, so be it. The world would be a better place if relationships could be this strong. He says it over and over, "You are my life, you saved my soul." The President could wax poetic and plumb the depth of emotions, something few ever manage. The letters were not only loving and tender but also erudite, witty, colorful and quite original. (My favorites are those written in the same room or those in which he refers to himself in the third person.) This is perhaps one of the best personal portraits of an American President that exist.

The letters range over a period of several years and contain some biographical data. Just to set the record straight, the proceeds from this book went to an Alzheimer's fund; the family received not one penny. ... Read more

Book Description

"This collection is a testimony of hope and endurance through the power of writing. The experience that unites us and that we want to share with you is the experience of exile, of belonging neither in Chile nor the United States: our experience of existing between two cultures and not feeling comfortable in either of them, of choosing the path of political activism and uniting our destiny with that of the voices of marginalized women." --Marjorie Agosín"I am convinced that [these letters] should be made public as a testimony of the life of women in Latin America, and of the Latina immigrants who live in the United States. The histories interwoven in our correspondence are not exceptions, they are the norm. These episodes from the lives of Marjorie and Emma are part of a voluminous tome of common histories that have been lived and continue to be lived by Latin American women, from our grandmothers to our daughters. --Emma SepúlvedaThis collection of letters chronicles a remarkable, long-term friendship between two women who, despite differences of religion and ethnicity, have followed remarkably parallel paths from their first adolescent meeting in their native Chile to their current lives in exile as writers, academics, and political activists in the United States. Spanning more than thirty years (1966-2000), Agosín's and Sepúlveda's letters speak eloquently on themes that are at once personal and political--family life and patriarchy, women's roles, the loneliness of being a religious or cultural outsider, political turmoil in Chile, and the experience of exile. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Letters: a lost literary gender
It is an interesting book about the correspondence between two friends that meet in their country,Chile.But, life is very unjust, and for political reasons bothhave to leave their land. The letters,that they write to each other through many years, tell their stories of survivaland they explain, from their point of view and in a epistolar style, what each of them have to endure to becamewomen citizens, mothers, academics and profesors,etc. in this country. Their experiences are not unknow or irreal, they are very realistics, a common ground for many women that are gone through the same or similar path. This book is a document: a good book for women and men who love literature, books, and academic work. ... Read more

Amazon.com

I found a 1955 printing of this book in an old waterfront cabin and was struck by the care with which the previous owner had read it. Eve (the name inscribed inside the front cover and then again above the heading for chapter 3) made pencil marks on nearly every paragraph of the book, underlining a phrase, highlighting many passages with strong vertical marks, scratching out some words that she seems to have found superfluous and even x-ing out whole sections that apparently missed their mark with her altogether. Two rusting paper clips isolate several pages, absent any marking at all. Anne Morrow Lindbergh's lyrical words are still relevant and presage so many of the themes of today's most popular books: simplicity, peaceful solitude, caring for the soul, a woman finding her place in society and life. I heard that the woman who had lived in the cabin had actually passed away some time before. Thank you, Eve, for your gift... from the sea. ... Read more

Reviews (50)

A reissue
Gift From The Sea was first published in 1955 and was the best-selling nonfiction book of the year with 80 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list. I'm discovering it for the first time. It's simply lovely and is deserving of this new 50th Anniversary edition of 130 pages.

It is obvious that the sea and the beach were an integral part of Ann Morrow Lindbergh's life as her writings are full of references to them.

Gift From The Sea is a woman's poetic reflection about the challenges we all face in our relationships with our family, friends, the world and ourselves. They are her thoughts and ideas but are universal when thinking about the human condition.

The introduction is written by Anne Morrow Lindbergh's son Reeve. Even 50 years after it was written, it continues to be fresh and filled with wisdom. It's a book to be read, savored and read again.

Life journey flows like the tide
Sometimes, in our life, we need to get away and reevaluate our life. We need to find out what it means to us. What is the purpose? Where do we go from here?Anne Morrow Lindbergh did just that when she went to an island beach alone for two weeks and, while there, wrote a book called "Gift From The Sea." Anne made the transition to her retreat by leaving behind a New York suburbia house, five children, and the many other hats she put on to fulfill her role in the community and as a wife. She not only went to the beach to write, but also to find and shape her life.

What she found was even more valuable. It came to her as a gift from nature without requiring anything from her in return. The gift nature gave Anne was the gift of seashells. She went on to write in the most eloquent and descriptive language about the shells she found. She described how each one related to her life and how the simplicity of the beach was transformational. In her book, the "Moon Shell" represents the encumbrances we experience in life by its attachments. The "Double-Sunrise" shell exhibits the qualities of how we love, and the "Argonauta" distinguishes the final freedom we have to be independent, while still loving another person.

The "Moon Shell" is representative of a snail shell in which its inhabitants leave to gain freedom. Anne's life had paralleled this type of escape, if even for only two weeks. When she looks at this shell, she sees the beauty of the simple lines - unlike her life in New York - which she compares to being a shell covered in barnacles. Her life had grown complicated and she felt like she lost the simple shape and design of her life in many ways. Anne was a business woman, a mother, a wife, and a member of society with many social duties. Her life was scattered and frantic. She felt like she had to wear a mask - so much so - that in doing so, she lost herself. Perhaps the "Double-Sunrise" shell would help in her journey to find her true shape and nature.

The "Double-Sunrise" shell is the type of shell that is double winged.With its amazing pink and peach hues, if you found one on the beach, you would see that the color and magnificence of the lines were simply remarkable. Just like first love's beauty, Anne remembered this feeling as she gazed at the shell.It symbolized feeling at one with another person - so that if they left your side for a just a moment - it would mean utter death. Looking at the shell, she remembered feeling her heart beat simultaneously with another, and knowing the love was so strong that nothing else mattered. This was the kind of love Anne first remembered when looking at the shell. After questioning if this type of love was real, she assessed it was as real as anything in the world could be, even if only for a brief moment in eternity. Practical love and duties would eventually take over - she muses - as she comments on the other shells and forms of love and marriage.

The ultimate shell she eventually finds is the "Argonauta." The `Argonauta" shell houses rare creatures that are not fastened to the shell at all, and Anne is looking for this type of freedom to shape her life. Yes, we can have a house, a body, a family, and all of the things the world gives us, but to become so undeniably detached from them, would be achieving perfect freedom. This is an evolutionary process that usually only occurs once we have come of age. She relates the process of the trees coming from the same source. They are individual, yet together, as their branches reach out and touch each other, each branch being the same, yet intrinsically different. As with the changing tides, the "Argonauta" shell will remind Anne of the changing tides and cycles of life.

A new interpretation....
Since it was first published in 1955, the book version of Gift from the Sea has offered advice and inspiration to readers on subjects from love and marriage to peace and contentment. Anne Morrow Lindbergh's advice and aphorisms are still relevant today: a woman finding her place in society and life with simplicity, peaceful solitude, and caring for the soul. Now the audio version offers a fresh perspective on this classic.

Gentle wisdom that is still relevant today
Written as a personal journal during her alone time visiting the beach in the 1950s, Anne Morrow Lindbergh's eloquent meditations on age, marriage, solitude, creativity, peace, and contentment beautifully illustrate the timelessness of these issues for women as wives and mothers.

Gift from the Sea would be an excellent book club selection for a group that is interested in discussing the joys and challenges of motherhood.

Lindbergh's book wouldalso make a lovely baby shower or Mother's Day gift.

A beautiful legacy
When I left home for college in 1978, my mother gave me a copy of this book.Some twenty years before, her mother gave her a copy of Anne Morrow Lindbergh's sweet musings of life as a woman.A few years ago, I bought a copy of Gift From the Sea to give to my own daughter who was leaving home for the first time.That this book speaks to multi-generations is part of its allure.People from my mother's generation will recall the Lindbergh's public tragedy of a kidnapped and murdered son.Although AML doesn't speak of this in her book, the knowledge of this awful event and what it must have meant to the author colored my perspective as a reader, adding to my respect for her essays.Gift from the Sea has become a legacy in my family; someday I hope to give copies to my grandchildren. ... Read more

Book Description

Beyond Golf's polished surface, there lies a world not often seen by the average fan. The caddy sees everything- the ambition, the strategy, the rivalries, the jealousies-that occurs behind the scenes. And now for the first time, along with America's favorite sportswriter, one of golf's legendary caddies will reveal the secrets behind one of our most popular sports. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A tale of golf, friendship and courage
Perhaps my only mistake was choosing to start reading this book the same night I had finished John Feinstein's most recent effort, "Let Me Tell You a Story," his book about the legendary Celtics figure, Red Auerbach. For that reason and that reason only, it took me a little longer to get into this one. After all, following that one is almost impossible.

But this one does. It is at times funny and sad and as a result, there are times this book brings out a smile, but many times it brings out a tear. But through it all, Feinstien's gift for telling a story makes this book one of the best books I have read. It is a story about a caddy with ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Bruce Edwards, the long-time caddy to golf great Tom Watson, was diagnosed with the fatal illness in January of 2003, a little more than two years ago. The book chronicles his life on the PGA Tour with, not only his brother-like relationship with Watson, but with everyone who ever came into his life. It is apparent that he touched a lot of lives during his 30+ year career on tour.

Through it all, until the end, Edwards was a picture of perservearance, bravery and courage. He refused to let the illness get the better of him. If memory serves, Edwards passed away shortly after this book was published. May he rest in peace.

Never Ever Give Up
Being an Avid Golfer, I was drawn by this story of courage under the face of the biggest adversity a person could ever face, knowing you are going to die. This story is a touching tribute to Bruce Edwards, the long time caddy to PGA tour vetran Tom Watson and a tribute to Bruce as not only a great caddy but a great person as well. It is a story of two men who forged a freindship over the years that brought them "Closer than Brothers" and a tribute to the class and dignity in which Bruce displayed in facing ALS or "Lou Gehrigs" disease.
We never know if and when something devestating will hit us or someone we love, but Bruce Edwards shows that you can have dignity in dying and that the Human Spirit prevails in the worse of conditions. A must read right there with Tuesdays with Morrie!

Rather Gehrig's disease than Liberace's!
Never quitting what he was passionate about, that was Bruce Edwards.Certainly he was passionate about caddying, about caddying for Tom Watson, passionate about always being upbeat and humorous."AT least Lou Gehrig was a great athlete.I'd rather tell people I have Gehrig's disease than Liberace's disease."

He set standard for pro caddies before finding out he had this dreaded killer.

This consumate team which had been through so much thrilled the sporting world at Olympia Fields.Watson's passion for his friend and his plight.

Feinstein's wordsmithing of this unique relationship and its unfurling from a fateful incident where hhe missed out caddying for veteran Dale Douglass only to chance upon a new upstart yound college grad from Stanford.

The rest is golfing history and told so well in this engaging and emotionally charged book.

May it inspire much good in the game and for this dreaded killer of a disease.

Grace under Pressure
Do you have a long-time friend who has made a big difference in your life?I hope so.

Bruce Edwards and Tom Watson have been blessed to have one another as friends for over 30 years.Mr. Edwards was Mr. Watson's primary caddy for all but four years of that time.They've supported each other through victory, defeat, family problems, and serious illnesses.Both are graceful men who want to help others and take responsibility for their own actions.That friendship became more important to both of them in 2003 when Bruce Edwards was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and they knew their friendship would soon be over.This book features the magnificent story of how both of them responded in uncommonly valiant and wonderful ways to this new challenge.

This book will be most appealing to those who have been caddies, fans of Tom Watson, those who know someone with ALS, people who value friendship and those who appreciate the potential of the human spirit to rise above the physical world.

Although this book is a memoir about Mr. Edwards, you cannot tell a caddy's story without talking about the people he caddied for so there's lots of golf history including Mr. Watson's famous chip-in at the 17th hole at Pebble Beach, his many British Open wins and keen insights into the character of many famous golfers (including Greg Norman for whom Mr. Edwards caddied for four years).

You will learn how Mr. Edwards decided upon caddying as a career.He had caddied at his home country club in Connecticut where a tour event was held annually, and loved caddying for a pro in that tournament.Having disliked the discipline of school, he enjoyed the freedom and camaraderie of the links.Upon graduating from high school, he persuaded his parents to let him try his hand at caddying for a year.At that time, there were few caddies who worked regularly on the tour.Mr. Edwards soon got Mr. Watson's bag . . . and kept it.

Naturally optimistic and positive, Mr. Edwards has always been generous in sharing those traits with other golfers . . . even Mr. Watson's opponents.You'll find out about the many times he helped Mr. Watson get an advantage that might otherwise not have been his.

Facing a near-term death sentence, Mr. Edwards soldiered on as best he could in the 2003 season.He made the best of his rapidly diminishing physical capabilities, and was generous in helping make others feel more comfortable around him.Mr. Watson responded by playing at the top of his game for a man his age so that he could share more success with Mr. Edwards.Mr. Watson also took on a crusade to raise money for ALS research hoping to help save Mr. Edwards' life.It's a beautiful, touching and memorable story.

The book's main weakness is that it is a little too much about Mr. Watson prior to 2003 and a bit too little about Mr. Edwards in those years as well.I would have liked to know more about Mr. Edwards' views on golf and caddying . . . and his advice for the rest of us.

If you don't have that long-time friend, you need to start looking.

I suggest that you consider giving this book as a gift to young people to help them understand how to build a meaningful, satisfying and contributing life.

For the love of the game.
Bruce Edwards was passionate about golf, and he realized at a young age that the itinerant life of a caddy was ideal for him.He worked mostly with one man, the great Tom Watson, who also became his lifelong friend.If Edwards had not been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease when he was in his late forties, this book would not have been written.However, in 2003, a doctor at the Mayo Clinic told Edwards that he had only a short time to live. "Caddy for Life," by John Feinstein, is the poignant, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting story of this courageous man.

Feinstein writes knowledgeably not just about Bruce Edwards, but also about the game of golf.When Edwards started out as a caddy, he worked for peanuts, and his living accommodations were spartan.It was only in later years that Edwards and other caddies gleaned substantial financial rewards for their efforts. People like Edwards completely changed the nature of caddying.Edwards studied each golf course thoroughly and took meticulous notes about every bump and ridge on each green. In many ways, a sharp and experienced caddy can raise a golfer's game to a higher level, and Edwards was one of the best caddies in the game.

"Caddy for Life" is, most of all, an emotional paean to the close friendship that developed between Tom Watson and Bruce Edwards.Since they went through so much during their almost thirty years together on various golf courses, Watson and Edwards knew and loved each other like brothers.Watson cried often in the days and months after Edwards told him the grim news about his fatal illness.Since then, Watson has done his best to raise awareness as well as funds for research that may someday lead to a cure for this horrendous disease.

Edwards's illness devastated his loved ones, including his parents and three siblings.What a cruel fate that a short time after Edwards proposed to the love of life, Marsha, he was diagnosed with ALS. However, he refused to shut himself in his room and brood about his misfortune.Edwards spent the rest of his life caddying with Watson to the best of his ability, and fighting the disease that was robbing him of his speech and his strength.

"Caddy for Life" is not only about the sadness of a man cut down in his prime.It is also an entertaining and often amusing account of how various golfers have struggled to tackle some of the most challenging courses in the world.Feinstein illustrates time and again that golf is as much a mental as a physical game, and few golfers have the psychological makeup to handle the pressure."Caddy for Life" is an engrossing, moving, and informative look at the world of golf and at one particular individual who has left an indelible mark on the game he loved so much. ... Read more

Book Description

In this moving and poignant autobiography, Yanni shares with his readers the story of his immense success, but also of the failures along the way.He tells the story of staging three career-defining concerts at The Acropolis in Athens, and the toll it took on him; his relationship with his father; his intense nine-year love affair with Linda Evans, and the exhaustion and depression that made him leave Linda and quit music altogether-before his eventual renewal and return. Yanni, In Words is more than just an autobiography. Woven through this text is a variety of lessons he's learned, including working through pain, keeping an open mind, and his discoveries about the creative process-and how anyone can access it. Yanni, In Words is the story no one knows and millions have been waiting for. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

I disagree.
A few reviewers refer to Yanni as arrogant and an ego maniac, so while I read the book, I was looking for those qualities in him. They're just not there. He actually has a lot of humility and at the same time a gratitude for and belief in his own power to create.
He's very likeable and I found myself smiling at how he put things. He's actually very funny. I'm glad to have read it.

His story, a truly motivational one....
I was fortunate to receive a copy of Yanni's book, "Yanni in Words". I have always enjoyed his music and now I was able to read his story.

His story, a truly motivational one:

He was born and raised in Greece. His upbringing was a simple one, to quote Yanni, "though our family life was simple, I wasn't aware that we were poor. Maybe we didn't have many possessions, but we never went hungry, were cold, or lacked love."

At age 14 he set a national record for breaking the fifty-meter freestyle swim. However, you should be aware that he never had a coach nor did he have any formal personal training. He beat swimmers that had coaches and trained every day for many years. How did he do it? In his book he states, "I believed that anything was possible, or at least because I didn't put together everyone else's 'facts' and believe that winning was impossible."

His parents wanted their children to receive an education in the United States. They sold their house and moved into a rental apartment in order to come up with the money to send their children to get a better education. So at 18 years old, Yanni found himself on a plane to the United States. He arrived speaking very little English. He got a part time job as a dishwasher. In university he struggled as he states in his book, "Every fifth word was unfamiliar. I'd never been so frustrated, but as they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I studied with the book, a notebook, and a Greek/English dictionary". He persevered and graduated with a psychology diploma in 1976.

But he then his passion for music took over. While he had his ups and downs, worked with different bands, he had a desire to create his own music. But it was a music that was unlike others. Throughout the book you will read about the challenges he faced. But you will also see his determination. He put it all on the line. One of my favorite quotes from the book is, "We are all capable if we have faith and passion." While he did have faith and passion he had many challenges to overcome. It was not an easy ride to success, but his through his faith and a passion he did make it.

A happy ending, not exactly! When he reached success, he had a setback. One, which he overcame, but one which made him look at life and all he had accomplished and made him realize he had to take care of himself.

The story of Yanni and his success is one, which is motivational and inspiring. Thank you Yanni for putting your experiences "in words" so many of us can learn and be motivated by your experiences!

Humble and Inspirational
As a newcoming listener to Yianni's compositions, I wanted to know more about the talented mind and philosophical greek that is Yianni Chryssomalis.Reading this book not only helped me to see him more as a person rather than just an artist with smouldering good looks, but it also motivated me.I found it to be very open, and humble in a sense.It's not your formal typical autobiography; it's graphic, and moving.I can only say that I think it's very bold of an artist of Yianni's caliber to be so honest and open with readers. Yianni is indeed an over-achiever, but he has come so far because he has "worked hard" for it.One thing that we should always hold present is that the media's portrayal of "Yanni" is one thing, whereas Yianni Chryssomallis is a whole different story.Once we realize that Yianni is not infallible and that he is human just like the rest of us, we will be able to digest this book without the unnecessary criticism and judgement.

INSPIRING JUST AS HIS MUSIC!!!
YANNI IN WORDS, the awaited biography, of a great instrumental artist.

The book is magnificent, full of events, stories & lessons... Yanni is very open and honest, discussing most of his life details. The book is very surprising infact in several aspects.
It's inspiring, emotional, interesting, uplifting, optimistic & detailed.

I recommend this book to all, whether fans or non-Yanni fans, since the book mainly focuses on life aspects, and how Yanni dealt with such situations. It's like talking about his journey with life, rather than focusing on his music only & himself.

Personally, I learnt many things about the man, life, and success, which shall benefit anyone who reads it. Yanni talks about his experiences, music, creativity, childhood, relations, concerts, achievements, his parents, Greece, etc

I see YANNI IN WORDS as a book about Life, rather than just a simple biography of an artist. Simply, you live it... :)

Way to go Yanni, another great master piece of work! ;)

This book has no soul
A thoroughly bland book, written in a matter-of-fact, flat narrative -- sorely lacking depth and dimension. There is no sign of introspection or personal reflection, only Yanni's inflated ego. The book is a simple-minded retelling of his life. Yanni's self importance and arrogance lurk throughout. While he purports to "tell it like it is," it is apparent he is most concerned with portraying himself in a certain light. Even when he talks about things like his rock 'n roll days, he makes sure he doesn't come off looking too bad, i.e. "every one was doing it then" and "I was always upfront with the girls before getting intimate with them." (Hmmmm). It seems his ego is such that he can't really reflect upon his own weaknesses and mistakes - he can only make excuses. His memory and accounts of some of the facts in the book are equally biased and inaccurate. One can only hope that he isn't as monochromatic and one-dimensional in his own mind as he comes off in this book. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Top Shelf (4 1/2 stars)
David Dupuis does an admirable job in marshalling the facts in this eminently readable biography of one of hockey's most difficult subjects, the in