Book Description

Shere Hite_s ground breaking Hite Reports have had a profound and lasting influence on generations of readers. Dr. Hite writes here for the first time about growing up in rural Missouri, the early American feminist movement, her private life, and sexual identity. The Hite Reports, showing an increasing depth to her controversial theories, have been translated into 15 languages and published in 35 countries, receiving numerous academic and professional awards and honors.

"A revolutionary whose theories on sex and love ring true with so many women."_Joan Smith, Guardian

Reviews (6)

Amazing
if you enjoyed szun tzus art of war you will definetly enjoy this book in my opinion

Amazing thoughts
if u like szun tzus art of war you will really enjoy reading this book

Spellbinding
If I must go to a deserted place today and am allowed to carry only one book, this would be it. It will provide me with enough thoughts on life, death, destiny, existence, hope and vision to fill a lifetime. If you ever wondered how a man could achieve (and fail) so spectacularly for so short a span in such diverse areas, this book will deliver the answer. You will never see him under the same lights.

Great Insight!
It is a shame that this book is currently out of print. If I were to recommend ONE book (out of thousands available on the topic) as a starting point for someone interested in what made Napoleon tick it would be this one. Herold has arranged Napoleon's writings and quotes by topic in an easy to follow manner. This book makes a great companion volume to general works on the period and gives readers an extra dimension of understanding. Here in his own words is the ultimate product of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution.

Terribly written
Not the best book ever written. It is not very well writte ... Read more

Amazon.com

This handy little reference reads like a virtual who's who of world history. Whether you want to know the date Napoleon died or just the names of some of Chekhov's most famous plays, you'll find what you're looking for in this book's pocket-sized pages. More than 7,000 entries chronicle the lives, deaths, and achievements of historical figures from Attila the Hun to Andy Warhol, including major works, prizes won, and principalities conquered. There's even a pronunciation guide to help make sure you don't suavely drop that reference to the work of Mies van der Rohe, then make his first name rhyme with "skies." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Perfect Three-Dollar Book
You couldn't ask more of a book that fits into a shirt pocket.Thousands of entries with pronunciations, dates, and even parts of speech.For instance, if you might want to describe someone as Comtian, then you'll not only know what Comte did and when he did it, but you'll also know how to spell the adjective.History is swarming with too many figures to remember; it's nice to have them all handy.Did I mention how cheap the book is? ... Read more

Book Description

This spiritual portrait of Father Mychal Judge is a remarkable testimony to the hope and courage that he brought to thousands of people, not only as the New York City fire chaplain during the attack on the World Trade Center, where along with so many firefighters his life was brought to a tragic end, but also to the wide-ranging people to whom he ministered.

Featuring exclusive interviews with some of his closest friends and associates, the book explores the inner life of New York's popular and charismatic Franciscan who has become an overnight American hero. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Mike Judge deserved a better book
I genuinely wanted to like this book, and was sorely disappointed. ... A case in point: Fr. Mychal spent a number of years at St. Joseph's parish in East Rutherford, NJ. The author's treatment of this critical, mid- career period in Judge's life (and the context in which this reviewer first came to know Mike Judge) is given short shrift. Ford relies entirely on an article in the Bergen (NJ) Record from the mid 70's and on some annecdotes from Fr. Michael Duffy ofm in his funeral homily for Judge. There is no indication that Ford spoke with any of the other Friars who shared ministry with Judge, or with any parishoners. Rather, Ford seems to be in a great rush to tell stories of Mike Judge, recovering alcoholic and (celibate)... man.
Much of the book is riddled with cliches and trite bromides. The end result is a book, which while informative at times, fails to capture and communicate the story of a flawed, yet truly holy man. Mike Judge deserves a better crafted biography.

Father Mychal Judge, An Authentic American Hero
I met Father Judge once and it was a very moving experience. Everything said about him in Ford's book as far as I'm concerned it just the way he was. He made a fantastic figure in his flowing robe but he was never pretentious. He loved people and his every action showed it. He is a man that will not be easily forgotten and the book will help towards that end.

Authentic is the right word.
Some people might be put-off because this book deals honestly with a priest who struggled with his sexuality and with church teachings AND lived a life in service to God and neighbor. However, this book looks honestly and authentically at the life of Fr. Mychal Judge. Clearly the love of God shone through this man, and clearly the teachings of the Catholic hierarchy are not always the teachings of the Church, the People of God. I thought perhaps this book might be a little hokey (the subtitle makes Fr. Judge sound like a Marvel Comic superhero), but the book was truly authentic (albeit a tiny bit hokey at some very few points). Michael Ford's book will give you some honest insight into the complex yet simple life of Fr. Mychal Judge. I found it inspiring.

Misleading
As much as I enjoyed reading about the good work of Father Judge and about his life's struggles, this book seems to deliberately mislead or confuse readers about Catholic teaching. The author fails to explain correct Catholic teaching about such issues as General Absolution, Canon Law, and Homosexuality or same sex attraction. For this reason it is a disservice to Father Judge's memory, the Franciscans and to readers.

Podium for the Author
Michael Ford has written a book hurriedly with a distinctively personal point of view that does not do justice to Mychal Judge. It is obvious that Mr. Ford's intent was to get the book to market and further along a media frenzied with the opportunity to "out" Father Judge after his death. We are left with snippets of a life that must have been overwhelmingly dedicated to others. There seems to be so much to investigate and develop that is left untouched in Mr. Ford's rendition. I hope that the next volume is truly "authentic" rather than an open ended quest for furthering an author's personal quest. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

what a concept!
This collection is truly amazing. To present the lives and careers of 70 famous Americans in such an innovative fashion is a remarkable achievement. The reason it works so well is, I feel, the brevity of the resume. The reader will learn quite a lot in just the few moments it takes to go over the entry. My two favorites are Isadora Duncan and Johnny Appleseed. And the introduction! Did that really happen? Someone should get ahold of Timothy Doe and find out.

historic resumes of famous americans
My friend showed me this book at school when we were learning about the poet Emily Dickinson. I didn't know she was such a good poet and now I have more of her books of poetry. It also has Edgar Alan Poe who was a great poet also. My favorite poem of Edgar Alan Poeis Annabell Lee.

There are also some Indians in this book that everyone should read about. Geronimo and Sitting Bull and Qwanna Parker are good ones to learn about. Qwanna Parker did not let the white people steal the land from his people. He was very brave and everyon should learn about him.

There are lots of other intersting people from history who I have liked to learn about and and the pictures of them are very good.

historic resumes of famous americans
I stumbled upon this book quite by accident while researching some biographical information at my local library. To make a long story very short, I ended up spending about two hours with it. It's absolutelyfascinating. The author has created a fictional setting for thepresentation of these (ostensibly) historically significant documents, andalthough the introduction may stretch the truth a bit, I find the resumesthemselves to be accurate. To sum up, this book is well worth adding toyour library. And the potential for future volumes is enormous!

Lots of fun and a great coffee table conversation starter
This (I assume) fictional collection of brief resumes of about 70 famous people from American history works on many levels. Although it doesn't deliver in-depth or complete biographies, it gives the reader enoughtidbits of information to invite further research. I didn't know PaulRobeson had such an illustrious academic career, for example. Also, I'm aserious B. Traven (Treasure of the Sierra Madre, et. al.) fan, and there'sa photo in this book that is said to be him. I don't know if it's real ornot, but if it is, it is a significant find. If anyone knows how to get intouch with the author, please make an entry in this review section so I cancontact him. There's a lot to be said about a book that can be informative,fun, and educational at the same time. Buy it!

Very valuable source for much American biography
As I have living in Madrid for many years but most enjoy the lives of famous Americans from the days of the Old West such as Buffalo Bill, Sitting Bull, Annie Oakley and many others it was with great joy my cousinsends me this book from Los Angeles, California. I have learned much aboutthese wonderful Western history people as well as many others such asQuanah Parker and Woody Guthrie and Carry Nation and so many others.Everyone could gain and benefit from this book. I will buy two more to makefor presents for good friends who enjoy reading. ... Read more

Book Description

“A rare example of a readable and even entertaining reference book . . . here are tales of family drama and stories of business squabbles, accounts of the first women to pursue photography in the Far West, and the story of the first Chinese person to make pictures in San Francisco. . . . A book which sets new standards for research and becomes an instant bible for anyone working in the fields of western American history or the history of photography.” —From the Foreward

This extraordinarily comprehensive, well-documented, biographical dictionary of some 1,500 photographers (and workers engaged in photographically related pursuits) active in western North America before 1865 is enriched by some 250 illustrations. Far from being simply a reference tool, the book provides a rich trove of fascinating narratives that cover both the professional and personal lives of a colorful cast of characters. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Enhanced with around 250 illustrations
Pioneer Photographers Of The Far West 1840-1865 is an impressive and unique compendium of some 1500 photographers, retouchers, printers, manufacturers and sellers of photographic instruments and stock, publishers, lithographers, and engravers who were active in western North America prior to 1865. Enhanced with around 250 illustrations (many of them published here for the first time), this meticulously researched and scholastically rigorous biographical reference is a definitive, exhaustive, authoritative, and documented contribution to the study of the early years of photographic history in general, and photography as it was first introduced to the western frontier in particular.

A Remarkable Work
Seldom is a work of historical significance of such magnitude written in our generation.The pages come alive with the exquisite prose of Mr. Kailbourn.Tales of those that have come before us are given a new breath of life. This is a tome that all serious students of history should have under their mantles.This is a book that should be placed each night near the pillow as one sleeps. Enough with that Harry Potter twit and how many more letters of the alphabet must Sue Grafton exploit before we shall rise up and say no more.Well then say no more and order this book. P.S.Any relationship between this reviewer and the author is not a coincidence. ... Read more

Book Description

"Cornell is unique among American research universities and in the Ivy League. . . . It aspires to the ideals of Ezra Cornell, who founded an institution ‘where any one person could find instruction in any study.’ . . .Cornell has played a distinctive role in democratizing higher education, while helping to shape the American university’s post–Civil War commitment to useful service to American society and to the world. The undergraduate experience has been the heart of life on East Hill, ‘far above Cayuga's Waters.’ Its undergraduates have lived the ideals carved into the Eddy Street gate: ‘So enter that daily thou mayest become more learned and thoughtful. So depart that daily thou mayest become more useful to thy country and to mankind.’ It is our privilege and honor to single out and, in most cases, pay tribute to Cornell’s most distinguished sons and daughters."—from the Preface

Graduates of Cornell University have achieved remarkable success in all areas from literature and photography to economics and agriculture, from finance and chemistry to athletics and the stage. They have held positions of leadership in boardrooms and classrooms, blazed new paths in medicine and journalism, acted on lofty ideals and strong ambition. Cornellians are regulars in Stockholm, on the bestseller lists, and in high office.

Faced with all that excellence, the authors of this book sifted through encyclopedias, archives, and alumni records and engaged in conversations and debates to arrive at a final group of one hundred notable men and women who completed an undergraduate degree program at Cornell. These alumni are representative in their distinction (and, in a few cases, for their notoriety). Each Cornellian is profiled in a witty and erudite essay, each accompanied—with one telling exception—by a portrait.

In immortalizing a selection of notable Cornellians from a bit more than the first hundred years of the university, the authors arrive at a portrait of Cornell itself, "a world-class institution with an egalitarian soul" where undergraduates are guided to exceed their own goals and change the world, too. ... Read more

Book Description

With an introduction by Marian Wright Edelman. This is a true story from the front lines of the civil rights struggle--the story of the Carter family of Sunflower County, Mississippi. African-American sharecroppers and the parents of thirteen children, Mae Bertha and Matthew Carter accepted their school district's 1965 "Freedom of Choice" offer at its face value and enrolled their seven school-age children in the formerly all-white schools of tiny Drew, Mississippi. SILVER RIGHTS tells what happened to them next. As noted civil rights activist and Children's Defense Fund president, Marian Wright Edelman says in her introduction, "This deeply moving book chronicles the pain and poverty in the lives of sharecroppers, their extraordinary grit, courage, and endurance." "We should be grateful to and inspired by the lives of the Carter family."--Booklist; "A book teeming with loud voices and heat and faith, and backbreaking work and timeless courage and honor."--Melissa Fay Greene, author of PRAYING FOR SHEETROCK. A LITERARY GUILD SELECTION. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Silver Rights in the Mississippi Delta
In the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Congress mandated the desegregation of all public schools receiving Federal aid.Mississippi tried to "comply" with the law by a "Freedom of Choice" program which allowed students over a certain age and parents to designate the schools they wished to attend.While, perhaps, facially appealing, the "Freedom of Choice" program served as a means to intimidate blacks from attempting to register in what were at the time all-white schools. Those with the courage to do so faced danger to their livelihood, property, and persons.The "Freedom of Choice" program ultimately was invalidated through litigation.

Constance Curry's inspiring book "Silver Rights" (1995) tells the story of a family of black sharecroppers in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, Mae Bertha and Matthew Carter and seven of their thirteen children (all their children then of school age).The Carter's took the "Freedom of Choice" program at its word.In 1965, the seven children enrolled in the primary and secondary schools of Drew, Mississippi, a small town with a then-deserved reputation for violence and lawlessness. Ms. Curry worked as a field representative for the American Friends Service Committee from 1965-1975.She got to know the Carter family well and was instrumental in providing the assistance necessary to get them through their difficult times.

The book includes excellent pictures of life in the Mississippi Delta, for both white and black people, in the early to mid-twentieth century. The book shows a feel for the place, for sharecropping life on the farms and for life in the dusty towns, for the blues culture of the Delta, and for its history. The book offers substantial discussion of the notorious Emmett Till case and of other lynchings and of early attempts to organize civil rights activities in the Delta.Ms. Curry eloquently evokes the spirit of the Delta at the opening of her story:

"In trying to describe the Mississippi Delta, I seem to find only superlatives -- the flattest land, the blackest dirt, the hottest summers, the nicest people, the poorest people.In defining the delta's past and even its present, I am aware of these extremes and also of its incongruities: the violence and the peacefulness, the beauty and the ugliness, the stillness and the tension.It is a place complex almost beyond comprehension." (p. xxi)

In telling her story, Ms. Curry lets her protagonists do most of the talking.The opening chapters set the stage and explain the Carter's ambitions for an education, and an end to the hardships of sharecropping, for their children.The second section of the book explores the backround of Mae Bertha Carter and her mother Luvenia's early life as the wife of a Delta sharecropper.The book discusses throughout the experiences of the Carter family as they faced violence and shootings in the early stages following their enrollment in the formerly white schools.Throughout their period in the public schools the children endured harassment, name-calling and ostracism. The Carter family was forced off the plantation and Matthew Carter lost his job.The book shows the courage and perseverance of the family and the aid offered by the AFSC and other organizations.

The book includes interviews with each of the thirteen Carter children and discussions of the family members fared after their graduation from the public schools.There are some moving scenes when Ms. Curry reestablished contactwith the Carter family in 1988, thirteen years after her work with the AFSC came to an end. Mae Bertha Carter remains determined and forceful and has received honors from institutions within the State of Mississippi that would have been unthinkable in the 1960s.

This book tells an important story of the silver rights movement.It is a work of both history and memory and describes beautifully the changes wrought with time.

This book looks into the soul of a very brave family.
Silver Right is a moving and telling story of my family struggle to achieve equality in America.This book does a very good job of relating the feeling, fear and turmoil that I felt during those four long years of being the only black family at an all white school in the Mississippi Delta in the sixites.Silver Rights goes beyond the actions of people during that time.It looks at the cilvil right movement on a personal level. This book will make you laugh, and it will also make your cry ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Priceless
I remember when I found it [Current Biography Yearbook 2003]--in a dimly lighted place near the black, oily river where the mists always swirl. That place was very old, and the ceiling-high shelves full of rotting volumes reached back endlessly through windowless inner rooms and alcoves. There were, besides, great formless heaps of books on the floor and in crude bins; and it was in one of these heaps that I found the thing. I never learned its title, for the early pages were missing; but it fell open toward the end and gave me a glimpse of something which sent my senses reeling. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Weighing in at a hefty 1,170 pages, this addictive reference volume supplies brief lives of more than 30,000 men and women--the famous, the not-so-famous, and the downright obscure. Coverage of the non-English speaking world is particularly comprehensive. And thanks to the helpful pronunciation guidelines, names like Domitius Ahenobarbus and Abu al-Faraj alIsbahani will soon roll trippingly from the reader's tongue. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Buyer beware: not worth the money, and you'll look foolish
The producers of this book think only surnames matter. Examples:

1. How do you pronounce the "Vita" of "Vita Sackville-West"? Uh, is it "VEE-tuh" or "VIE-tuh"? Who cares? Let's just tell the buyer how to pronounce "sackville" and "west", in case that's not obvious (?).

2. How do you pronounce the "Childe" of the painter "Childe Hassam"? Who cares? Might be like "child" or might be like "chilled" -- too much trouble for us to research it, and any idiot must know how it's pronounced, huh? So let's just show the "hassem"-sounding part, and let the buyer guess about the given name.

Even when only the surname is in question, they can get it wrong. Example,

3. How do you pronounce the last name of the artist Charles Demuth? M-W says de-MOOTH (rhymes with "the Truth"). But the Demuth Foundation tells me "The Demuth family appears to have pronounced their last name de-MOOTH (similar to the German). Charles Demuth appears to have taken some artistic liberties with that pronounciation. The artist pronounced his last name DEE-muth after about 1915." In other words, let's ignore the way he pronounced his name during his prolific years from age 32 to his death at 52, and show the pronunciation he used before he had his first solo exhibit in 1914.

Buyer beware. If you go by this book's pronunciations (or lack thereof), you might look as dumb as it does.

This biographical dictionary is simply the best!
Merriam Webster's Biographical Dictionary is an excellent source of information on more or less important dead persons (yes, only someone who has already died can qualify for an entry!). It covers all fields of human activities - politicians, rulers, writers, inventors etc. Even a small Slovenian nation has its representatives in this comprehensive volume (e.g. composer Jacobus Gallus, poet France Preseren, writer Ivan Cankar, politician Anton Korosec), though, unfortunately, the real nationality of two very important Slovenes who lived in Austria (physicist Josef Stefan and Nobel laureate Fritz Pregl) haven't been revealed.

It's not surprising that in such comprehensive and informative book (it has circa 30,000 entries!) there are some mistakes (e.g. wrongly spelled first and even last names like in the cases of Viet Stoss - correctly spelled first name is Veit - and B. J. Feijoo y Montenogro - correctly spelled last name is Feijoo y Montenegro), and overlooked important persons (e.g. famous Welsh novelist and playwright Richard Llewellyn, who died in 1983, doesn't have an entry!)

However, it's still definitely one of the most authoritative biographical dictionaries available (it's simply the best, just like its twin brother Merriam Webster's Geographical Dictionary is in its field - see my review there!), and is worth every single penny or cent. I use it pretty often and hardly wait for a new edition with new entries and, of course, some necessary corrections (some of them contributed by me).

Biography 101!
Being a person whom likes to learn about various subjects, this title was a natural choice, i.e., Merriam-Webster's Biographical Dictionary. The book starts out with a well written preface; follows with explanatory notes; guide to pronunciation; abbreviations in this book; pronunciatiob symbols; biographies and finishes of by having a section on pronouncing lists of name elements, titles, and prenames. The entries are very well written and quite informative, e.g., the entry of Johann Willhelm Ebel, whom was a German Lutheran clergyman, whom lived 1784-1861. Therefore, I would verily say that this book in question ,i.e.,Merriam-Webster's Biographical Dictionary, is quite usefull and a good purchase.

FILLS THE BILL
This dictionary has over 30,000 entries with preferred pronounciation. I particularly wanted an American publisher so I would have more American entries. The material is detailed enough to begin referencing. The print is adequately sized--just barely(approx. 8 pt. headings and 6 pt. entries). It is easy to use, though I would have liked a thumb-guide. It's a very good price. I am quite satsified with my purchase.

A note on the choice of entries. A biographical dictionary does not contain living entries. For that sort of information you need a Who's Who type of publication that has constant updates. It is usually a very expensive purchase, and the buyer has to be meticulous to be certain he is getting the "type" of persons in which he is interested. In this day and age of 15-minute celebrity, to include everyone anyone has ever heard of would take a constantly shifting entire library.

As good as it gets
If the browser in Jacksonville had read the preface, he or she would have discovered that the dictionary does not cover living persons. So as estimable as Mr Crystal, et al, surely are, they aren't as yet eligible for inclusion. That aside, the book is as accurate as any reasonable person could need it to be and as complete as it can be without becoming unwieldy. And the price is excellent. ... Read more

Book Description

AMERICAN NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY is the first new comprehensive biographical dictionary focused on American history to be published in seventy years, and it is the largest reference project ever undertaken by OUP-USA. In chronological scope, the ANB ranges from the time of the earliest recorded European explorations up to the very recent past. The approximately 17,500 historical figures who are profiled come from virtually all walks of life. The ANB is destined to be the standard reference work of its kind well into the twenty-first century. ... Read more

Book Description

Julia Collins traces the effects of war on her emotionally scarred father. Jerry Collins was 20 years old when his Marine regiment was sent to fight the battle of Okinawa. He returned home to marry and father five children, but could not live up to the pressures of being a war hero and family man in his small hometown. His daughter became his confidante. Eager to listen yet terrorized by her own nightmares, Collins assumed her father’s burden. In spare and touching prose, Collins speaks to the experience of veterans everywhere who know the lingering devastation of war. “Julia spares no one — not her parents, not even herself. It is their story.” — William Manchester, author of Goodbye, Darkness ... Read more

Reviews (12)

the real story
At first, I could only read this book in bits at bedtime, but by the time I hit chapter four, I could no longer put it down and finished it in the middle of the night.I wept long and hard.Sadness and overwhelming joy.Ms. Collins - no, Julia - thank you for having the courage to share your story with us and for telling it so even-handedly.I felt like my grandfather, a storyteller whose quiet voice used to gather amazingly large crowds, was telling a tale of that Great Generation, of the tribulations faced not just a war but at home.And I feel sorry for anyone who has not heard this tale of yours and had the chance to share its epiphanies.Thank you again.

Could not put it down
I read this book over a period of three days while nursing my baby; I could not put it down. it rings so true, I could even imagine Jerry's voice singing those old big band tunes and improvising those bedtime stories for "the girls" as he tried to keep his nocturnal memories at bay. He sounds like a true Irishman, that heartbreaking combination of humor and melancholy. For personal reasons too complex to describe, I am very grateful for this book and for its courageous author, who revealed as much of herself as of her haunted father. I will read it many times.

Shedding a different light on the Greatest Generation
Collins' moving memoir of her battle-scarred father offers readers a window into the lives of vets after the fighting is over, and the battles that emerged on the homefront. It's as much a story of the author's father, Jeremiah Collins--Yale student-turned soldier-turned salesman, as it is the writer's own. With painstaking honesty and powerful imagery, Collins paints a portrait of small town America in the grips of post-World War II boosterism. Some of the pictures aren't pretty, but Collins, a gifted writer, manages to move the reader through those passages and take them to a place of solace and closure.

Shedding a different light on the Greatest Generation
Collins' moving memoir of her battle-scarred father offers readers a window into the lives of vets after the fighting is over, and the battles that emerged on the homefront. It's as much a story of the author's father, Jeremiah Collins--Yale student-turned soldier-turned salesman, as it is the writer's own. With painstaking honesty and powerful imagery, Collins paints a portrait of small town America in the grips of post-World War II boosterism. Some of the pictures aren't pretty, but Collins, a gifted writer, manages to move the reader through those passages and take them to a place of solace and closure.

A "respectable" kiss-and-tell
I hated this book, and as I read it I found myself increasingly angry with Julia Collins, the author.I picked it up presuming that it would be the story of how war destroyed a man, an ordinary, representative guy in the street, thereby shedding light on the horrible way in which violence continues to brutalize even after the shooting stops.I anticipated something along the lines of J. Glenn Gray's *The Warriors:Reflections on Men in Battle.*At the very least, given that the subject of the book was the author's father, I expected a sensitive treatment.

But I'm afraid that my overall impression is one of opportunism.Collins is furious with her father because his haunting memories of WWII blemished her childhood.In an attempt to purge herself of her anger, she publishes letters he wrote from the Pacific Theater, letters so intensely personal that the reader feels a certain embarrassment in reading them.This turning her father into a public spectacle, parading his demons for all the world to see, seems to offer Collins some kind of therapy, allowing her to come to terms with her father for "wrecking" her childhood.It also, incidentally, allows her to write a book and make some money by cashing in on her father's tormented life.What a daughter.

There is no broader message in this book about war or the way violence shatters lives.This is simply a National Inquirer confessional--"Papa Dearest," if you will, made respectable by the daughter's rather tiresome earnestness.Give it a miss. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the first English-language biography of Fanny Mendelssohn, the older sister of Felix Mendelssohn and a gifted composer and pianist in her own right. Under pressure to neglect her talents in favor of her brother, Fanny stifled her career, and most of her 400 compositions have only recently become known. HARDCOVER ... Read more

Book Description

Elinor Delight Gregg, R.N., the first Supervisor of Nurses for the Indian Service, holds the microphone and begins to speak. Her memories--vivid with details of 80 years of an independent woman’s life of adventure, frustration, triumphs, and personal commitment to caring--begin to fill the first tape. She wonders how the two University of New Mexico nursing students, Melody Johnson and Alice Fryer, can possibly benefit from what she has to say. Her stories tell of times far before they were born--of miles she traveled through World War I, on Indian Reservations, in Washington, D.C., and all the journeys between and since. But as always, since she’s agreed to help, she will.

Melody and Alice want to learn from Elinor’s experiences, but conflicts and questions about marriage, the Vietnam War, commitment, women’s roles, adventure, and about the type of nurses they’ll become threaten to distract them. Can Elinor Gregg help them find answers? And, once when they visit her in Santa Fe, another question arises--what is the purpose of the basket full of stones "Aunt El" keeps near her chair?

This thoroughly researched true biography set within a fictional relationship between Elinor Gregg and two University of New Mexico nursing students in the summer of 1966 will instruct readers interested in nursing, gerontology, history, and the Women’s Movement, and will fascinate the general reader who enjoys a good story. ... Read more

Book Description

There have been many "firsts" in Jim Whittaker's life. He was the first North American to summit Mount Everest. As the first manager and employee, and ultimately the CEO, of fledgling Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), he guided the company through years of record-setting growth. He guided Bobby Kennedy up the newly named Mount Kennedy,helping him to become the first person to summit the Canadian peak. He led the historic International Peace Climb, which put climbers from the U.S., Russia, and China on the summit of Everest in the name of world peace.

Jim Whittaker's achievement on Everest and his many successes before and after are the natural outcome of a life driven by a passion for outdoor adventure combined with strong leadership qualities and a commitment to making a difference.

This honest, revealing autobiography features all the major events in Whittaker's life: his formative years spent climbing with his twin brother Lou; the creation of REI and years of work growing the company; his intimate friendship with the Kennedys and the new world into which he was launched after his success on Everest; his major expeditions on K2 and Everest; a business partnership that resulted in bankruptcy; a failed marriage; a new marriage and a new family; and his new challenges beyond the mountains. In A Life on the Edge, readers will discover a true hero-someone who tells his story not to boast or preach but to share his love of the environment and outdoor adventure and to inspire others to seek challenges in their own lives.Featuring a 24-page color photo insert and 50 b&w photos. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A few steps above!
Jim Whittaker began his life with only one real difference from most of us and that is that he had an identical twin. However from almost the day of his birth onward, his life accelerated beyond what is normal for most of us.
Mr. Whittaker enjoyed some luck in his life, particularly his ability to meet and mingle with some very powerful, influential and skilled individuals. He also enjoyed the benefit of his own hard work - from his days at REI to his climb on Everest and his efforts to put Americans on top of K2. He also had his share of bad luck, a divorce and a bankruptcy. This makes this story so much more entertaining because it is real, it is personal, it is something that could have happened to almost anyone with the drive and love of the mountains that Mr. Whittaker possessed.
The accounts of his alpine adventures, whether on Mt. Rainier or Mt. Everest or K2, are gripping, well written and harsh reminders of why mountaineering is not a sport for the faint of heart. Jim lost many of his close friends through out his life and the mountains claimed many of them. Despite any set back however, he pushed onward. This drive doesn't appear to be the result of a lust for glory or wealth but simply an extension of the man himself. In my opinion, his greatest successes are not the mountains he climbed but the peace and love of nature, family, and the mountains that he has helped others find.
This book is well written and easy to read and the pictures included are breathtaking (I wish there were more!). Reading this text will almost assuredly add a name to your list of personal heroes.

A great book - one fo the best on Mountaineering
One of the truly great climbing books! The work describes this American Hero's life philosophy of learning and truly living. It describes how to take on an acceptable amount of risk and gain from the experience. I found valuable Jim's philosophy (who I met and idolized as a kid) translated into a world well beyond the mountain - into his political friendship with the Kennedy's, his professional life at REI and Magellan GPS; as well as his efforts to foster nothing short of world peace. I kept finding myself wondering if there was anything Jim had not taken on!

The writing is considerably less melodramatic than a great number of climbing/travel logs, which is refreshing. Straightforward and clear, even when discussing the inevitable loss of life involved in mountaineering.

A memorable quote follows: "It's about making the most of every moment, about stretching your own boundaries, about being willing to learn constantly, and putting your self in situations where learning is possible - sometimes even critical to your survival. Being out on the edge, with every-thing at risk, is where you learn-and grow-the most.

This book puts life in perspective
An incredible book. Not because of his achievments (which are very impressive), but because he shares his wisdom regarding life. This comes from a man who's seen it all, and has seen life's ups and downs. Highly recommended.

Excellent book
I'm a 20 year old guy about to graduate from college, and have thus been thinking a lot about the future and how I want to live my life.. I just finished reading the book and wrote in my journal about it, which will sum up how I feel about it pretty well:

Wow... I just finished reading a really good book, a book that has brought together and solidified a lot of the things I've been thinking about the past few weeks. The name of the book was "Life on the Edge" by Jim Whittaker, the first american to reach the summit of Everest. When Chris and I went to the bookstore for our weekly visit, I was looking for an true-life adventure book, but I also wanted something that had a sense of "living" to it as well. I read "Into Thin Air" and it was like a drama novel, seeming almost like fiction. "Life on the Edge" hits much closer to home, describing the realities of a life well lived.

Fellow Adventurer
This book is great! I picked up the book at a Wilderness Club meeting where Jim Whittaker was the guest speaker. I was amazed with his good health and zeal for life at the age of 71. Jim's book is an inspiration to us all to seek out our dreams and explore the unknown. I couldn't put it down. His honesty and sincerity were remarkable. His description of the expeditions to K2, Everest and Mt. Ranier were vivid and thrilling. What an amazing life he leads! ... Read more