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Available for download now Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review ("What are you doing to help?") 『Fantastic book. What I loved most about the book was its honest portrayal of Haregewoin. It does not make her out to be a saint. Rather, you get a very even account of her accomplishments and her responses to the problems that confront her. There are things she's done that many may disagree with or would have reacted in a different way had they been in her shoes. However, this is a true story and by giving this fair and accurate description of Haregewoin's actions, her great achievements shine even more. It truly amazing how much she has done with so little resources. I highly recommend this book. This book makes you take a look at your own life and ask yourself "What are you doing to help?"』
(Inspiring) 『A great story not only of seemingly boundless love and generosity mixed with overwhelming care and challenges, but also informs the reader about AIDS/HIV in Ethiopia. A wonderful read, and like others have mentioned, it might make you seriously consider adoption.』
(Incredible book of one woman's struggle to care for an impossible number of AIDs orphans) 『I listened to the CD version of this book before I went on a medical mission to Ethiopia fall 2009. The book told me so things that I did not know about Ethiopia and Africa, and it was a real eye-opener about AIDs and healthcare in Africa, as well as the disgrace of the pharmaceutical companies who, with the complicity of western governments, kept AIDS medicines from a dying continent. The oral reading was elegant and made a deep impression. The words themselves demonstrate what a finely crafted book this is, and the narrating was superb. It is an incredible book. The weaving of the story of humanity, of individuals, of governments, of healthcare, science and history are amazing. My only disappointment was that Bloombury, the publisher of the paperback version, has fallen in the same trap that many other publishers have done. The current practice of the last few years seems to be cutting production costs by skimping on printing ink. This results in type that is so light that it becomes annoying and makes reading the book a far from satisfactory experience. And woe to the older generation who find it increasingly difficult to read the new generation of books with the dull ink. As for the book on CD, I would recommend it to EVERYBODY who loves books or has the faintest interest in Ethiopia, Africa, AIDS, the human predicament, history, or life at its best and worst. The book was completely engrossing, telling the tale of one woman's struggle care for an impossible number of AIDs orphans, of families lost and gained, and how her life's work intersected with multitudes of lives around the world. I drive a lot in my work, and each day looked forward to hearing what was happening next. I'm not sure about the hard back edition, having never seen it, but would suggest you look into it if you have an aversion to light ink as I do. The book also makes a great reference to keep on hand. For that reason the written form is valuable, but the CD version is, as I said before, impressive. I have not seen the hardback version, hopefully it is a better product than the paperback. 』
(Best book I've read this year) 『This book, about AIDS orphans in Africa and one particular woman in Ethiopia who has been taking care of them, was hands-down the best book I've read this year.
There are a lot of numbers and facts in the first few chapters book, but I think they provide some necessary background and valuable perspective on AIDS and make the book that much more powerful.』
(Brings It All Home) 『The exquisite storytelling gift of Melissa Fay Greene brings home to those of us unscathed by severe poverty and a raging, unchecked AIDS epidemic how cruel is the fate of children quite literally left to fend for themselves. Greene's tale of a heart-centered woman, moved by her own tragedy to offer the sweet balm of instinctual caring to so many young souls (and despised by many for doing so), is wrenching, galling, entertaining, and -- ultimately -- inspiring. We are charmed by Ethiopia's children, root for them at every step of their spirited journeys, cry for them when all good efforts fail. Bravo to Greene for putting her fine talent to such generous use -- this story has needed to be told...and read!』 『My book about Mrs. Haregewoin Teferra, the story of a remarkable woman who opened her doors to Addis Ababa's orphaned children, is finished, but the vast landscape of the orphaned children flows on. On a recent return visit to Addis Ababa, I found I could not lay aside the impetus to see and to understand, the impetus to try to act, to try to bear witness.』
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Available for download now Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Needs to Be Said, Needs to Be Read, A Solid First Step) 『I disagree with those that criticize this book. This is PRECISELY the kind of book we need to see, at a reasonable price, being discussed in schools, clubs, and churches.
QUOTE page 27: "The Founders set out to prove that ordinary people could be entrusted with governing themselves in a state where no one could arbitrarily arrest them, lock them up, or torture them."
This book resonates with me, in part because for the past ten years I have been reading heavily and observing the decline of America in all respects--see my chapter on Paradigms of Failure in Election 2008: Lipstick on the Pig (Substance of Governance; Legitimate Grievances; Candidates on the Issues; Balanced Budget 101; Call to Arms: Fund We Not Them; Annotated Bibliography), both free at Phi Beta Iota the Public Intelligence Blog (as will all my books, but I do recommend the Amazon hard copies).
I might mention that in recent years I have felt I am reading for all of us, and especially for my colleagues in the government who are good people trapped in a bad system. This book is a perfect counterpoint to the fictional angst in TYRANNICIDE (The Story of the Second American Revolution). Our White House is theater, our Congress is corrupt, Goldman Sachs is out of control, and as Thom Hartman puts it so well, we are Screwed: The Undeclared War Against the Middle Class - And What We Can Do about It (BK Currents (Paperback)) at the same time that right here in America we have The Working Poor: Invisible in America and Nobodies: Modern American Slave Labor and the Dark Side of the New Global Economy.
The author is elegant, polite, and straight-forward. She compares the downturn in democracy here in the USA to the rise of Mussolini's Italy, Stalin's Russia, and Hitler's Germany, pointing out that Mussolini and Hitler both came to power "legally" within a democracy.
Early on the author mentions the Alien&Sedition Act and this resonates with me, I took a lot of hits for my review of What Kind of Nation: Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, and the Epic Struggle to Create a United States from saying similar things back then.
The heart of the book is a chapter on each of what the author calls the ten steps to dictatorship, and I list them here after observing that the author hits it out of the park in pointing out that all previous wars were of limited duration, while the Global War on Terror (GWOT) is the first open-ended constant state of emergency to be declared in America.
01 Invoke an External and Internal Threat 02 Establish Secret Prisons 03 Develop a Paramilitary Force 04 Surveil Ordinary Citizens 05 Infiltrate Citizens' Groups 06 Arbitrarily Detain and Release Citizens 07 Target Key Individuals 08 Restrict the Press 09 Cast Criticism as "Espionage" and Dissent as "Treason" 10 Subvert the Rule of Law
Virtually all 1500 books I have reviewed here at Amazon and in more easily sorted fashion at Phi Beta Iota support the tandem thesis that we have lost it here in America, and at the same time have imposed terrible--genocidal--costs on the rest of the world.
The author provides ample detail within each of the chapters and in my view is very restrained. She ends by calling for an American Awakening, and at the end are a full page "The American Freedom Campaign" and a half page "The Pledge of the American Freedom Campaign," both of which will be linked from Phi Beta Iota where I have more freedom to connect.
QUOTE page 29: "The Founders never expected us to fall asleep or get lazy. They counted on us to keep the web of the precious system intact so that an American despot could never arise. They trusted us to cherish liberty as they did. The price of liberty, the generation that debated and created the Constitution understood, is eternal vigilance."
The author does not seek to address the concentration of wealth or the many corruptions of our government and the two political parties that have sold out to Wall Street, but her bottom line word is the one we can all rally around: LIBERTY. We are no more free today than were the pigs in Animal Farm: Centennial Edition.
Three other books within my limit (see the other 1500 in 98 topical areas at Phi Beta Iota, all with links back to Amazon): Grand Illusion: The Myth of Voter Choice in a Two-Party Tyranny The Battle for the Soul of Capitalism The Thirteen American Arguments: Enduring Debates That Define and Inspire Our Country 』
(We are not active enough...) 『Naomi Wolf does a great job of conveying how interested we probably should be in our country's affairs if we're to retain our freedoms. She covers the basics in an easy concise yet powerful read which compares current events with the unseen subtleties of other eras which led countries down hellish paths. I could see Patrick Henry, who said, "Give me Liberty, or give me Death!", recommending this read.』
(VERSION -- eDoc / Amazon SHORT) 『be aware that the ''Amazon Shorts'' version is anything *but* a condensed version of the book
out of curiosity i purchased the Shorts download, and was surprised to get what amounts to little more than a reasonable ''Look Inside'' preview, rather than a 10,000 foot overview or condensed version of the print book (a sampling from each chapter, perhaps, rather than what appears to be the first part of the Introduction)
did i expect too much, considering the original is a 192 page book ? no, taking the price into consideration. but as i indicated earlier, a broad brush overview would have made more sense than what was delivered ! the ''6,384 words, 27 pages'' delivered includes a cover page with ''Amazon Shorts'' and the title ''The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot'' set in immense ''War Type Font'', 6 pages of footnotes and 2 pages of ''Author Spotlight'' ... the sum total of which resembles a reasonable ''Look Inside'' indeed !
if this is the direction Amazon is taking with their new ''Amazon Shorts'' offerings, they are in for the ramifications of a failed experiment - imagine the download of a song which contains a few bars of the opening strains and you have an accurate mental image of what this ''service'' currently offers, at least from a larger print book ; short stories from unknown authors may be a better fit with this minimalistic format
***
sadly Amazon does not allow comments on specific versions of any book, and with such glowing reviews for the printed version my *** patriotic, dissenting, speaking-up against the tyranny *** of the eDoc/Shorts version will not do much to harm the beautiful author's rep, and might actually make her laugh at the strange, wonderful world all around us 』
(Great book and information... a little too basic, too weak, and way to short) 『Overall the book has valuable information, but there is just too much red tape around how she writes. Too hands off on some issues and doesnt incoperate the other important points that clearly relate to the book. Hope that she is able to come out with a more breakthough and comprehensive book, and hope that I dont get put on the list she writes about by buying this book.』
(A Wake Up Call to Heed) 『This book should be a companion to every high school civics class.
If our constitution were taught the way this book sets forth, we would not be teetering on our present brink.
』 『In my travels across the country, I have heard from citizens of all backgrounds who feel alienated from the Founders' idea that they are the ones who must lead; they are the ones who must decide and confront and draw a line. They are the ones who matter. This book is written for them. Such citizens need the keys to, the understanding of, the Founders' radical legacy. They need to understand how despots have gone about their work. They need a primer so they and those around them can be well-equipped for the fight that lies ahead.』
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Available for download now Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Enjoyed the Story!) 『It was very well written and it was filled with passion and excitement. This is a great buy.』
(a good read....) 『I loved this whole series. This is not my favorite of the 6 but it is a must read...Love the way Cindy Gerard can bring the reader into the book and that the reader can actually visualize all the settings.』
(Fell a little short of the mark) 『This entry in the bodyguard series didn't quite do it for me. Not a bad story, but for whatever reason, I just didn't find the main characters or the back story interesting. 』
(A definite page turner) 『This was the first of Cindy Gerard's "Bodyguards" series that I picked up quite by accident at the drugstore one day. Wasn't really expecting anything special, but I was really impressed - I couldn't put it down!
The scenes and language are a bit on the gritty end of the spectrum for a romantic suspsense, but no more so than some of Nora Roberts latest. I also really enjoyed that the characters who were likeable, but not at all typical. I've read a ton of romances, and this is the first I've read about a rock star heroine and a hero that looks like he could be 18. It doesn't sound great, but Gerard really makes it work.
The book was good enough to send me off in search of her other Bodyguard books, and Cindy Gerard has become one of my rare "autobuys." The only reason I gave it four stars was that after reading her other Bodyguard books, I like those even more (specifically try Under the Wire; it was really outstanding)!』
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Available for download now Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Great book&service) 『This was my first order and the service was great. The book arrived in 3 days and I really enjoyed the convienence. I enjoy this author and will look for more books by her.』
(Perfect Title) 『What a beautiful lovestory between Sydnam and Anne. They were there for each other despite both feeling emotionally as well as physically scarred. I became so hooked on this story. The terrible suffering they both endured in their lives and the loneliness they each felt as a result, was heartbreaking. The way they supported each other and eventually understood and accepted the depth of each other's love, made each complete. It was a pleasure to read this story.』
(Not a bad read) 『The story is sweet and I highly commend Balogh for writing about 2 unlikely h/h. It seems that most romance stories are filled with the same cookie cutter main characters and Anne and Syd are not it. I also appreciated the way Anne and Syd got together. It was awkward, painful, slow and full of doubt. To have the story told in anything different would not have done justice to their past histories.
However, the characters lacked that spark or chemistry or even tenderness between them. There were a bit too much emphasis on the angst and not enough on character development. These 2 people had a hard past but there are also more to them then just the past. Balogh emphasized these throughout the story but I didn't quite see the delivery of that promise. Then all of a sudden, everything got wrapped up like a pretty gift with a big bow on top. Sure predictability goes hand in hand with romance novels but since Balogh went ahead and wrote an unusual story about two unlikely romance h/h, I would have preferred some unpredictability.
Still, the story was thoughtful and brave and that's to be commended.』
(Don't buy the electronic version!) 『I am a little irritated that nowhere in the description does it say that the download version is not a complete book. I assumed because it was 27 pages that it was a little novella/short story. It is not. It is basically the first chapter of a book. It reminds me of the Harlequins that give you a sample chapter from another book at the end of the book you've just read. So don't buy it unless you want to sample it and make sure you like it before you buy the actual book.』
(No stereotypical heroes in Balogh's tales...) 『This is the only one of Mary Balogh's novels I struggled in reviewing, and not for the reasons one might imagine. Indeed, I find no flaw worth mentioning, though I suppose there must be one or two. Simply Love is true to Balogh's gentle, steady style, and the characters are comfortably familiar, even if you haven't read all the tales in the "Simply" or the Slightly" series. I find reviewing this book difficult because I know, far more intimately than I might like, what it feels like to be "damaged" and to have given up on any chance for love. I have lived it, and I can tell you, Balogh's insights into the heart, soul and mind of emotionally scarred Anne and physically maimed Sydnam are dead-on. The book could almost have been sub-titled "Simply Given Up on Love." To those few human beings who have been chewed up and spat out by life experience, the struggle with pain, loneliness and isolation can become, inexorably, the ubiquitous fabric of their existence; slowly, insidiously, like the frog in the pot of heating water, they lose their sense of hope and optimism for their future. Balogh has captured this subtly hidden malady of the human spirit and infused her main characters with it. Anne's herculean efforts to hide her fear, sadness and pain will stab at your heart. Sydnam's desperate, tenacious struggle to hold on to the limited physical ability and independence he retains in the aftermath of horrific torture as a prisoner of war literally made me weep. No fluffy, witty romance here to be sure, and yet... We begin to see as the pages turn that Anne and Sydnam may be the only two people in the bright, gay world they inhabit who, as a direct result of their own personal, private anguish, have the unique ability to understand, accept, heal and ultimately, love one another. And so they do. Make no mistake, Balogh is not offering a smooth, sweet, tidy love story. The intimate encounters between Anne and Sydnam are at worst awkward, and at best poignant and wrenching, rather than erotic. However, this is perfectly fitted to the storyline. After all, this is a man who has lost his right arm, bears horrific burn scars from cheek to knee and is half blind. It would be ludicrous (not to mention insulting to the reader) to offer sophisticated, suave and graceful loveplay. And this is exactly what makes this such a special romance. The author wants her readers to know that there IS hope and optimism and love, even for those people most unlikely to have it. And I, as one of them, would like to say, Thank You, Mary, for writing a beautiful story----about us. 』 『A sparkling excerpt from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh's SIMPLY LOVE: Mary Balogh returns to the elegance and sensuality of Regency England as she continues the enthralling story of four remarkable women - friends and teachers at Miss Martin's School for Girls. At the center of this spellbinding novel is Anne Jewell, a teacher haunted by a scandalous past…until she meets a man who teaches her the most important lesson of all: nothing is simple when it comes to love.…』
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Available for download now Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Nice start but boring afterwards) 『I think this book started off cute enough, with the hero and heroine stuck in an unlikely place together and developing a mutual affection for each other simply because of what they went through together. It felt very real to me because it might happen even in today's world. But after they parted, things kind of went tepid, and still the book dragged on for another good more than half of it. In the end, I agree with one of the reviewers below that the big secret was kind of disappointing. Yet more disappointing was the character development of Lucius Marshall, which was none. He struck me as an impulsive, love-struck man with nothing better to do but run around shopping with his sisters and taking care of his grandpa -- not very masculine indeed. I much prefer the first part of the book when he was at least making use of his muscles for chopping woods etc. She's this gorgeous Italian, olive-skinned goddess with a good head on her shoulders, and a good singing voice. I couldn't help thinking that she could do better. I finished it in less than a day, and unlike with Slightly Dangerous, had no wish to go back to it again.』
(WARNING! Not the whole book!) 『I purchased this as a 49 cent download. It was a waste of 49 cents. You get only the first 2 chapters, which can be summed up as "boy meets girls in a snowstorm, and rescues her." The "short story" ends abruptly with their arrival at an inn. I cannot see that it is indicated anywhere on the purchase page that this is an excerpt from a book. Don't buy!』
(Loved It!) 『Okay, I had not read a romance novel in quite awhile, and I picked up this book at my local library's used book section (a wonderful place where you can buy used paperbacks for 50 cents.) And maybe I was just in the mood for a good romance novel. But, I was totally charmed by this book--loved the characters, the setting, and the writing. I couldn't put it down and at its conclusion, I immediately read Ms. Balogh's Simply Magic (which I had also purchased). I am now going to read her other two books in the series, Simply Love and Simply Perfect. I've read romance novels for many years (although I will admit I go through periods where I can't read them and need to read more "serious" stuff.) But I've read enough romance authors to know who's really good and Mary Balogh is truly gifted. Her character development is really wonderful--she creates people that you really care about and are multi-faceted (not just a pretty face)and her writing is so much better than many other novelists in her genre. I just picked up a different author's book (whom I had read in the past and thought was OK) and I couldn't read it--the book was written so poorly and so childishly--really terrible. Or maybe the comparison to Ms. Balogh's writing was too much to bear. Anyway, this book was wonderful and I recommend it to anyone who wants to escape for an afternoon to another time and place with some really satisfying and well written characters and really lovely love story. If you haven't read her novels before, it will probably start you on a love affair with Mary Balogh.』
(Pardon the pun, but this book was "simply forgettable" for me (2.5 stars)) 『The first in Mary Balogh's Simply Quartet, SIMPLY UNFORGETTABLE was unfortunately not so for me. I am a huge Mary Balogh fan, but this is my least favorite book of hers and I actually had to stop myself from skimming parts at the end (which is just unheard of for me). Meanwhile, I have continued on to the second book of the Quartet, Simply Love, and found that book highly enjoyable - I recommend just skipping to that one.
The middle section of this book was actually quite enjoyable; it was in the beginning (read my comments below) and in the end (which is supposed to be the best part!) that things fell apart for me. The section that takes place in Bath is fun to read and the interactions between Frances and Lucius are enjoyable, but once things move forward after that ... the book lost me and by the end, I was so sick of the back and forth that like I said above, I had to stop myself from just skipping to the end and finishing it already.
PROBLEM WITH THE PREMISE: This is a matter of personal preference, but I don't usually like the "one night of passion with a stranger" premises in historical romances. I don't read many contemporary romances, but I don't mind them in that genre. However, when you're dealing with a historical romance, it just doesn't really fit with the times unless the woman is "loose," which of course the heroine never is. When the author writes a heroine who is supposedly prim and proper (Frances is such a heroine), it's very hard to have that type of character engage in one night of passion with some mystery man and maintain a sense of continuity or cohesiveness with how she's supposed to be the rest of the time.
SIMILAR BOOKS: If you like books where the hero and heroine have one night of passion as strangers and later fall in love, check out the following: ~ Slightly Wicked (Bedwyn Family, Book 2) by Mary Balogh ~ The Secret Pearl by Mary Balogh - a spin on the "one night of passion" ~ When We Meet Again (Effington Family, Book 10) by Victoria Alexander ~ Her Highness, My Wife (Effington Family, Book 5) by Victoria Alexander - premise isn't exactly the same, but similar enough ~ Let It Be Love (Effington Family, Book 11) by Victoria Alexander ~ It Happened One Night, anthology - I haven't read it, but I think it is similar
BOTTOM LINE: Balogh is a wonderful author, but from this book you wouldn't perhaps know it. Skip it and read one of her other books: you can skip to SIMPLY LOVE, which is second in the Simply Quartet; read The Secret Pearl, a great stand-alone; or settle in to enjoy the wonderful Bedwyn series, starting with A Summer to Remember (Bedwyn prequel) and Slightly Married (Bedwyn Book 1).』
(Just wonderful!!) 『Simply said...one of the best series and authors I have ever read. To the woman who reviewed this in 2005...if you knew anything about natural talent you would know it's just there. You don't need to practice everyday of your life. Since this is a piece of fiction as well, I'm sure Frances did practice once she started to perform in public, but we don't need to know that. We do need to know that Frances and Lucius end up happy. Again, Brava to Ms. Balogh for a great series of historical romances.』 『A tantalizing excerpt from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh's SIMPLY UNFORGETTABLE: Mary Balogh returns to the seductive world she knows so well - Regency England - in a new novel filled with her trademark wit, sensuality, and breathtaking storytelling. With this, the first in a dazzling new quartet of novels, Balogh invites us into a special world - a select academy for young ladies - a world of innocence and temptation. Drawing us into the lives of four women, teachers at Miss Martin's School for Girls, Balogh introduces this novel's marvelous heroine: music teacher Frances Allard - and the man who seduces her with a passion no woman could possibly forget.…』
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Available for download now Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Honest and Wise) 『Bruce Levine does two radical things in this book: he questions the psychiatric profession and looks at depression in the context of American Society. He does this even-handedly and with great care.
He begins by providing an overview of anti-depression drugs, citing considerable evidence that these drugs are not effective. Including a survey of 47 drug-company sponsored studies published by the American Psychological Association where "the anti-depressant failed to outperform a sugar-pill." Another study from Duke University found that exercise was more effective in treating depression than Zoloft.
Levine looks at what science knows about the brain and depression. He tells us that despite all the drugs and modern therapy, people in this country are more depressed than ever. He cites one study, for example, that found Mexican-Americans born in the U.S. have depression rates three times higher than recent immigrants from Mexico. Those same immigrants, after just 13 years in the country, catch up to the native-born Americans in their rate of depression.
Levine then looks at how our culture contributes to our unusually high rates of depression. "Technology is all about control, and the more Americans singularly worship technology, the more we singularly worship control," he writes. "Our society is increasingly dominated by megatechnologies--huge, complex, technologies that most of us neither understand or can control." This loss of control is a key component of depression. Levine also discusses social isolation, cultural pressures to be perpetually happy, consumerism's failure to meet real human needs, and the American discomfort with difference, to mention just a few.
Most of the book is a discussion of how to be sane in a world "gone crazy." As someone who was once diagnosed with depression, I found the book honest, wise and helpful.』
(The Best Book I Have Ever Read on Depression...) 『...and I have read many. The author discusses aspects and causes of depression ignored by mainstream psychiatry and offers compelling solutions with integrity, honesty, and compassion.
Also worth looking at: When Panic Attacks: The New, Drug-Free Anxiety Therapy That Can Change Your Life
The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness』
(The Book That Cured My Depression) 『The reviews here for this book so far have been pretty detached and impersonal. I'm now going to provide a personal account. I do not say this lightly: This book saved my life.
Last year I picked up Bruce Levine's "Surviving America's Depression Epidemic" at Barnes&Noble as a sort of impulse buy. I was scouring the self-help/psychology section during what was probably my worst depressive episode of my entire life. I don't know what possessed me to pick this particular book. I seriously wasn't expecting much. I wasn't actually familar with the author and the title itself is sort of hokey-sounding. I was prepared for nothing more than a superficial rewording of stuff that I'd already heard a million times or some crackpot theory. However, as soon as I got past the title and started on the introduction, I realized I was reading something very, very different. Dr. Levine's book is well-written, well-researched (the last 24 or so pages of the book consists of copious bibliographical notes), and well-designed. But it isn't just rehashing of old information with a new wrapper. Levine culls much insight out of the available research on not only the nature of what we call "depression" but also into the way we live.
What most struck me was that Levine absolutely refuses to oversimplify the problem of depression. He tackles the issues from an expansive sociological framework that puts what clinical psychology labels as an "illness" into a wider historical, social, and personal context. His thesis is as follows (quoting from the Introduction itself):
"Americans live in the age of industrialized medicine, and everyone - inside and outside of health care - is now in the same boat. Doctors are financially pressured to be speedy mechanics, and patients often recieve assembly-line treatment, which can be a painful reminder of their assembly-line lives. While most Americans manage to go to work and pay their bills, more than a few struggle just to get out of bed, and growing numbers feel fragile, hollow, hopeless, and defeated.
"In 1998, Martin Seligman, then president of the American Psychological Association, spoke to the National Press club about an American depression epidemic: '[W]e discovered two astonishing things about the rate of depression across the century. The first was there now is between ten and twenty times as much of it as there was fifty years ago. And the second is that it has become a young person's problem. When I first started working in depression thirty years ago... the average age of onset was 29.5. Now the average age is between fourteen and fifteen.'
"Despite the unparalleled material wealth of the United States, we Americans - especially our young - are increasingly unhappy. What is happening in our society and culture? How is it that the more we have come to rely on mental health professionals, the higher the rates of depression? And are we in need of a different approach to overcoming despair?"
Levine tackles these questions with tenacity and wisdom I've never seen in any other book on depression. He redefines depression itself as a coping mechanism to shut down the anguish we feel. He offers hope to those who feel sensitive and misunderstood by relating historical examples (from Abraham Lincoln to Kurt Cobain) and offers insights into how we as individuals can find ourselves at odds with the society we grew up in. Depression is not a disease to be anesthetized with drugs, but a vital cry of our own humanity calling out to us in a largely dehumanizing world. Doctors no longer treat us as individuals just when we truly need it, but rather we become a list of symptoms and a consequent prescription.
This all may sound at odds with the current research on depression as a biological disorder organic to the brain. However, Levine reveals that this isn't at all at odds with the current RESEARCH (which has never supported a purely chemical genesis for depression) but rather the current THEORY of biological depression as popularized almost exclusively by pharmaceutical industry propaganda. It's interesting that Levine wrote this book several months prior to the widely publicised findings earlier this year (originally made public by The Wall Street Journal in January 2008) of a survey of studies submitted to the FDA that were never published. (The survey revealed that the alleged efficacy of antidepressants may have been highly inflated.)
Levine's plan of healing is empathetic, wise, and liberating. Unlike most such book there are absolutely no exercises or tedious worksheets or charts to fill out. Instead, Levine weaves in a hugely comprehensive list of approaches to healing including nurturing emotional openness, fostering friendships, using artistic expression, exercise, community activism and even ritualism as a means of coping.
A good portion of his approach is influenced by Buddhist psychology, with a particular emphasis on mindfulness and forgoing ego-attachments. This application of Eastern meditative traditions to depression has also recently been expounded upon by another group of psychologists in The Mindful Way through Depression, which also came out last year. That book provides excellent advice and tools for preventing relapse of depression, although it lacks the social/emotional insights that Levine elaborates on quite eloquently. That said, it is still an excellent resource.
I must state here and now that this book is not for people who have already made up their minds about depression and already decided they are "cured." If, however, you are like me and have not been helped by the current mental health industry and still feel numb, hurting, and lost in your life, I urge you to give this book a chance. One other point that I actually found quite refreshing was his criticism of talk-therapies such as CBT, and the clinical patient-therapist relationship. He acknowledges that such a relationship (a kind of "paid friendship") may not be the most conducive to healing and, in fact, may actually exacerbate the problem.
Had I heard what the book was about before I had the chance to actually read it, I might have dismissed it. However, several months after finishing it, my life has been completely transformed and I no longer feel so "broken." The term life-affirming gets thrown around a lot these days. But I cannot hesitate to call this a life-affirming read for anyone who is still struggling.
Levine also takes an interesting angle that I was not aware of when I first bought it (but apparently is in concert with the publisher's - Chelsea Green Publishing - credo). Levine posits that the society of consumer culture that contributes to depression cannot be sustainable in the long run. This is interesting and, although it may seem irrelevant when you just want to feel better, it actually helped me get out of my own head and see depression as a cultural problem as well. In other words, it helped me stop taking depression so personally. (This is an important point, and Chapter 5 deals with the dangers of "Self Absorption.") It is truly liberating to realize there may not be anything really wrong with YOU if you are depressed, but there may indeed be some things very wrong with the society you live in.
And, if all that wasn't enough incentive to buy a copy, for the environmentally conscientious among us, Chelsea Green publishes all their books on recycled paper! You can't go wrong.』
(The rate of depression in the U.S. has increased tenfold in the last fifty years) 『The rate of depression in the U.S. has increased tenfold in the last fifty years, indicating an underlying social issue as well as a health challenge. Surviving America's Depression Epidemic: How to Find Morale, Energy and Community in A World Gone Crazy surveys the roots of these issues, discussing how to revitalize depressed people and a depressing culture and offering insights on how to change ideas and behavior patterns. Both college-level holdings strong in psychology and general-interest lending libraries will find this a most accessible account identifying the foundations of societal depression and offering plenty of insights on how to combat it.
Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch』
(Agreed--a book that finally makes sense about depression) 『This book is much more than a self-help book--the issue is bigger than any one individual. All of us, whether we're depressed ourselves or not, have been touched by depression through friends, family, and colleagues. This book helps make sense of it all and offers suggestions about how, collectively, we get on the road to recovery. I am recommending this book to people at every opportunity. Dr. Levine hits the nail on the head.』 『Why did I write Surviving America's Depression Epidemic? Many people have lost faith in psychiatric orthodoxy because it has failed them, their friends, or family. Increasing numbers of people feel alienated from an extremist consumer culture, and I believe that mental health treatments favored by pharmaceutical and insurance companies increase despair by ignoring the depressing effects of such a culture. I believe that Americans crave commonsense explanations for depression that lead directly to individual and societal solutions. I wanted to share what I've learned about the limitations of mental health professional training as well as what I've learned outside of such training about morale, healing, community, and other antidotes to depression.』
price：$0.49
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Available for download now Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (A Dish Served Cold) 『A Dish Served Cold has so many great twist in it. This read just makes the reader feel like they are in the presents of A genius author that loves to give the reader treat after treat. Truly a pleasure to read completely unforgettable by all means.』
(cute fun read, but...) 『This is a cute, fun read, but from about page six, by the author's choice of language if nothing else, the plot is fairly transparent -- and, once you see where it's going... well, it almost becomes annoying. I bought it for a quick evening read, and that was fine, but glad I only paid .49!』
(Revenge Indeed!) 『From the opening paragraph, this suspenseful tale had me flipping pages, trying to solve this tantalizing mystery. Someone is seeking revenge for some long-ago crime. This information has come to light and the target is a local investor, Stephen York.
York is questioned by police detectives, who have learned of the threat of possible harm from a day laborer - someone who works for a local landscaper, the alleged avenger.
The detectives query York as to why Mr. Trotter, the landscaper, would want to harm him. The suggestion strikes York as ludicrous - unlikely, even. Besides, he doesn't even really know the man and can't think of any business dealings that might have gone awry....
Then a series of strange occurrences lead York to begin taking the possibility of harm seriously. He talks to the cops again, taking his "evidence" in for review. He hires a bodyguard. More information seemingly falls into their laps and it begins to look like evil machinations are at work here.
York searches his memory for any person or persons he might have harmed - after all, as the detectives suggested, Mr. Trotter might be a hired killer for someone else.
York's paranoia increases when one event after another occurs to increase his fear and panic.
Then, finally, something totally unexpected steers them all in a completely different direction. And it looks as though nothing untoward was happening at all.
Relaxing finally, York begins to get on with his life.
But on the other side of town, the landscaper is relishing his victory....
A Dish Served Cold is a thrilling suspense tale from the Amazon Shorts program; it satisfies even as it tantalizes.
』
(Very good short story) 『This was my first ebook download and my first reading of this author. I was very pleasantly surprised by both. I would recommend this read. It's short, very interesting, great ending.』
(Do you own "More Twisted"?) 『Deaver is one of my favorite authors, and this is a pretty good story. However, be aware that if you have his collection "More Twisted," you have already read this story. I will admit that I was expecting Amazon shorts to be unpublished stories and am a bit disappointed. It may say "previously published" somewhere on the Amazon page for the story, but it certainly isn't obvious if it does.』 『I love nothing better than surprising the readers of my short stories with a big twist in the end. They think the story is going in one direction and, bang, it ends up some place else. This is true of“A Dish Served Cold,” a crime short story set in Arizona. If any readers can guess the ending, I'd love to hear from them (through my website)!』
price：$0.00
Amazon
Available for download now Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (The Hidden Mind Of Poe) 『This short story by Edgar Allen Poe is by far one of his best works. Edgar Allen Poe, well known author and crazy man, divulges hidden information about his life with-in his short story the raven. Not nearly as good as the Black Cat in the way of finding hidden meanings but still by far a great way to shine light on his own life. It is mostly believed that Poe is actually writing about the death of his mother and the changes in his life. Hence when the poem opens it is midnight in December. It is actually New Years Eve. The Chamber is his loneliness, something Poe was alot. The Raven, often though of with bad omens saying Nevermore could very well represent his mother and what his mother went through. It can also be thought though that the Raven is actually warning Poe at the same time of the future death of his wife whome was ill at the time of writing and died two years later. I personally think the latter is the true reason behind the Ravens Nevermore. Poe realized the end was near and his beloved wife would be gone forever, thus the pain the main character is put through and the fact that a Raven is used in the first place.
Book Guy For You Books I Think You Should Read The Black Cat Kindle - The Black Cat and Other Stories Paradise Flawed Kindle - Paradise Flawed Reads Like Murder - In Honolulu Kindle - Reads Like Murder - In Honolulu』
(Such a good story) 『This is such a good story. I remember reading it in high school and not knowing what all the fuss was about it. Then I re-read it a few years ago, and got it right away. It's great to see that you can get it for free here. Everybody should read this, or if you're like me a read it a long time ago, re-read it. It's worth it!!』
(The Raven, a Poetical Thesis) 『The rhythm of the "Raven" is trochaic, the meter is acatalectic, alternating with heptameter catalectic repeated in the refrain of the fifth verse, and terminating with tetrameter catalectic. The trochees employed throughout consist of a long syllable followed by a short: the first line of the stanza consists of eight of these feet (trochees), the second of seven and a half (two-thirds), the third of eight, the fourth of seven and a half, the fifth the same, the sixth three and a half. It is noted that each of these lines, taken individually had been employed before, and what gives the "Raven" its originality is the combination of these into stanza. The other novel affects aiding the combination are the applications of the principals of rhyme and alliteration. The sole poetical thesis of the "Raven" is beauty and these two ideas unfolded, a lover lamenting his deceased mistress and a Raven continuously repeating the word "Nevermore."
I conclude the "Raven" being one of E.A.Poe's best works and for all else considered, a great study in poetry.
Robert Meacham, poet, novelist, and short story contributor for The Amazon Shorts Program.』 『This is a test of the Shorts ingestion pipeline. This is a test of the Shorts ingestion pipeline. This is a test of the Shorts ingestion pipeline.』
price：$0.49
Amazon
Available for download now Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Entertaining but not a chilling crime drama) 『The Alchemist's series features alchemist and astrologer Maestro Nostradamus and his nobly born apprentice, Alfeo Zeno, who narrates with panache. Duncan mixes a vision of old Venice and fantasy to create the world portrayed in The Alchemist's Apprentice. In the Alchemist's Apprentice, the first book in the series, Nostradamus foresees the murder of Procurator Bertucci Orseolo, who's poisoned right beneath his nose during a dinner party. When suspicion falls on Nostradamus, Alfeo must solve the mystery. With the help from his adored courtesan, Violetta, Alfeo attempts to prove his master's innocence.
The Alchemist's Apprentice offers more hilarity than chilling crime drama. Dave Duncan is a great writer and truly paints the picture of life in old Venice. I found the book to be entertaining and I look forward to the book in the series. I only wish The Alchemist's Apprentice had more of a thriller twist to keep the reader on their toes.』
(The Serene Republic and its charm) 『I find I have a great many books in my library by Dave Duncan. The title was the first thing that caught my eye, and the cover followed. Finally I saw that it was by Duncan. I must have just glanced at the marketing blurb for it was only after I started reading did I realize that we had a Renaissance who-dun-it.
Our hero is the apprentice of Nostradamus who is not nearly as fascinating as the Serene Republic where our story takes place. My library has only a small handful of books with Venice as a background, but all are charming in their way for the city is rich in cultural material seemingly at all periods of its existence.
The mystery is solid and has its share of red-herrings and coincidence. But as I mentioned it is far more interesting to follow all the layers that is Venice and this is just but the beginning to that.
This may be a story that gets read only once, for it is not full of depth for a series, though more books are being released. Where Duncan takes us with the likable hero will be important. It is definitely work reading if you like the Renaissance and should like to know more about Venice.』
(A Great History-Mystery w/a Touch of Fantasy) 『Alfeo Zeno is a minor noble, skilled swordsman, and apprentice to the notable physician and astrologer Nostradamus. He has enough on his plate to keep his day-to-day life busy and fulfilling, as he practices his skills in the beautiful city of Venice and tries to learn everything his master has to teach him. But when a high-ranking noble dies after an event at which Nostradamus is present, and after receiving a horoscope cast by the physician that predicted the danger, the Council of Ten suspects the worse. Alfeo is charged by his master with the task of solving the mystery, finding the murderer, and clearing Nostradamus of any suspicion of wrongdoing.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm always a little bit put off by first-person narratives, since many authors cannot write them with skill, but Duncan handled it expertly and then some. I enjoyed seeing this story progress through Alfeo's eyes; his humor and wit, not to mention his powers of observation, kept the story flowing smoothly. Actually, I think that based on the concept of the story, first-person perspective probably worked better than third-person; if we knew what everyone was thinking, it would ruin the excitement of the mystery. The cast of characters is colorful and entertaining, and all of the major personalities are very well fleshed-out. I especially loved Duncan's descriptive language - some of the ways that Alfeo has of describing his master made me giggle a little, and the somewhat unconventional figurative language really helped me to get a clear mental image of the characters. I enjoyed this book and I'm really excited to read the next one!』
(Five Black Orchids!) 『The Alchemist's Apprentice is a re-imagining Nero Wolfe. It has some minor fantasy elements. It is set in 16th century Venice, where it seems almost impossible to avoid arrest and torture. And of course, eternal damnation is a constant threat. But this is at heart a murder mystery, and magic is of surprisingly little help when it comes to unmasking a killer. The only thing missing is photographic plates of the art the wealthy people of Venice are surrounded by.』
(Not the best by Duncan) 『I never thought that I would give less than 5 stars to the book written by Dave Duncan, but obviously everything has to happen for a first time. If you pick up this book, you have to be aware of one major thing: It is mystery, not a fantasy! Ok, I knew that and still I was disappointed. I think I am spoiled by the originality of plots in Duncan's fantasy books. On the contrast, The "Alchemist apprentice" is read as a Venetian version of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin adventures. It is classic mystery "who's done it?" with classic twists and classic characters. As a result, the mystery is quite predictable. What's worse, the clairvoyance, demons and Tarot - the tools that are supposedly to help us to experience the atmosphere of medieval Venice - all these look like not necessary attributes, and can be removed from the plot without any disturbance to the major events. Maestro Nostradamus himself (aka Nero Wolfe etc.), as described by Duncan, is highly intelligent and educated private detective and doctor (reminds you of somebody?) and is very out of place in the medieval Venice. Him being an astrologist comes more like "by the way"...
To conclude, I did enjoy historical descriptions, and liked Alfeo Zeno (major character) to the same extent as I used to like Archie Goodwin. Unfortunately, this accounts for three stars only. I doubt that the book would appeal to fantasy fans, and because the mystery part lacks originality, some mystery fans are also up to disappointment.
』 『Michel de Nostredame, known as Nostradamus, died (in France of course) in 1566. His work was continued for many years by Filippo Nostradamus, who published in Italy and claimed to be Michel's nephew. Michel's family denied any knowledge of Filippo and nothing more is known of him. I have rectified this sad state of affairs by writing a fantasy-historical-mystery novel set in Renaissance Venice. This is how it begins.』
price：$0.49
Amazon
Available for download now Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Exploring the conscience of coffee) 『As one reviewer wrote, there is a lot of "I" talk in this book. Yes, and that is to be expected, given that Dean is writing about his travels. The topic of fair trade coffee, and what it means in the life of the farmers Dean writes about, is obviously a crucial part of his existence. If he didn't care so much, Dean would not have gone out on a limb with the public statements about Newman's Own and their relationship with Green Mountain, who buy a much smaller percentage of their coffee at fair trade prices. The writing here is touching, and funny, and should be required reading for coffee drinkers. Dean describes some harrowing experiences (roads where people fear to tread due to bandits and militia), as well as scenes of humor (being kept awake by the gospel rock band and mispronouncing crucial words at meetings of farmers). The writing is thoughtful. Must fair trade pricing take into account the factors (such as inherent corruption) in particular countries? Even the "coyote" middlemen are given an alternate consideration. We can only hope that Dean will take his company public one day, use that new cash and clout to get into the major supermarkets, and increase the amount of fair trade coffee his company can buy and the farmers can sell, and thereby improve their lives and the lives of their children.』
(Great Travel Book with a Socially Conscious Message: How to Make Coffee Better for the Farmers) 『You might remember fair-trade organic coffee roaster Dean Cycon of Dean's Beans from my profile of his company in the February, 2006 Positive Power Spotlight.
Dean's just come out with a fascinating book: Javatrekker: Dispatches from the World of Fair Trade Coffee.
Most Americans and Europeans in the coffee industry have never met a coffee farmer, and certainly haven't traveled to the remote indigenous communities where coffee is grown. Dean has traveled the world, meeting growers, processors, shamans, government ministers, bouncing his way down rutted goat trails, learning a few phrases of the local language (or what he thinks is the local language), getting stomach-sick on a regular basis--and having a great deal of fun. He often finds that not only is he the first coffee buyer to visit these isolated places, but often the first white man.
In the U.S., he spends a lot of time hectoring coffee executives at Starbucks and elsewhere to commit more to fair trade and to fund development projects--which he's able to accomplish for a tiny fraction of the money a large bureaucracy would need, by using methods initiated and designed by local communities using local resources to meet local needs, in the spirit of E.F. Schumacher's Small Is Beautiful.
He leaves a trail not only of Dean's Beans t-shirts and "Make Coffee Not War" bumper stickers, but a legacy of vast improvement in the lives of the villages he visits. Clean-water wells, education centers, community-owned coffee processing plants, simple hand-operated depulpers that allow coffee farmers to capture much more of the value of their crop...some of these are projects he funds directly, and others come out of the cooperatives' share of coffee profits, made possible by the fair-trade price he pays, sometimes three times as much as the "going rate."
Dean sums up his philosophy in the closing words of the book:
I have never been fully comfortable with what I, when I know in my heart that things can be better, more respectful, more loving, and frankly, more exciting. It pains me deeply to see cultures crumble and blow away under global pressures (or simply for lack of water), or kids' lives go unfulfilled for want of a pencil or notebook. Javatrekking allows me the vehicle to explore my own relationship to these things and to take responsibility where I can. These may be small contributions in the greater scheme of things, but as an old Indonesian farmer advised me..." Add your light to the sum of lights."
Dean has clearly taken that advice seriously. His many initiatives include forming the Coffeelands Landmine Victims Trust, which works in Central America and Vietnam, co-founding Cooperative Coffees, an association of 23 local coffee roasters around the U.S. and Canada who offer fair trade organic coffee, and simply funding scholarships for individual children of coffee growers in Ethiopia and Papua New Guinea.
Dean Cycon is living proof that it is more than possible to use business as a force for positive social change, while at the same time see the world and have a terrific time.
Published sustainably on recycled paper by Chelsea Green (publisher of my own book Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World), Javatrekker is full of well-told stories and includes some great color photos. It's available from Dean's Beans or from the publisher.
Dean Cycon, who happens to be a signer of the Business Ethics Pledge, has pledged to donate 100% of the profits to coffee farmers.
Shel Horowitz's award-winning sixth book, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First, demonstrates how to build a business around ethics, environmental sustainability, and cooperative practices--and how to develop marketing that highlights those advantages. 』
(Where do I sign up to be a Javatrekker?!) 『I started reading Javatrekker over a cup of anonymous black coffee. By the time I had finished, a steaming mug of Dean's Beans Sumatran roast hovered over my lips, and I took a sip: the coffee was delicious and, best of all, I knew where it came from and what my caffeine buzz was supporting. This is the great gift of Javatrekker. You close the cover with a profoundly deep understanding of the global dimensions of the coffee trade.
But this is not all that Dean Cycon, the owner of Dean's Beans Organic Coffee, offers in his first book. Cycon recounts his travels and travails through Ethiopia and Kenya to the peaks of the Andes and the northern provinces of Sumatra (and beyond!) with humor, integrity and intelligence. His stories are engaging, and they offer an unprecedented glimpse into the history of your morning cup of coffee.
Javatrekker is peppered with fascinating pieces of trivia and pricelessly humorous anecdotes.
THE BOTTOM LINE: If you're a coffee drinker, you need to read this book. If you're not, you should read it anyway. Cycon is a true role model for corporate social responsibility, and even if we all can't lead a life of javatrekking, we can benefit from Cycon's knowledge of the global coffee market and his experience working with coffee farmers all over the world. As consumers, we should know where our money is going, but it's often hard to follow the money trail. With Cycon's help, we can all begin to piece together the truth about our morning jolt.』
(Everything You Ever Wanted to know about Dean....and then some) 『I learned nothing about Fair Trade,but I sure learned a lot about Dean and how grateful the many cultures of the world are to Dean, for being Dean. I thought the writing was fairly poor, the self absorbed, self congratulatory "storytelling" was over the top and I didn't even think it was a very good travelogue. I've read many better books about coffee and the effect that the systems that are in place have on the farmers. I couldn't even get all the way through the book. I was really disappointed.』
(Readable travelogue but not a lot more) 『 If other readers came away with a solid or even marginal understanding of fair trade and shade grown coffee, then they are better readers than I am. This book did not need to be a dry study, but I obtained this book hoping for more than a travelogue. He is a great storyteller and a probably a delightful guest, but beyond a few factoids (and some interesting descriptions of cultures), I barely learned anything about coffee or coffee markets. I think this books would have been greatly enhanced by more description of why things are the way they are, where and when shade grown coffee makes economic sense, how variabilites and inequities in the market could be reduced, how large the market for fair trade is and what the big players are doing, where there is fair trade but not shade grown coffee, and on and on...』 『Are you ready to enter the worlds within worlds inside your cup? Come with me to coffee communities around the world. Experience their customs, cultures, their struggles and hopes. Learn how a Javatrekker participates in the lives of the farmers and their communities. The tales you are about to read are sometimes uplifting, sometimes sad. Some are humorous, some sobering. And all of them are whopping good travel yarns. Drink deep. Your coffee will never taste the same.』
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