Book Description
In this, his first major book, Mark Steyn--probably the most widely read, and wittiest, columnist in the English-speaking world--takes on the great poison of the twenty-first century: the anti-Americanism that fuels both Old Europe and radical Islam. America, Steyn argues, will have to stand alone. The world will be divided between America and the rest; and for our sake America had better win.
Customer Reviews:
What a sad worldview.......2007-10-01
I can't even begin to describe the serious flaws in this book...
But I gave it one star instead of zero because, if you want to study logic and how to detect subtly and not so subtly flawed arguments, buy this book.
What's sad is he's done actual research (but distorts everything to fit his way of thinking), and some muslims, like some christians, some jews, some whatever, really are dangerous and want to hurt America, but he makes his side of the controversy look like a bunch of, what's a nice word... 'baffoons'.
I think he seriously believes the things he writes in his book, which means he's stressing himselfand others out for nothing, and ultimately, pushing away the moderates that might listen to a more logical argument against religious extremism
Excellent.......2007-09-21
With the many positive reviews already posted, there isn't much more for me to say, so I will just say, "Read a few of the reviews, then, most definitely, read this book."
great wake up!!!!!!!.......2007-09-20
This a wake up to the world. Got to hang in through the beginning, but after that try to get all the details.
An interesting, powerful book.......2007-09-18
I found the book to be well written, even light enough in spots to be humorous. It presents a point of view for
Americans to consider
"FEED ME!" says the Federal Beast..........2007-09-18
Directed by the mainstream media and the assault on the senses known as political punditry, it is particularly daunting to find a voice of reason in this chaos. There are a few that I believe are capable of striking the nail with a truthful hammer who are still left among us: Coulter, Buchanan, Schlafly, Farah, and Congressman Ron Paul, to name a few. I know of no other commentator that can condense weighty issues of national, or indeed global, importance into a joyous, witty manner better than P.J. O'Rourke, but I think I can direct columnist Mark Steyn onto the stage and have both men stand side by side as equal titans. "America Alone" is a small book, but pierces like a sword of many truths. It brought to me topics of concern that I didn't bother to even imagine could be beaten back into the American electorate, with much humor; it gave me more insight into modern Europe than any formal, leftist class managed to do. Finally, in an age that Steyn chides and ridicules for letting its willpower contract and shrink like a scared puppy from his owner, it gave me my own willpower, reinforced what I suspected was the truth, and encouraged me to stay strong facing the "opiate of the masses", meaning the book in fact actually gave me some hope for the Western World, because of people like Steyn, and for those readers who will take this work as a rallying cry to save the West not from radical Islam, but from itself.
What is the gist of this book (I listened on CD with a brilliant narration from Brian Emerson)? Well, to put it mildly, we in the West are killing ourselves through forced extermination and utter laziness, and as our guts get larger and our treasure dwindles to rudimentary amounts, there are youthful and strong-willed members of an inherently intolerant, crazed sect of the religion Islam who are multiplying and seizing our civilization right from under our collectively fat butts. If there is one thing you cannot do against Islamic radicals, it is that you cannot blame them, at least for their audacity. You actually should admire it. Radical Islam, more notoriously observed in the Saudi Kingdom under the guise called Wahabism, has much more ideological strength than Western civilization will ever hope to return to, not counting of course the small number of patriotic individuals who do have willpower of a similar strength (they're all reading this book!). But they're too much a minority to be any help, and because of our nationally-enforced doctrines of rabid multiculturalism (all cultures are equal), low birth rates (through abortion), and abandonment from moral absolutes and personal responsibility (philosophies ushered in by the government schools and the welfare bureaucracy), we are losing our blood in a slowly pronounced way, while the Islamic radicals are both out-birthing us and gaining significant political power around the globe.
The flag in the distance, which Steyn barely sees because it is clouded by dust and smoke and fog, belongs to the United States, the only country in the West with at least SOME shred of ideological and military strength, and with few noticeable flirtations with unsustainable statism (although the end of that era draws ever nearer to 2009). In essence, it truly is America Alone, the last to fight for its life against both the European social-democratic state and radical Islam.
Steyn popularizes these fundamental concerns in a format that is just as clever as Coulter and O'Rourke, while maintaining intellectual heft on the scale of Thomas Sowell. His insights about Europe, which is a topic that most ordinary Americans do not give particular thought to, are the most important of the book. We already know about radical Islamists and the threats that they pose to the country. It's a frightening portrait of unchecked fundamentalist Islam which Steyn paints, no doubt, but what is scarier to this American is his description of the modern European social-democratic state, and how the United States of America is creeping towards this kind of vast socialist utopia. As Americans, we can see the modern European model of government and quickly and easily (compared to Europeans) discern why things go so astoundingly wrong: government benefits that decrease productivity and innovation with increased laziness and lack of initiative, high taxation to fund these benefits which in the end will turn out to be completely unsustainable, and a universal socialist health care system that allows recipients to receive an MRI after a six month wait and provides a total of zero available beds in a maternity ward to those who urgently require them. So then, how about a little game? Now, with all those points in your mind, go to one of the many Democrat presidential candidate web sites and play some "Spot the Dog." Try skimming through their various `promises' and 'pledges' to constituents, which they claim they plan to fulfill if elected to the presidency. See how many matches you get, and tally your score, because I guarantee that the number will be high.
Of course, this doesn't let Republicans off the hook, either. We only need to discover that former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney enacted a universal health care system by working hand-in-glove with the liberal state legislature and Senators John Kerry and Ted Kennedy. It's really a terrific little system that will completely and effortlessly cripple small businesses, seeing as though the state government requires under threat of a severe monetary penalty that these businesses provide health insurance to their workers. How long will it take for these places to necessarily have to "lay off" a few people in order to pay for each worker's insurance? The consumer's choice is also severely threatened, because the Massachusetts government is actually mandating a certain policy to be purchased when you sign up for the program starting in 2007. Yes, smaller government is what the Republican Party truly stands for, just don't count the ones in Congress or the candidates running for the presidency (besides Ron Paul).
Radical Islam, on the other hand, is a threat to America too, but as Steyn points out, there are millions upon millions of moderate Muslims, and the fact that these radical imams and crazy Wahabists who have nowhere near, nor will they ever, a military power to rival the U.S., seems to me a point in America's favor. What'll really finish us of is when (and said `when,' not `if') the U.S. descends into the wasteland of European statism, with monstrous but unsustainable welfare and government benefits that are taken out from your paycheck to fund, after Hillary Clinton is elected in 2008 (save your breath, conservatives! Only a fool cannot see the inevitable). The doctrines of far leftism, from multiculturalism to abortion-on-demand to socialist health care to beastly federal power, will ensure our destruction more than any IED or suicide bomber will, regardless of how many we have to deal with. After that, it won't be America Alone, but One World Alone.
Book Description
What happens to our loved ones when they die?
Is there a heaven?
Is there a true connection and communication between the living and the dead?
Allison DuBois invites us into her world where she delivers messages from our lost loved ones. She convinces us that those who have passed away are constantly with us, providing comfort, love, and support. They are as eager to reach us as we are to stay connected with them.
But the dead have a language of their own. They communicate through signs, dreams, songs, coincidences, and messages delivered in unexpected ways. Allison takes us on an odyssey of these signs — how to recognise them, how to read them, and how to interpret them. In these pages, you will meet people who have had both heartbreaking and heartwarming communication with the other side, providing comforting proof that our deceased loved ones stay with us and continue to share in the joys of our lives.
Customer Reviews:
We Are Not Their Heaven.......2007-09-30
This book has helped three of my friends, I then bought the CD which three more of my friends and my husband listened to and all got something different but healing from the book. It is not meant to persuade the skeptics, but rather to give help to those who have lost loved ones. It did however change my engineer husbands mind, when she described how the experiments were set up. Great book, great person.
Recommended this book in my book.......2007-09-24
This is a comforting and easy-to-read book that is hard to put down. I read this book almost straight through. Allison is a brave and wonderful writer who does not attempt to be wordy or pretentious in her writing. I loved it so much that I recommended it to my readers in my book, "These Are My Final Wishes". I searched for a book like this since my mother passed in 1982. Thank you Allison DuBois.
Tamara Dunkel, author of "These Are My Final Wishes"
Good book.......2007-09-16
Allison still amazes me everytime she writes a new one. I just received her third one. I can't wait to get started on it.
We are their haven why the dead never leave us.......2007-09-06
This book really helped me alot get thru the pain of loosing my 26 yr old son to cancer. I know that he is with me alot in spirit and this book
helped me to understand that. Thank you Allison for putting this book out to help us when we loose a loved one.
good book.......2007-08-30
i like this book , allison is so sweet and honest , i just love her . very good book!
Book Description
Pop culture and psychobabble tell us to make ourselves the center of the universe in order to be happy. Churches have communicated the false idea that God exists to give us all that we selfishly want. In this book, Max Lucado reminds us that it's not about us, it's all about God. It is through this shift in thinking that we can truly live an unburdened, happy life.
Customer Reviews:
NOT ONE OF MAX'S BEST WORKS.......2007-09-24
ANY BIBLE BASED INSTRUCTION IS GOOD BUT THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE BY RICK WARREN HITS RIGHT ON THE MONEY WHERE MAX MAY NOT DRIVE IT HOME AS WELL ON THIS ONE.
What makes us feel worthy?.......2007-09-12
I read this book twice and really enjoyed it! I love it so much because when I read this book I have a sense of comfort, protection, and ...well a sigh of relief! I rush around and feel like I'm trying to make the world happen, but this book reminds me that I can rest, sit next to Dad and enjoy being with HIM. Whew!! The pressure is off of me. Where else can I get a true sense of worth then from Him. I'm beginning to understand that sometimes that is the only thing that endures. I didn't feel belittled by his book but drawn into a secure humbleness. I find it relaxing that I don't have to find the VERY THING that pleases me. I usually can't find it anyway, especially when I'm focused on myself.
MAX LUCADO BOOK "IT'S NOT ABOUT ME".......2007-08-23
WONDERFUL, TERRIFIC, HIT'S THE NAIL ON THE HEAD!!
LUCADO GETS BETTER WITH EVERY NEW BOOK, MY LADIES BIBLE STUDY DID THIS AS A GROUP STUDY AND WE LOVED IT, HE DRAWS PICTURES WITH WORDS, BROUGHT THE SCRIPTURE TO LIFE.
Rescue From.......2007-05-15
It's Not About Me: Rescue From the LIfe We Thought Would Make Us Happy (Lucado, Max)Think you are living the "good life"? Think again and read this book to learn how to really live the 'GOOD LIFE". This book will "truly rescue" you from a life of drudgery and teach (and show) you how to truly live a better life with God.
It's Not About Me.......2007-05-12
Max Lucado seems to have an endless trail of up lifting, and encouraging books. This book is no exception. I started out with Max a couple years ago with the book called, "Come Thirsty," and I am afraid I have to admit it, I am a Lucadoholic.
I highly recommend this book and any other Book by Max Lucado.
Doug Bolton
Book Description
We think of disease as our enemy, something we try to eradicate; germs and infections are things we battle. But in this witty, engaging book, evolutionary biologist Marlene Zuk reveals that, in fact, disease is our partner, not our foe, and is responsible for everything from how we look to how we have sex.
Since the earliest days of life on earth, disease has evolved alongside us. Drawing on the latest research and studies, Zuk explains the role of disease in answering a fascinating range of questions such as: Why do men die younger than women? Why does the average male bird not have a penis? Why do we—and lots of other animals—get STDs? How is our obsession with cleanliness making us sicker? And how can parasites sometimes make us well?
Using her own work on sexual selection as well as a sampling of stories from the natural world, Zuk makes us reconsider the fearsome parasite.
Customer Reviews:
Good Subject--Bad Editing.......2007-07-18
I'm giving this book 3 starts because it has some very fascinating content and the nature of the research should be better understood by everyone. We need to know that there is a serious risk to public health at hand due to the wide spread misuse of antibiotics. So read it! It's important! This review is just warning you that it may take some effort.
To Ms. Zuk and her editors: "Read the 'Accidental Mind' by Dr. Linden before you publish your next 'accessible to the public" science book. Note how you can be clear, concise, and still have a sense of humor. I really got the feeling that no one actually read your book through (while paying attention) before it went to press. You can do better."
Riddled with Life.......2007-07-12
Great read!! I grew up in tropical regions of Latin America where parasites were always considered an enemy to be avoided. It wasn't until I read this book that I realized that not only could I NOT avoid them but in fact I NEEDED them for my very existence! This book is suitably researched and scientific to satisfy any skeptic. It is WONDERFULLY humorous throughout. It is informative as can be. Any layman, even without scientific training, will find this book highly informative, fun, and well worth the read. OK, there are a few passages that bog down a bit, but they are few and far between. The rest is just great. I'm giving this one to several people this Christmas.
Disappointing.......2007-06-23
I bought this book after I heard an interview of the author on a late night radio show. The book was very disappointing to me and I must admit I didn't finish it. I think it may have been the constant gushing about Evolution and Darwin that was boring me.
Disease is treated as an enemy to be eradicated - or should it be something more? .......2007-06-09
Disease is treated as an enemy to be eradicated - or should it be something more? Evolutionary biologist Marlene Zuk here argues that disease is our partner, not a foe: it's evolved alongside humans and is actually essential to health. The latest research and some unusual studies explores the role of disease in longevity, evolution, and the animal and insect as well as human worlds, using the author's on work on sexual selection processes to supplement intriguing stories from nature. An excellent survey, RIDDLED WITH LIFE: FRIENDLY WORMS, LADYBUG SEX, AND THE PARASITES THAT MAKE US WHO WE ARE is a pick not just for school holdings but for the general-interest library strong in popular science and health.
Is sex necessary?.......2007-05-28
I can still close my eyes and see Thurber's little cartoon guy slouching dispiritedly past an embracing couple on the park bench, and asking his famous question.
If he knew that most complex organisms evolved into two sexes because of parasites, he would probably have thrown his jacket over his head and screamed.
Marlene Zuk, a professor of biology at the University of California, provides `parasites' as the answer to many evolutionary conundrums, as she brings us face-to-proboscis with some of the natural world's most bizarre adaptations surrounding the continued survival of genomes, including our own.
What causes auto-immune diseases? Why do female peacocks go for males with the fanciest tail feathers? Are some people more accident-prone than others? Why did Debbie Estis Greenspan invent Dr. Doormat?
Are all of these phenomena caused by parasites? `Yes,' according to Professor Zuk.
If you don't believe that parasitized people have more accidents, read the chapter "Bad but Not Weird: The Real Emerging Diseases." Not only might the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis be responsible for a higher automobile accident rate, it might also trigger schizophrenia:
"Children of mothers who were infected with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy show higher levels of mental retardation, brain malformations, and seizures. Ewald and coworkers believe that the reason more people with schizophrenia are born at certain times of year is that their mothers were more likely to have come into contact with cats and their feces."
"Riddled with Life" presents a very clear thesis: evolution is driven by parasitism. It is backed up by fascinating proofs. I read this book while I was a guest at a friend's house, and couldn't help quoting example after example from Dr. Zuk's research.
The probable driver for the evolution of bedbug sex is particularly bizarre...I just hope I don't reincarnate as a lady bedbug.
Read this book and gross out your own friends. You may never be invited to stay over again, thanks to Professor Zuk's unforgettable examples of parasites in action.
Book Description
Meaningful coincidences and surprising connections occur all the time in our daily lives, yet we often fail to appreciate how they can guide us, warn us, and confirm us on our life's path. This book explores how meaningful coincidence operates in our daily lives, in our intimate relationships, and in our creative endeavors.
The Power of Coincidence will help you to: interpret a series of similar happenings, open yourself to assisting forces around you, understand how your dreams can guide you through life events, use your creative imagination in life choices—and live in accord with your deepest needs and wishes, as revealed to you by meaningful coincidences. Originally published under the title Unexpected Miracles, the author has fully revised and updated the book for this edition.
Customer Reviews:
Patchen's Picture Poems.......2000-06-18
Opening this book to any of the three dozen prints it contains is like (at least to those of us whom excessive exposure to workaday prose and to overlapping error-messages threatens to render prematurely senile) suddenly remembering what it was like to be a kid sitting in a tree, dangling your legs, and singing any old song you felt like singing irreverently. Patchen's colorful figures and backgrounds and words remind me of Kandinsky and Klee and maybe even of the boy Wm. Karlos Williams must have been. This is art that makes me smile and gently reminds me to pick my battles, tell the truth, and, while there's still time, gaze long and selfishly and irresponsibly at the night sky.
Book Description
No fight left? No future? Does the handwriting on the wall say utter failure?
Harvey Mackay, one of the world’s best-selling motivational and business authors tells you why it isn’t so. He reveals anecdotes and secrets from some of the best and brightest headliners in our world today. Their gripping accounts show that no one is immune to bad judgment or backstabbing. In colorful detail, these remarkable success stories reveal what the best of the best did to get back on top.
Each story tells a unique tale and contains valuable lessons that are applicable to any reader who wants his or her career to flourish; indeed, this is the book that will inspire, instill hope . . . and give more than a glimpse into what makes these stalwarts strong.
When Fortune magazine called Mackay “Mister Make-Things-Happen,” it was right on the money–getting this amazing group of people from various walks of life to talk openly about their abilities to bounce back shows him to be a master at getting people to divulge some of their defeats and their dreams.
Hopeful, tough-minded, and filled with indispensable advice, We Got Fired! . . . And It’s the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Us will show anyone how to turn a modern bummer into a major blessing. It’s a rarity: a sure thing in our shaky times.
Customer Reviews:
I'm only trying to save you the time. Wish someone would have saved it for me........2007-08-22
This book is tough to stomach. I've never read a Mackay book before and will never try to read another.
Summary: Accumulation of famous people's success stories, and how they overcame adversity. How drab! Everybody faces challenges. You don't need a compilation of short interviews to tell you that the people "at the top" had to persevere some to get there.
His interviews are very corny. I highly doubt that those interviews were verbatim (or at least hope not). And I quote....
---"Your head must have been spinning. It would be like John Elway getting sacked. As soon as he gets ups, the Broncos are offering to renew his contract...but as a tight end. What did you do?"----
The quote above was in reference to Leslie Visser's dump from Monday Night Football. I see the relation, since Elway is a football player, but that's as far as it goes. Sounds like he just needed to chime in so his book wasn't just a bunch of OTHER people's success stories.
The only thing Mackay adds, that a brief bio doesn't (and besides boredom), is "Mackay's Moral". He outdid himself with these....
----"Want to beat your odds for survival? Know yourself to be yourself."----
What that is supposed to mean I'm not sure, but sounds like a weak attempt to go Plato on our a$$.
FYI. I gave up on this one!
Getting Fired Is Not So Bad.......2007-05-14
Harvey Mackay, known to many as "Mr. Networker" has interviewed some of the top people in the business, sports and entertainment worlds and found out that they all have something HUGE in common on their path to success....they were all fired at some point along the way.
The thought of being fired frightens most people. Regardless of the reason, the uncertain feeling of what you would do next can be overwhelming. But these leaders, including: Bill Belichick, Mark Victor Hansen, Lou Holtz, Joe Torre, Lee Iacocca, Larry King, and others, were all canned at some point.
There stories make the rest of us have hope. It is a reminder that the best times are still to come, no matter what the problem.
Mackay is one of my favorite writers, and he does not let us down in this book.
Ordinary.......2007-02-01
This book was purchased as the result of an over-hyped online promotion and it was a big disappointment. You can easily spend your money better.
Difficult Transitions Are Key to Personal Success.......2006-08-14
Life is filled with unexpected twists and turns both good and bad. Years later, when we have the benefit of hindsight, key setbacks can oftentimes be seen in a more positive light. Being fired or in a difficult career situation are two such setbacks. In "We Got Fired?," Harvey Mackay highlights recognizable people who suffered such a setbacks, overcame them, and moved on to great personal success. Each featured person views their setback as a critical to their ultimate success.
Mackay includes the stories of Lou Holtz (former Head Coach, University of Notre Dame), Bernie Marcus (founder of Home Depot), Bill Belichick (Head Coach, Pittsburgh Steelers), Bernadine Healy, MD (former President, US Red Cross), Larry King (CNN), Billie Jean King (Tennis Star), Michael Bloomberg (Mayor, NYC), and Robert Redford (Sundance Festival), among many others.
A "Mackay Moral" is included with each person's story. Examples include; when you spend time controlling other people's expectations than fulfilling your own, it may be time to move on; be prepared - you never know if you're the next to go; and, when you are pinned to the mat, the only place to look is up.
"We got fired!" will be appreciated by those who are in a difficult job situation or are in-transition (got fired or laid off) Mackay wrote this for all walks of life as a source of hope and motivation.
We have many choices when a setback seemingly strikes us down, to become bitter or to become better. Mackay in "Fired" provides hope and shows the way to becoming better. It is up to us.
Good Read - Worked Great for my report.......2006-07-25
Used the book as a reference in a Master's Term Paper. Enjoyed the book and it was thought provoking - - - :)
Book Description
"Twins threaten us because they undermine our notion of identity. We think we are who we are because of the life we have lived. We think we form the character and values of our children by the way we raise them.… But when we read about twins who have been separated at birth and reunited in middle age only to discover that in many respects they have become the same person, it suggests that life is a charade, that the experiences that we presume have shaped us are little more than ornaments or curiosities we have picked up along the way." —from the text Praise for Lawrence Wright's Remembering Satan "Thoughtful and gripping." —Michiko Kakutani The New York Times "Stunning." —Walter Reich The New York Times Book Review "Catapults Wright to the front rank of American journalists." —Newsweek
Customer Reviews:
Who we really are.......2005-11-28
This is more than simply book about identical twins - something very rare. This is really a book about every one of us. Want to understand where you came from and where you are going? Here's a great place to start learning.
Real insight into the human condition.......2001-12-03
This book provides proof for the perennial "Environment vs Genes" debate about humankind and personal destiny. After reading this book, I have come around 180 degrees - it's genes. Stories of separated twins leading essentially parallel lives are so compelling, that I realized that we are all propelled through our lives by personality. Our individual fates are controlled mostly by our abilities and instincts than by the conditions of our life. Those abilities and instincts are largely genetic. Far from being a kind of predestination, this frees us to live fully through our personalities, our selves. It frees us from the myth that we are victims of fate - we, our instincts and our abilities are all its shapers.
Everyone should read this book........1999-04-27
An open-minded reading of this book will change the way you think about yourself and everyone you know. It's not just about identical twins, but about all of us, and what makes us who we are. I've read many books about twin research, and this is the best.
A compelling book but lacking in critical insight and detail.......1999-04-25
Contains many interesting insights into twin behaviour and genetics. Wright shows not only the similarities between twins we'd expect but the differences too. However her writing lacks criticality and depth of understanding.
The book failed to address a few issues. While it discusses genetics factors at great length it fails to look at the function of the genes. Wright writes of genes like they are black boxes with their effects being a mere curiosity rather serving any naturally selected function. This viewpoint leads her to ignore many compelling questions.
For example, identical twins should be expected, from a "selfish" gene view, to have much more compassion for each other than fraternal twins. Do they? I still don't know. When Wright talks of twins who "fought" in the womb she doesn't even mention which sort they were. And with her typical lack of criticality, alternative explanations aren't even considered: couldn't the aggressor have been simply learning to control its motor functions in a natural (and well-documented) way? Wright doesn't give us their age (or stage of development) either, which would allow the readers to draw their own conclusions.
Wright also manages to show a lack of understanding of human emotions. She talks of love between partners as being simply a selection of attributes -- for if it were then identical twins would surely fall in love with the same people more often.
However it's still a compelling book in which the author takes the passenger seat in her tour of twins, their behaviour, historical perspectives and happenings.
A fascinating read.......1998-12-21
Frankly, if this book does change your view on who you are, you are not paying attention. Authoritative and even handed, the author raises questions that will stay with you long after the book is finished. One of the most absorbing books I've read in a long time (and I read a lot!).
Book Description
Clinical psychologists have been dealing with miserable feelings since their discipline was established. In the last 30 years, neuroscientists have made major headway in the understanding of the sources of anger, depression, and fear. Today, whole industries profit from this knowledge—producing pills for every sort of pathological mood disturbance. But until recently, few neuroscientists focused on the subject of happiness.
Now, in The Science of Happiness, leading German science journalist Stefan Klein ranges widely across the latest frontiers of neuroscience and neuropsychology to explain how happiness is fostered in our brains and what biological purpose it serves (and, importantly, how we can control our negative feelings and emotions). In addition, he explains the neurophysiology of our passions (the elementary rules of which are hardwired into our brains), the power of consciousness, and how we can use it. In a final section, Klein explores the conditions required to foster the “pursuit of happiness.”
A remarkable synthesis of a growing body of research that has not heretofore been brought together in one accessible book, The Science of Happiness will ultimately help each of us understand our own quest for happiness—and our fostering of it, as well.
Customer Reviews:
Great book.......2007-06-12
This is a great book. Everyone has an opinion, but science attempts to analyze the facts to determine the truth.
This book is easy to read, but it cites many scientific studies to shows how our everyday behavior can alter our brain chemistry for the better or worse. It does not rely on dogmatic opinion unsupported by scientific data.
The translation from German is superb. One would never know from reading this book that it was originally written in another language.
The reader who objected to the last chapter just objects to the truth. Scientific research sometimes turns up facts that are not politically correct in some circles. A quick Goggle search of the Internet for "happiness nations" yields many web sites supporting the observations of the last chapter of this book.
Again - If you are to read one book on this subject, this would be the one to read. There are several other good books on happiness. I have half a dozen. This is the best of the bunch.
Jim Fuqua
OK to a point . . ........2007-03-26
Last chapter spoiled the book by ambushing the reader with an inappropriate socialist political agenda. Klein is supposed to be a science journalist.
Very Interesting.......2006-04-16
As the title says, this books discusses the research of what happens in the brain when we experience different feelings (or runs amuck in depression or addiction) and what we can do to increase the positive feelings. I was surprised by a chapter discussing societal factors.
It does not read like a translation, there are references to lots of American locations and icons. While I knew much of the advice (such as the good effects of exercise), I learned a good bit (such as income equality brings greater happiness). The book also refutes some 'common sense' adages. All in all, an enjoyable read that I found very interesting.
Book Description
The banner in Rafe Esquith’s classroom at Hobart Elementary School reads: “There are no shortcuts.” And his students are a testament to the power of that philosophy. These are kids who speak English as a second language, fourth--and fifth--graders who go to school in a part of Los Angeles where violence and despair are the norms of the neighborhood.
But the statistics are not what you’d expect: Esquith’s students score in the country’s top 10 percent on standardized tests and go on to colleges such as Harvard, Princeton, University of Chicago, Swarthmore, Stanford, and UCLA. How do they do it?
Esquith’s view—that learning isn’t easy and that it shouldn’t be—is an increasingly unusual take among educators. Success, he believes, comes from a strong work ethic and from dedication and perseverance on the part of children, teachers, and parents alike. But such ideas prove to be a hard sell to those who believe that hard work and fun must be mutually exclusive. On the other hand, visitors from all over the world have made a pilgrimage to this astonishing classroom.
Esquith’s students work hard. They are in the classroom at 6:30 a.m. and stay until 5:00 p.m. They come to school during their vacations. Each year the Hobart Shakespeareans, as Esquith’s students are known, perform one of the Bard’s plays—Sir Ian McKellen and Hal Holbrook are passionate patrons. These Renaissance children are outstanding mathematicians and scientists; they read Steinbeck and Malcolm X; they are artists; they play classical music and blistering rock 'n' roll. Above all, they are recognized for their impeccable manners, which serve them well as Esquith accompanies them all over the United States. They are, as many observers have commented, the gold standard in American education.
His former students in middle and high school return on Saturdays, where they read Ibsen, Chekhov, and eight Shakespeare plays a year. In their “Wake Up with Will” program, these eager youngsters travel the world with Esquith and his wife, from London to Paris to colleges all over the country. It’s a classroom where the American Dream really does come true.
There have been no shortcuts for Rafe Esquith, either. He had to learn the hard way: dealing with bureaucratic administrators, antagonistic colleagues, and his own impetuous and occasionally tactless, even confrontational, nature. But his history, peppered with funny and painful incidents, and a gallery of incisive portraits--Miss Mothball, Miss Busy-As-a-Bee, Mr. Incompetent--explains his extraordinary success as a teacher.
His scathing yet loving view from the front lines is the most trenchant look at American education to appear
in many years. It’s a full-alert warning signal, an inspiration, and a guide for teachers, parents, and all the rest of us who care about our country’s children.
Customer Reviews:
Must read!.......2007-08-27
Anyone who has children, cares about how we educate them, proposes to teach, MUST meet Rafe Esquith. Achieving his level of dedication may be impossible for most, hut he can inspire us all to greater performance. His imaginative insights to helping fifth graders to new levels of self-esteem and real accomplishment is astonishing. Unafraid of bureaucracy, indeed scornful of it, he has managed to do things most classroom teachers only dream of. In addition to breaking old molds, he offers considerable hope, as he clearly tells us that the fault is not in the children, but in ourselves.
motivating?.......2007-08-15
I wasn't as motivated as I thought I would be after reading this book. This book left me empty and feeling sorry for Rafe's wife and family.
Teacher Helps.......2007-08-13
This is a must read for any classroom teacher. Mr. Esquith has many insights and ideas that help the classroom teacher. Some of it you may have heard before but it is a good reminder of what great teachers do or can do for their students.
Big on image, low on facts.......2007-08-03
Yes, this man is a dedicated teacher. No, his methods are not the wave of the future for educational reform or methods that would often work elsewhere. The writer skews the perspective of this book (which is very self-serving and slanted towards his own ego) by describing his inner-city school as "The Jungle" (ooh, scary) and his students as underprivileged inner city kids. Actually they are mostly Asian and Latino immigrant students. As a successful teacher of underprivileged children myself, I can tell you that it is relatively easy to teach students from immigrant families, even those just barely learning English, because their families came to this country for more opportunity and are usually highly motivated to succeed. The true underprivileged and most challenging students are those whose impoverished families have lived in American housing projects for generations, have little faith left in the system and are often unmotivated as students and parents. Families from this demographic are conspicuously absent from this model teacher's class. This is an important distinction to make, because when when the author touts himself as a "hero" and portrays himself as an expert on inner-city education, all too often people with less knowledge about the educational system will be awestruck and believe everything he says. There are many dedicated teachers in this country who use more sustainable methods of instruction and who are valiantly struggling with much more challenging students than the ones in this book.
Get Ron Clark's Essential 55 instead........2007-07-08
I felt that from the moment i started reading this book, it should have been named "All About Rafe". He makes mention at the beginning of this book how he wanted to be known as the best teacher whenever he walks down the street. His wife-to-be lets him know eventually that it's really moronic to think that way. Although he says this changed him, from the cover to the end of the book, it's obvious that his original mission never really changed.
As a new teacher, that disgusts me. In the 3 years I have taught, I have cultivated very successful readers and outstanding citizens in my own "jungle"(Newark, NJ). I have had my share of losses as well, that's life. However, whenever teachers/administrators compliment me on my classroom management or test scores, I give all the credit to my kids(they WANT to do well, and behave well, I just steer them the proper way by giving a consistent, caring adult to believe in.) All I've ever asked of them in return is to focus on becoming the best they can be.
All teachers should be selfless. We are cultivating the next generation of this Earth, not attempting to break into Hollywood. I'm disappointed that a teacher the caliber of Mr. Esquith is such a narcissist.
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