Average customer rating:
- Nice man, wandering story...
- ****LOVED IT****
- MEASURE OF A MAN does not measure up
- SPIRITUAL "Of, Relating to, Consisting of, or Affecting the Spirit" MERRIAM-WEBSTER
- Books
|
The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah's Book Club)
Sidney Poitier
Manufacturer: HarperSanFrancisco
ProductGroup: Book
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ASIN: 0061357901
Release Date: 2007-01-26 |
Book Description
"I have no wish to play the pontificating fool, pretending that I've suddenly come up with the answers to all life's questions. Quite that contrary, I began this book as an exploration, an exercise in self-questing. In other words, I wanted to find out, as I looked back at a long and complicated life, with many twists and turns, how well I've done at measuring up to the values I myself have set."
—Sidney Poitier
In this luminous memoir, a true American icon looks back on his celebrated life and career. His body of work is arguably the most morally significant in cinematic history, and the power and influence of that work are indicative of the character of the man behind the many storied roles. Sidney Poitier here explores these elements of character and personal values to take his own measure—as a man, as a husband and a father, and as an actor.
Poitier credits his parents and his childhood on tiny Cat Island in the Bahamas for equipping him with the unflinching sense of right and wrong and of self-worth that he has never surrendered and that have dramatically shaped his world. "In the kind of place where I grew up," recalls Poitier, "what's coming at you is the sound of the sea and the smell of the wind and momma's voice and the voice of your dad and the craziness of your brothers and sisters...and that's it." Without television, radio, and material distractions to obscure what matters most, he could enjoy the simple things, endure the long commitments, and find true meaning in his life.
Poitier was uncompromising as he pursued a personal and public life that would honor his upbringing and the invaluable legacy of his parents. Just a few years after his introduction to indoor plumbing and the automobile, Poitier broke racial barrier after racial barrier to launch a pioneering acting career. Committed to the notion that what one does for a living articulates to who one is, Poitier played only forceful and affecting characters who said something positive, useful, and lasting about the human condition.
Here is Poitier's own introspective look at what has informed his performances and his life. Poitier explores the nature of sacrifice and commitment, price and humility, rage and forgiveness, and paying the price for artistic integrity. What emerges is a picture of a man in the face of limits—his own and the world's. A triumph of the spirit, The Measure of a Man captures the essential Poitier.
Customer Reviews:
Nice man, wandering story..........2007-10-04
I had to force myself to finish this book, simply because I didn't want to waste my money by leaving it when I was tempted to. It was interesting to realize that an actor whose work I had appreciated came from such a spare beginning, but by halfway through the book, the continuous wandering asides and disclaimers of the author so overwhelmed the narrative that I could barely tolerate it. It seems to me that the story could have been told to greater effect with half the words!
****LOVED IT****.......2007-09-24
Kept me interested...I really enjoyed this book...I couldn't put the book down until I finished reading it!!!!
MEASURE OF A MAN does not measure up.......2007-09-21
Wow, a book about Sidney Poitier. An outstanding actor with a book that just does not give him true justice. The reading tends to be dry and lacks substance. His life struggles could have been the story of any man or woman, black or white. The writing and editing are weak in some sections.
You should rent or buy one of Poitier's movies instead. His movie roles show his true skills.
SPIRITUAL "Of, Relating to, Consisting of, or Affecting the Spirit" MERRIAM-WEBSTER.......2007-08-30
I've always been smitten with Poitier's voice--his diction and control on film, the flow of his words as they travel in and around ideas during interviews--so I read THE MEASURE OF A MAN with an ear for his voice. I wondered, Is it translatable to print? It is, but that means allowing Poitier's thoughts to meander until they find their point, and that his thoughts are less formulated (or formal) and more "in his own words," than they might be if they were written by a biographer. (I read just enough "You know?"s "You hear me when I tell you?"s and "You follow?"s to feel like he was talking to me, but not too many to be annoyed.) I read to imagine what it might be like to have a conversation with Poitier. The book reinforced what I already knew--I'd be as intimidated as heck--but it also gave me the courage to think I'd be able to speak my mind.
As an editor, I read Poitier's book because I wanted to know how he defines a "spiritual" autobiography. Is it a I-Was-A-Sinner-But-I-Found-Jesus-And-Now-I'm-Saved chronology? Is it about how Christianity or another faith influenced his life? Neither. Poitier examines the people, events, circumstances, beliefs, and so on, which have related to, consisted of, or affected his "spirit," and, in doing so, he writes about childhood experiences in the Bahamas, his changing perceptions of his parents, how he adapts to living in the United States, his approach to acting and filmmaking, and his attitude toward fatherhood. He also shares a debate a friend and he had about the Basic Truth of Nature, a debate worth every second of reading it takes to get to.
Is THE MEASURE OF A MAN going to satisfy readers interested only in Poitier's film career? No, but I urge them to read it anyway, if for no other reason than to find out how his "spirit" influenced the films he starred in.
Books.......2007-08-21
I purchased this book for my daughter and she loved it!
She is a teacher and plans to teach this story in her English class fall 2007.
A great story with a great moral.
Average customer rating:
- Jeannette Walls
- A Disturbing but Positive Memoir
- THANK YOU JEANETTE and your entire family for sharing your life!
- Absolutely amazing!
- The Glass Castle
|
The Glass Castle: A Memoir
Jeannette Walls
Manufacturer: Scribner
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 074324754X |
Amazon.com
Jeannette Walls's father always called her "Mountain Goat" and there's perhaps no more apt nickname for a girl who navigated a sheer and towering cliff of childhood both daily and stoically. In The Glass Castle, Walls chronicles her upbringing at the hands of eccentric, nomadic parents--Rose Mary, her frustrated-artist mother, and Rex, her brilliant, alcoholic father. To call the elder Walls's childrearing style laissez faire would be putting it mildly. As Rose Mary and Rex, motivated by whims and paranoia, uprooted their kids time and again, the youngsters (Walls, her brother and two sisters) were left largely to their own devices. But while Rex and Rose Mary firmly believed children learned best from their own mistakes, they themselves never seemed to do so, repeating the same disastrous patterns that eventually landed them on the streets. Walls describes in fascinating detail what it was to be a child in this family, from the embarrassing (wearing shoes held together with safety pins; using markers to color her skin in an effort to camouflage holes in her pants) to the horrific (being told, after a creepy uncle pleasured himself in close proximity, that sexual assault is a crime of perception; and being pimped by her father at a bar). Though Walls has well earned the right to complain, at no point does she play the victim. In fact, Walls' removed, nonjudgmental stance is initially startling, since many of the circumstances she describes could be categorized as abusive (and unquestioningly neglectful). But on the contrary, Walls respects her parents' knack for making hardships feel like adventures, and her love for them--despite their overwhelming self-absorption--resonates from cover to cover. --Brangien Davis
Book Description
Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever.
Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town -- and the family -- Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.
What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.
For two decades, Jeannette Walls hid her roots. Now she tells her own story. A regular contributor to MSNBC.com, she lives in New York and Long Island and is married to the writer John Taylor.
TO INQUIRE ABOUT SCHEDULING JEANNETTE WALLS FOR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS PLEASE CONTACT:
Keppler Speakers
Dustin L. Jones
Associate, College & University Division
703.516.4000 (P)
703.516.4819 (F)
Customer Reviews:
Jeannette Walls.......2007-10-04
Thank you for visiting our school, Ms. Jeannette.
I figured you'll probably see this, since you said you like Amazon.
Your book has truly touched me. I just wanted to say I admire you more than anyone in this world.
I feel very fortunate to have had to opportunity to meet you ... at the school paper (Grits) meeting, the service leader meeting, in the Science & Technology lobby, and at the Senior Girls Lunch.
I admit, I also feel a little guilty because I mean ... PG "educates" the most spoiled Charleston kids who spend most of their time partying, drinking, and wasting time. It's a phenomenal school with a brilliant faculty, but the majority of the student body takes their gifts for granted. I hope your story and your truths have gotten through to some of them.
I'm so glad you are where you are now and I'm so glad you're happy.
For anyone else reading this review, go out and buy the book right now. It will change you forever.
For anyone who has written reviews accusing Ms. Walls of lying, please open your minds. If you ever meet her, or even hear her speak, you'll know immediately that every word is true.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Alice Phillips, Senior, PGS (Charleston).
PS: You're right - everyone has something.
A Disturbing but Positive Memoir.......2007-10-04
What an eye opener. I'd like to believe every parent does the best they can, but as I read "The Glass Castle" I really had to ask myself, "Is this the best they could do?" I found myself wincing at times as I read the memoir. However, I couldn't put the book down, and the love Jeannette Walls has for her parents despite the neglect and disregard she endured, shows the incredible strength of the human spirit. To a society in which some people blame their lack of stability on a bad childhood, this book is a gift and a must read.
THANK YOU JEANETTE and your entire family for sharing your life!.......2007-10-03
An excellent book so engrossing I could not put it down. I love to read, but this book has moved me and stayed with me longer than any other. This book shows that you can break the chains that bind when you are focused. I've been in recovery many years and I appreciate the work involved in writing, along with courage in sharing, such intimate details of a family history. I will be recommending this book for years to come. Thanks again.
Absolutely amazing!.......2007-10-02
An amazing account of how one can overcome her/his circumstances instead of "blaming" the parents. A real page turner and so well written. I had put off reading this book for many months (thinking it would be too depressing to read) until a co-worker said, "It's really a good book."
The Glass Castle.......2007-10-01
Moving story. Uncomfortable to think the young woman would deny the existence of Mother when seen on street until you hear her story. It's a story of child neglect mixed so strangely with child love. Parents- child like themselves.
Book Description
In one of the most anticipated books of the year, Lee Woodruff, along with her husband, Bob Woodruff, share their never-before-told story of romance, resilience, and survival following the tragedy that transformed their lives and gripped a nation.
In January 2006, the Woodruffs seemed to have it all–a happy marriage and four beautiful children. Lee was a public relations executive and Bob had just been named co-anchor of ABC’s World News Tonight. Then, while Bob was embedded with the military in Iraq, an improvised explosive device went off near the tank he was riding in. He and his cameraman, Doug Vogt, were hit, and Bob suffered a traumatic brain injury that nearly killed him.
In an Instant is the frank and compelling account of how Bob and Lee’s lives came together, were blown apart, and then were miraculously put together again–and how they persevered, with grit but also with humor, through intense trauma and fear. Here are Lee’s heartfelt memories of their courtship, their travels as Bob left a law practice behind and pursued his news career and Lee her freelance business, the glorious births of her children and the challenges of motherhood.
Bob in turn recalls the moment he caught the journalism “bug” while covering Tiananmen Square for CBS News, his love of overseas assignments and his guilt about long separations from his family, and his pride at attaining the brass ring of television news–being chosen to fill the seat of the late Peter Jennings.
And, for the first time, the Woodruffs reveal the agonizing details of Bob’s terrible injuries and his remarkable recovery. We learn that Bob’s return home was not an end to the journey but the first step into a future they have learned not to fear but to be grateful for.
In an Instant is much more than the dual memoir of love and courage. It is an important, wise, and inspiring guide to coping with tragedy–and an extraordinary drama of marriage, family, war, and nation.
A percentage of the proceeds from this book will be donated to the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for Traumatic Brain Injury.
Customer Reviews:
Up from the trenches.......2007-09-29
This is a story of remarkable courage and love. Medicine and therapy have come a long way, but the personal strength of one person doing the hard work, and another staying by their side, is (I believe) what brings people back to a life worth living after so tremendous a trajedy. Other books about brain trauma: The Shiloh Renewal and I'll Carry the Fork! Recovering a Life After Brain Injury
One of the best books I've ever read!.......2007-09-26
What a wonderful & informative book. I really enjoyed all of the background information. It was a very touching love story. Having gone through 3 brain surgeries myself and my daughter's brain surgery also, gave me a fraction of knowledge on the recovering brain, but the book certainly gives an abundance of information. I've always thought Bob was absolutely fantastic, but I really enjoyed Lee's side of the story. Bravo and Good bless you both Bob & Lee!!!
Interesting book.......2007-09-09
Interesting book - I read it because I was curious what had happened to Bob Woodruff after his injury, because the of the lack of information regarding his condition. It is interesting to me that insiders in the media can control what information gets out about them personally; however others are not so fortunate - their names, faces and not-so-flattering images are splashed across news screens every day.
The book was interesting, but I felt that Lee Woodruff ends up protraying herself as a selfish wife who is annoyed first at her husband's career and then annoyed at the inconvenience his injury caused their family. She describes herself several times as a "single parent" because Bob travelled so much. As a real-life single parent, this completely offended me. A single parent not only cares for their children alone, they also support them alone. A single parent is not a wife of a guy with a six-figure salary who happens to work a lot. If Lee had left these comments out, the book would have been much more palatable.
In An Instant.......2007-08-23
This book was excellent. I thoughthly enjoyed it. My sister is not reading it.
Excellent reminder to live every day.......2007-08-13
After reading this excellent book, I will be more aware to be thankful for each day with those we love. Our loved ones can be gone in an instant. Part of Bob is gone forever and gone for his children and wife-the idea that nothing bad will happen to me.
I will be interested in learning how Bob progresses in his healing. He is only beginning his recovery.
Unlike some other reviewers I think it is important to learn Bob's story and for him to tell us next the stories of those less famous. We are reminded of what war is really like and the agony of one man and his family.
Book Description
The FE Review Manual is designed to prepare you to pass the general FE exam even if you have very limited study time. You get an efficient review of all the current exam topics; diagnostic exams so you can see what areas you need to study; more than 1,150 practice problems (with solutions); a realistic simulation of the complete 8-hour exam; and free software to help reinforce what you've learned. Plus, the Review Manual is completely in sync (same terminology, formulas, topic order, etc.) with the NCEES handbook that is used during the exam. This combination is so effective that the publisher offers a unique "Pass or Don't Pay" Guarantee: pass the exam, or get a full refund for the book.
Please note, software is not included in the book, but you may request software by using the form inside the book. The software is free, but thereis a $4.95 shipping fee.
Customer Reviews:
Very Good.......2007-06-27
I received earlier than I expected. I think the delivery service is best than I've ever experienced. thank you.
Good review Book.......2007-06-03
This book is really helpful if you buy it when you start taking your engineering courses because most of the professors look at this book while picking up exam questions. Lets not forget its also a good review for FE.
If you buy this book when you are junior or upper sophomore and start using it as reference it wont be new book to you when you start reviewing it for FE.
Rapid Preparation for FE review.......2007-06-01
Great book, very helpful. Lots of solved examples. Nice break down into small chapters. Just great. If I will pass my exam I will rate it awesome.
Very thorough preparation.......2007-05-14
Make sure you get this book about 3 months before you are scheduled to take the FE exam, otherwise it won't be very helpful. All the questions follow the brief lectures and are organized by chapter, so it doesn't really give you the opportunity to practice in a style similar to the actual exam. I would first reccommend the sample question booklet availabe from NCEES, but if you feel you really need alot of prep, this is the way to go
A Lot of Helpful Information.......2007-05-12
Information was very useful but make sure you start more than 1 week ahead of time to get it all.
Book Description
The nation's premier communications expert shares his wisdom on how the words we choose can change the course of business, of politics, and of life in this country
In Words That Work, Luntz offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the tactical use of words and phrases affects what we buy, who we vote for, and even what we believe in. With chapters like "The Ten Rules of Successful Communication" and "The 21 Words and Phrases for the 21st Century," he examines how choosing the right words is essential.
Nobody is in a better position to explain than Frank Luntz: He has used his knowledge of words to help more than two dozen Fortune 500 companies grow. He'll tell us why Rupert Murdoch's six-billion-dollar decision to buy DirectTV was smart because satellite was more cutting edge than "digital cable," and why pharmaceutical companies transitioned their message from "treatment" to "prevention" and "wellness."
If you ever wanted to learn how to talk your way out of a traffic ticket or talk your way into a raise, this book's for you.
Customer Reviews:
Luntz's "1984".......2007-09-30
If you want to know how you are being manipulated, Frank Luntz will tell you how he does it in his candid book.
Clear. Concise. Comprehensive........2007-09-28
Dr. Luntz illustrates his 10 Rules of Effective Language in the subtitle of his book Words that Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear. His 10-rule, 10-word system proves the power of language.
Disturbingly accurate examples show the impact and importance of language. What gets wired in us and why? What moves us emotionally? What makes us spend? What connects us? Words are ripples.
Lutz reveals how we get so caught up in words that we fail to communicate. Consider leaders who speak in alphabet soup and spoil our language and understanding.
Like fine embroidery, words follow design; and design is seen differently by everyone with eyes.
Using case studies as examples, Luntz makes points about how passage of time affects words, how disordered words can cause dissension and how new words shade new meanings.
Most of all, he states, what we say is who we are. He's right. Think about it.
Rebecca Jacoby, copywriter
www.afewchosenwords.com
www.beckyjacoby.com
Brevity as an Effective Communication Skill (would that it were!).......2007-09-10
Mr. Luntz sites brevity as an effective communication skill, yet he goes on and on and on with his examples and repeats himself throughout the book.
He uses the book as a vehicle to promote his Republican platforms, which is boring and annoying.
He is a little impressed with himself and is not afraid to share that with the reader. An especially distasteful example of this is his self-serving introduction about performing for Democrats and celebrities at Ariana Huffington's home.
He tries to imitate Steven Levitt's style of writing but he's just not that interesting or cool.
WORDS THAT WORK.......2007-09-08
"Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear" by Frank Luntz is a modern day "how to win friends and influence people" for the 21st century. "Words That Work" is a good book but the best part is the '10 Rules of Effective Language' in the first few chapters, which is basically the whole point of the book.
You may not want to read the other chapters because the book does surprisingly focus also on how businesses can use words. You can pretty much ignore the Publisher's Weekly criticism that this book is partisan. Luntz sights good and bad examples of communication from both Democrats and Republicans. His first anecdote deals with giving a seminar at Arriana Huffington's home for the Hollywood Elite!
People who don't care about politics or business will probably get bored with this book. But if you only get half-way through the book you will be convinced that "It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear".
"MoveOn.Org" Democrats who try to smear the lessons Frank Luntz gives in this book may do so at your own peril.
If you want to communicate better, buy this book.......2007-09-07
Great book from a man who knows how to communicate. Don't let tags such as 'conservative' or 'Republican' prevent you from basic truths about communicating more effectively. Frank Luntz knows what most politicians, business people and marketers do not: It's not about them, it's about your audience. Or to put it more effectively, "It's not what you say, it's what people hear."
If you want to become a better sales person, a better pastor, a better politician, a better leader, or a better communicator then buy this book. If you have the greatest idea in the world but can't tell people what it is, it's worthless. If you have a vision but can't get other people to follow, you will never lead.
For me, this book boils down to one word: Results.
Frank Luntz writes a great book to help anyone who wants to communicate better.
Book Description
The Classic Resource for Every Writer Who Wants to Be Published
*Features more than 3500 market listings
*Includes 500 new markets for 2007
*Provides 100% updated material
Continuing the tradition of providing writers with the information they need to get published, the 2007 Writer's Market is the go-to guide for anyone who wants to be published. Featuring new and exclusive interviews with Alice Kaplan, Augusten Burroughs, and Jennifer Weiner, the latest edition also includes articles covering the basics of book proposals, how to get freelance writing gigs, the keys to successful query letters, the six rules critical to publishing success, and more.
Customer Reviews:
Must have.......2007-09-23
If you are inexperienced to the world of writing this is a book you need to have to help you on that long journey
My Advice.......2007-07-29
I speak to audiences all over the country. After every speech there are always two or three people who come up and ask advice on getting published. I give them the customary talk about writing every day and having persistence in the face of rejection. I also tell every one of them to go home, get on Amazon and order Writer's Market.
Jeb Blount
Author of PowerPrinciples: Do You Have The Winning Edge?
It is a tool which may be of help .......2007-06-07
This work is a tool which may be of help to you as a writer. It is written in its introductory overview pages with , what seems to me, good sense and understanding. There is a lot of good advice about how to query, and where to look for markets, and how in general to approach the whole business of pursuing 'sales' of work. It is not a book which can tell you truly about how to write in a deep or interesting or uniquely individual way. That is not it's purpose.
But again I think it can be of help to many.
A couple of reservations from my own area of interest. Once they had a separate listing in the index on a topic which specially interested me "Judaism" . Now the publishers on Judaism are mixed up with the general Religion publishers.
I searched a couple of publishing houses I am thinking to send manuscripts to. The information provided was extremely scanty . But then again 'Writer's Market' does remind its user to supplement it by searching the websites of the publishers' listed.
Again it gives the rules and the etiquette for proper submission, gives information on pricing. It also includes some individual success stories from different areas of writing.
On the whole for the writer eager to sell work this is a work which truly may help.
Basic information for fiction and non-fiction writers.......2007-05-17
I found the Writer's Market 2007 Deluxe Edition by Robert Lee Brewer to be informative; however, I had already located another publication that led me to the sources that I sought for promoting MY book.
Nonetheless, the Writer's Market is now a part of my book publishing/marketing reference resources collection.
Also, regardless of which book/magazine used as a source of information, it is ultimately up to the individual(s) to do the "leg work," or delegate the efforts to someone/others, in their particular promotion efforts.
At any rate, I believe that the book is worth purchasing.
Jane L. Wilson
author Suicide Is So Not An Option: My Motivational Agenda for Living
Writer's Market 2007.......2007-05-04
This is what I call the writer's bible as it includes a variety of marketplaces for your work. It's an essential book for all writers, published and unpublished.
It's a valuable research tool, and one that I encourage all of my students to purchase when they embark upon their writing careers.
Cheryl A. Martin, author of "Woman Reclining".
Book Description
In the course of more than sixty years spent covering Washington politics, Helen Thomas has witnessed a raft of fundamental changes in the way news is gathered and reported. Gone are the days of frequent firsthand contact with the president. Now, the press sees the president only at tightly controlled and orchestrated press conferences. In addition, Thomas sees a growing -- and alarming -- reluctance among reporters to question government spokesmen and probe for the truth. The result has been a wholesale failure by journalists to fulfill what is arguably their most vital role in contemporary American life -- to be the watchdogs of democracy. Today's journalists, according to Thomas, have become subdued, compromised lapdogs.
Here, the legendary journalist and bestselling author delivers a hard-hitting manifesto on the precipitous decline in the quality and ethics of political reportage -- and issues a clarion call for change. Thomas confronts some of the most significant issues of the day, including the jailing of reporters, the conservative swing in television news coverage, and the administration's increased insistence on "managed" news. But she is most emphatic about reporters' failure to adequately question President George W. Bush and White House spokesmen about the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq, and on subjects ranging from homeland security to the economy. This, she insists, was a dire lapse.
Drawing on her peerless knowledge of journalism, Washington politics, and nine presidential administrations, as well as frank interviews with leading journalists past and present, Thomas provides readers with a rich historical perspective on the roots of American journalism, the circumstances attending the rise and fall of its golden age, and the nature and consequences of its current shortcomings. The result is a powerful, eye-opening discourse on the state of political reportage -- as well as a welcome and inspiring demand for meaningful and lasting reform.
Customer Reviews:
VERY INTERESTING BOOK.......2007-08-23
Helen Thomas has covered the White House since JFK and her insight into how the media has failed in the recent years to cover the White House and be the Watchdogs of Democracy is "Right on Point." There are very few "Real" Journalists like hardworking Helen Thomas around anymore!!
What's going on in Washington DC?.......2007-05-13
The lady in the red suit scores again with this cogent comment on the Washington press corps. Ms. Thomas, who pitches hardball questions during press conferences if she is allowed to do so, has very coherently and successfully produced a well-reasoned text about why the press corps failed the American people by not investigating the shenanigans surrounding the present administration. This is a necessary read for journalism students and probably for those interested history and political science.
A misleading title on a journalistic memoir.......2007-04-26
This book sorely disappointed me for two reasons. I strongly agree with the thesis of the title, that the media largely abandoned their important duty as watchdogs of democracy in the run-up to the War in Iraq, HOWEVER, this issue amounts to a grand total of ONE chapter in her entire book. The rest is a bunch of anecdotes tied loosely together. In fact, it reads more like an anthology than a unified work.
The second thing that disappointed me was also something of a shock: Helen Thomas, Grand Dame, Dean of the Washington Press Corps, is a lousy writer! I am serious. I read on average one or two political/nonfiction books a month, and this is one of the most poorly written I have read yet. Some of the books I have read are by "regular" people, some by pundits, and some by politicians. Nearly all of them write in a more interesting and engaging style than Mrs. Thomas. Her tone is often conversational at best, and her stories seem to be told as much to discuss presidents' interactions with the media as to tell you what an interesting career she has had.
I could not in good faith give it one star. It isn't horrible. It is just extremely disappointing.
rambling, disjointed, biasd, personal, fun.......2007-02-08
This is a rambling, disjointed, biased, personal account
of what should be an important public issue. The title
has a question mark, and the subtitle identifies the
culprit and makes an accusation. So how does "Watchdogs
of Democracy? The Waning Washington Press Corps and How
It Has Failed the Public" measure up? Not very well on
the subject, but better as a collection of snippets.
The foreword drones on and on for ten pages. Chapter 1
tells us Journalism is an honorable profession in
spite of Jayson Blair and a few others.
Chapter 2 mentions several scandals uncovered by the
press. Chapter 3 has anecdotes about presidents with
the press. Chapter 4 is about press secretaries.
Chapter 5 is about spinning the news.
Chapter 6 is about leakers and whistle blowers.
Chapter 7 admits that the news business is a business.
Chapter 8 complains about the FCC. Chapter 9 is
the subject of the book, the press as lapdogs.
Chapter 10 covers war correspondents, Iraq wars,
and Vietnam. Chapter 11 covers her choice of the
greatest American journalists. There is over 11
pages of closely spaced, double column index,
but no references.
Thomas seems to think there is little in Washington
except the White House. The other branches, and the
bureaus and departments are seldom mentioned.
Some Republicans will be bothered by some of her
attacks, and some Democrats will be delighted.
There are attacks, and both Democrats and Republicans
are the targets, perhaps in equal numbers, but they
are treated differently. Democrats tend to get the
passive voice and quirky little adjectives.
Republicans tend to get the active voice and
malicious adjectives. Bush 43 gets the worst
treatment.
Still, it is an entertaining book. The only time
I was tempted to put it down was Thomas quoting
herself giving a speech disguised as a question at
a White House Press Conference.
Neither focused nor organized.......2007-01-14
This book was clearly written for profit. Many sections of the book are only weakly connected back to the main theme and nowhere does Helen Thomas make her case-in-chief directly. Instead, the reader is treated to a series of vignettes which all too frequently bear only a tenuous relationship to one another and which make no effort to maintain continuity. While each chapter has a reasonably strong cohesion (though those boundaries frequently intersect in a way which would make any Venn diagram lover proud), they work together not as a fine Swiss watch, but instead more like a Rube Goldberg machine.
There is one theme which appears time-and-again: the idea that an objective and vigorous free press is a necessary part of democracy. This point is made consistently throughout the book from a cornucopia of different, albeit predicable, angles, and is artfully shown both implicitly and explicitly through excellent and enjoyable anecdotes accumulated during the author's sixty years as a White House correspondent. Unfortunately for the reader, her anecdotes frequently seem to be included for their value as self-platitudes rather than for intrinsic value or thematic attenuation. Also unfortunate is the inconvenient truth that Helen Thomas is no longer the type of reporter she praises, but the type she opines against: an opinion columnist.
There are certainly gems in the rough scattered throughout the 201 pages, but the author's tendency both to ramble and babble makes them difficult to find and detracts from their value. With regard to Thomas' periodic attempts a historical organization, her comments at the conclusion of chapter four are revealing: "There were other press secretaries and other spokespersons. I have mentioned only a few who stand out in my mind, for better or worse." Indeed, it seems she deemed fit to simply write down a train of thought as it occurred to her in the shower; that is to say, while not devoid of organization, the linking up of subjects is tenuous at best. Perhaps the most interesting and enjoyable aspect of Helen Thomas' writing style in this book is her robust use of vocabulary, which includes a scattering of excellent words on every page (some of which I even had to look up).
Book Description
This highly sought after program with an international following provides thorough instruction on the intonation, stress, rhythm, and the sounds that work together to give American English its distinct "accent".
Produced by a speech-language pathologist with expertise at training all components of American English speech, this program imparts a wealth of insights and techniques, accompanied by clear graphics.
This new edition includes 8 CDs featuring a variety of male and female voices, and more conversational exercises. Interactive exercises use everyday language of social-casual to professional-business-technical situations.
The American Accent Guide is highly relevant to speakers of all language backgrounds who want to attain mastery on all aspects of English as commonly spoken in North America.
Customer Reviews:
It's the best!.......2007-03-14
I recently purchased this product. I haven't got immensed into it but from listening to the CDs, it's concise, and applicable to daily conversations. I especially like the fact that it used the voices of both male and female. Other products I've perused only use one gender. I would recommend this product to anyone who wants to speak standard American English.
A complement to Ann Cook's American Accent Training.......2007-01-17
I bought this book because although I can pronounce words perfectly in English, I still have some problems with intonation. I have used Ann Cook's American Accent Training but there were still things not really covered in her book. The American Accent Guide has only two chapters on the subject but the last chapter on Intonation is covered in a way that I had never seen and goes beyond Cooks' book. It's really good. I highly recommend it but if your main interest is on intonation, you should also buy the American Accent Training since the latter has more exercises on intonation. However, if you also have problems with the sounds of English, The American Accent Guide is the perfect book for you. Maybe the only one you will ever neeed. My wife who is a U.S. born American is not happy with the book because I'm really losing my Brazilian accent which she thinks is very sexy. She says I sound too much American now. Well, if you're like me, that's not a bad thing, is it? We can always work on the sexy part some other way.
An Excellent Work.......2007-01-09
This is a complete and well rounded work. Eventhough I have been living in the US for over 17 years and earned an AS and a BS, I found myself having difficulties in the pronunciation of the english words. I have gotten a lot of helps from my kids, however after applying the American Accent Guide to my daily routines for a couple months, I have been feeling a lot more confident to express myself. The digital media is professionally prepared and the speakers are pleasant and very well articulated. I used the cds in my car and also ripped them into my mp3 player to listen to when I am excercising and riding with someone.
The Accent guide has helped me to be more aware of the subtle nature of the English Language. If you would like to speak the American Idiom better and more fluently this is a great resource to have. It works!!!!
In terms of bang-per-buck, I think one will be hard-pressed to find a better investment........2007-01-05
This book and CD program provides a systematic and intuitive approach for ESL learners who wish to improve their English at their own pace. Good investment for the price.
First, my native language is Chinese. I have been in the US for six years; and have had no intensive training in English. I consider myself an average, or slightly above average, ESL learner. Like many native speakers of syllabic languages, I had a tendency to apply the stress and intonation patterns of my first language when speaking English. In addition, I used certain vowels interchangeably. Listening to radio or hiring a tutor did not help much because I still couldn't figure out what to listen for and how I should sound. I always felt uncertain when speaking English.
The American Accent Guide has definitely been a big help and is the most insightful material I have used. The lessons can work as individual modules, but if you go through them in order a few times you will see that the organization is integral to gradually raising your awareness of how the speech factors work together to form the American accent.
The American Accent Guide also does a great job in conveying the ideas through integrating visual and audio aids. The Rhythm section is a good example: the practice sentences come with markings to show the stress in sentences, and the CD walks you through sets of sentences that have the same rhythm structure, which brilliantly demonstrate the idea of how to use stress and rhythm to improve the flow of speaking. It's really a very intuitive and effective approach that helps with both speaking and listening comprehension.
Another strength of the material is that the practice sentences are quite useful in daily life, unlike many ESL textbooks with phrases that have little practical use and get boring after a few repetitions.
In short, the American Accent Guide is a well thought-out and executed study guide for ESL students of all levels One can listen to it again and again and each time learn something new to work on. In terms of bang-per-buck, I think one will be hard-pressed to find a better investment.
A very good treatment of intonation.......2006-11-23
After looking through the contents of the book and the amount of information it contained I was more than eager to buy it. After all, all that I needed for my pronunciation classes was there: comprehensive charts and graphs , streamlined layout, IPA symbols, grapheme-phoneme correspondence tables for problem areas such as the long / i / sound, and on top of that, a package with 8 CD's in a neatly-enclosed folder. Yet, oddly enough, I felt like something was missing. Then I reached the last chapters. "Boy, there's something new here," I thought. Very few authors have treated intonation this well: The attitudinal / emotional aspect of intonation is explored at length: higher pitch tones for heightened emotions and politeness. Swinging pitch inflections and slightly rising inflections for casualness. Longer pauses for the expression of meaning. So, although I think some of the sound discrimination exercises may lack creativity and sometimes fall short of raising students'awareness , the last chapters saved the day and may explain why shelling out over US$ 60 for this manual might have been a good decision after all.
Book Description
Modern firefighting is a continually evolving science. New technologies are constantly being applied to the fire service, both from within and without. In the latest edition of this perennial favorite, author John Norman examines these new technologies and how they affect fireground tactics. He also details the new role firefighters play in homeland security. What is offered here is a guide for the firefighter and the fire officer who, having learned the basic mechanics of the trade, are now looking for specific methods for handling specific situations.
Customer Reviews:
Practical and worthwhile, even if you aren't a member of the FDNY.......2007-04-08
It is widely discussed in fire service circles that this text is an amalgom of FDNY tactical bulletins and other internal documents, such as Ladders 3 and Ladders 4. If so, it offers useful information for fire problems most of us routinely encounter. The 3rd edition has hideously tiny print and is over run by wordiness, but does have additional chapters on WMD issues as well as townhouse/garden apartment fires. There is new text intersprised all through out the book. Norman is a tough read - passive voice, run on sentences and double negatives - but the material is still worth digging through. And hey, the bulding classification codes from the 1st and 2nd editions got corrected.
A must for any working firefighter.
Very informative!.......2007-03-17
I found this book to be very informative. It helps answer the "what if this happens" questions that every firefighter ponders when they have time to reflect. I definitely recommend picking up this book whether you are an actual officer or firefighter.
Good Book for Rook or Vet.......2007-02-10
I bought this as a text for a class but I'm finding it very thorough and easy to follow with tons of good info.
excellent resource.......2006-04-11
This book is full of valuable information, and has helped to fill in some gaps in my understanding of certain firefighting tactics that I simply have not learned in my five years in the fire service. This book simply has more valuable, pertinent information than any other fire/rescue text I have ever read. Incredible!
The books only flaw is the photos are of very poor quality.
It is full of a great wealth of knowledge and insight. Awesome text, very easy, interesting read.
I highly recommend this book.
The New Essentials.......2002-11-16
This is quite possibly the finest tactical instruction manual on the market. Despite regional variences in tactics, this book will expand your understanding of your current SOP's and allow you to try something new with a proven record. Masterfully written and not the boring text you're used to in textbooks. This is a must read for anyone wishing to advance in the fire service...truly a new essential.
Amazon.com
The world is divided into two types of people: those who wince when they see the words Canadian geese in print, and those who don't. If you are the former, or if you are the latter working for the former, the The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual provides invaluable assistance when you need to get your Canada geese all in a row. Countless newspapers and other publications base their style guides on this manual. The entries are arranged alphabetically and include issues of spelling, punctuation (there is no period in Dr Pepper), grammar, abbreviation, capitalization (Popsicle and Dumpster are, tollhouse cookies aren't), hyphenation (none, surprisingly, in ball point pen), and frequently misused words. There are also longer discussions of things such as Arabic names, chess notation, weather terms, and religious movements. Plus you'll find separate sections on sports writing, business writing, libel, and copyright.
Book Description
Fully revised and updated, the essential handbook for all writers, editors, students, and public relations specialists.
More people write for the Associated Press than for any newspaper in the world, and writers have bought more copies of The AP Stylebook than of any other journalism reference. With this essential guide in hand, any writer can learn to communicate with the clarity and professionalism for which the Associated Press is famous. Fully revised and updated, this edition contains over 5,000 A to Z entries--including more than 50 new ones--laying out the AP's rules on grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, abbreviation, and word and numeral usage. Comprehensive and easy to use, The AP Stylebook provides the facts and references necessary to write accurately about the world today: correct names of countries and organizations, Internet language and search techniques, language to avoid, common trademarks, and the unique guidelines for business and sports reporting. The final word on media law, The AP Stylebook also includes an invaluable section dedicated to crucial advice on how writers can guard against libel and copyright infringement. The veritable "journalist's bible," this is the one reference that working writers cannot afford to be without.
With more than 50 new entries plus updates of more than 100 others, The AP Stylebook includes such features as:
* An A to Z listing of guides to capitalization, abbreviation, spelling, numerals, and usage
* Internet guidelines
* Sports guidelines and style
* Business guidelines and style
* A guide to punctuation
* Supreme Court decisions regarding libel law
* Summary of First Amendment rules
* The right of privacy
* Copyright guidelines
* Proofreaders' marks
Customer Reviews:
Wouldn't write without it.......2007-07-28
Also know as the AP style guide, this book should be every copywriter's and journalist's bookshelf. This is the definitive guide to punctuation, grammar and writing style for magazine and newspaper articles as well as most business writing. And it is vastly different from the style of writing most of us learned in school, which follows the Chicago Manual of Style. If you are thinking about writing for magazines or newspapers, or starting a copywriting business, you absolutely must get a copy of this.
Good Introduction to AP Style.......2007-07-07
I bought this book because I had a client that used the AP Style in their marketing communication and all outgoing documentation had to be reviewed using the AP Style. Being a technical writer, I had not used the AP Style before. Now I have a better understanding of why words are used the way they are in a newspaper. However, about 20% of the AP Style does not apply to technical writing.
AP Stylebook.......2007-05-29
A must have for all print designers. Great reference material for graphic and web designers.
Wanna be a reporter? Duh........2007-02-25
If you aspire to have any sort of career in print or online journalism, you should not need a review to tell you that you need this book. Duh.
However, I am going to give this book only four stars because AP needs to stop being losers and end the silliness of capitalizing the word "Internet" or writing "website" as "Web site." It's dumb.
Great Resource.......2007-01-16
This is a great book for anyone, from an aspiring writer to the accomplished journalist. The information within is very valuable and very well organized.
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