Reviews
Books
Acker, Kerry
2000:Need to Know Library: the Goth Scene. New York, NY: the Rosen Publishing Company.
The author did an excellent job enabling us to understand the Goth culture without stereotyping it (though in the book’s brief mention of punk, it mischaracterizes punk, perhaps stereotyping it). After reading this book, I have a better understanding of the Goth culture.
Adobe Systems
1998: Electronic Publishing Guide: the Essential Resource for Electronic Publishing. San Jose, CA: Adobe Press.
This is one of those books disguising itself as a handbook for publishing, when it is really just a glorified infomercial for Adobe. Nonetheless, even if one never uses Adobe, this book can still be of use.
Alexander, Paul
2004:The Candidate: Behind John Kerry's Remarkable Run for the White House. New York, NU: Penguin Group, Inc.
I read part of a review of this book, which made the book sound cheesy, but the book really wasn't. In fact, it was odd: I finished this book in one day, something which is rare for even the best books of substantial length. I guess even though I dislike the Democratic Party, I can still learn something from John Kerry's candidacy and his life.
Blanco, Jodee
2003:Please Stop Laughing at Me: One Woman’s Inspirational Story. Avon, MA: Adams Media Corporation.
If this book had a theme song, it could be Bob Marley’s “Cornerstone”, which says “The stone that the river refused will always be the head cornerstone”. The book gives me hope; it provides comfort to the outcasts, and hopefully it gives us strength to carry on. Surely, one of the best genre of books is non-fiction narratives, and of that category, this book excels like few other.
Boland, Mary
2001: Crime Victims Guide to Justice. Naperville, IL: Sphinx
If you have a fundamental understanding of the criminal justice system as I would like to think I do, then this book probably won’t teach you much new information.
Brandt, Lisa
2003: Celebrity Tantrums: the Official Dirt. Toronto, ON: ECW Press.
Entertaining but hardly edifying.
Breitman, Patti and Connie Hatch.
2000:How to Say No and Say Yes to More Time, More Joy, and What Matters Most to You Without Feeling Guilty. New York, NY: Broadway House.
I liked how so many different situations requiring assertiveness where explained and specific examples and phrases were suggested to help deal with these situations. Still some possible situations were not described but I guess we can’t expect the authors to get them all in here. A great combination of general principles and specific examples. Assertiveness books are so needed because no matter how good a person may be, there is always room for improvement.
Brooks, Guy and Victoria
1995:Malaysia: A Kick Start Guide for Business Travelers. North Vancouver, B.C.: Self-Counsel Press.
Not bad. A little too formal, but still useful.
Buchanan, Patrick J.
2004:Where the Right Went Wrong: How Neoconservatives Subverted the Reagan Revolution and Hijacked the Bush Presidency. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.
I like the fact that when a rightist such as Buchanan rightfully denounces neoconservatives, it might be reason for others to notice. Let us hope the conservatives follow his way. Although conservative views may not be my total ideal, I would much rather conservatives act and believe like Buchanan than act and believe like Bush. The criticisms are right on and Buchanan is courageous to be maverick enough to criticize the right. You conservatives better listen and change your movement to align it with Buchanan’s recommedations.
Bueno-Aguer, Lee
1991:Fast Your Way to Health. New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House.
Can you believe it: I found a book about fasting at a library? Any library that stocks a book on fasting scores big points with me. I dug how the book combined emphasis on both the spiritual and therapeutic aspects of fasting. The book is solidly grounded in natural hygienic thought. I knew much of information about the therapeutic aspects of fasting because I read a bunch of books on fasting already, but I learned more on the spiritual aspects of fasting. Especially if you are a Christian, this book can be great for you.
Carville, James
1998:And the Horse He Rode In On: The People V. Kenneth Starr. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
Typical, almost stereotypical two party polemic. James Carville believes that Kenneth Starr needs to get a life, I agree, I also believe that Carville needs to use his talents to smash rather than advance the two party system.
Cary, Eve, Alan Levine and Janet Price.
1997:The Rights of Students: ACLU Handbooks for Young Americans. New York, NY: Penquin Putnam, Inc.
Vital! Read, even if you are not a student. It's great to learn about student rights, especially in the favorite Q&A style. In general, I find it so immensely necessary to learn about my rights, thus I adored what I learned in this volume.
Catlin, Steven
1997:Work Less & Play More. Ventura, CA: Kimberlite Publishing.
This book attempts to put into practice a major aim of my life, to work needlessly as little as possible. I am glad that other people realize this aim is essential. Naturally, many of the suggestions I have already discovered or thought of, but one can always learn something new, right? If the possibility of reducing the amount of time you work has just been opened up to you, then this book can really help you out. Indeed, so many people don’t realize how little we can work and still get by. Work Less & Play More exhilarates me because it uplifts the beautiful.
Creed, Dan
2003:Governor Ventura “The Body” Exposed: The Man. The Mansion. The Meltdown. Madison, WI: Hunter Halverson Press, LLC.
I am skeptical of his criticism of Jesse. Although I don’t agree with everything Ventura believes or does, I do believe he has a lot of good ideas and he is an inspiring individual. I did like to get this perspective of Ventura’s Residence Manager. Creed touched upon the notion of “servant leadership”, which caused me to look into it further. I stayed up too late reading this book. In places, the work is even touching because Creed reflects upon the goodness of all the people he worked with (famous and not so famous). Exposes continue to fascinate me, and this work does what the genre generally does.
Crowley, Thomas.
1994:Settle It Out of the Court: How to Resolve Business and Personal Disputes Using Mediation, Arbitration, and Negotiation. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
When I picked up this book I hoped it would be a straight forward navigation guide for mediation and arbitration forums. The book heavily emphasized the philosophy and psychology of disputes and their resolution. It even covered trial. The book is insightful on these grounds, though I would have preferred a more straight forward approach describing the nuts and bolts of mediation and arbitration.
Cohen, Ben and Jerry Greenfield
1997: Ben and Jerry's Double Dip: Lead with Your Values and Make Money Too. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
I heard Ben Cohen speak in person and thought he had a good approach to business. This tape further elaborates Ben and Jerry's philosophy of business. Perhaps, Ben Cohen should run for president. He has some good views plus he has enough money to bankroll it.
Coulter, Ann
2003: Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism. New York, NY: Crown Forum.
For Labor Day holiday since the library was closed, I made sure to check out a bunch of books. I was hoping to check out a page turner since I really needed some good books for this holiday. Most of the books really didn’t excite me. Some of them had good messages, but I just was not drawn in. Then I pick up Treason and finally I had a page turner. Ms. Coulter is a great writer (though I can’t say I totally agree with her message). It’s hard to tell what makes a book a hook. Sometimes, one may think if
a book has too many sophisticated words, it is hard to read. But this book surely puts that hypothesis to rest as there are plenty of sophisticated words, yet you can’t put the book down. I once checked out one of her other books, High Crimes and Misdemeanors, but I really couldn’t get into it. For her book titles, she surely chooses words with unambiguous meanings and those that pack a powerful punch. Especially in regard to McCarthy, Coulter is a revisionist. In a way, this work is similar to Buchanan’s A Republic Not an Empire, as both works describe history in order to make a political argument. The difference is that Buchanan is much more subtle and graceful, while Coulter endlessly tosses lethal grenades. Overkill, perhaps. Her writing is far more inflammatory than Buchanan. Buchanan, at least in part, maintains some objectivity, but Coulter is constantly complaining. These Republican types are quick to accuse someone of “treason” if the person critiques the United States government, but Republicans somehow can complain all they want and still are “patriotic”. In fact, Al Franken pointed out that some Republicans who ripped Democrats apart for opposing the Iraq War saying it’s unpatriotic to question government policy when our troops are at war, they themselves criticized the troops when Clinton was President. Coulter provides a list of presidents during the Cold War and argues that most of them were weak but Reagan was a hero. For some reason she left Warren G. Harding off this list. I don’t know whether it was because it was inconsistent with her argument, or whether it was because she like many others thought his administration was insignificant. I was a little impressed to see her even criticize some Republicans. It seems if one is not conservative (even though one may be a Republican), one is not good to Coulter. She even criticized Bush once!! I do believe that is a first. She talks about Bush like a giddy school girl swoons over an attractive teacher. She repugnantly defends racial profiling in the war on terrorism. Does she realize that a number of terrorists have been WHITE? Timothy McVeigh, the Unabomber, and the Symbionese Liberation Army (all white except one black) are three examples of white terrorists. Perhaps, in 1995, the loser law enforcement agents were harassing Middle Eastern people when they should have been scrutinizing McVeigh and Nichols. It’s great that Ann Coulter is a strong fierce woman. She is assertive and strong willed. She can hate as we sometimes should. But Ann Coulter lacks balance. She seems to have no sensitivity, no softness. Maybe she has a tender side which only her close ones see, but in her writing, it is not apparent.
Diamond, Harvey.
2003: Fit For Life, Not Fat For Life. Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, Inc.
I was pleasantly surprised to see such a natural hygienic book in the Maplewood, MN library. Books of this perspective are all too rare. Diamond believes raw food is absolutely key. He tells us to make sure we consume a greater amount of raw food than cooked and processed food. A good goal, which I find very difficult to attain. At least, he does not eschew all cooked and processed, but just believes the diet show emphasize raw food. It is my hope that I incorporate more and more raw food into my diet. I also am coming to believe that cooked food is necessary too. I just don't feel right if I only eat raw food. Perhaps there is something sacred about cooking food. Diamond tries to change the standard of way more cooked and processed food than raw food. I like that a balance of both to me is what we need.
Dimaggio, Richard L.
2002: Collection Agency Harassment: What the Debt Collector Doesn’t Want You to Know. Clifton Park, NJ: the Consumer Press.
The common sense suggestions of the book, I figured out many already. The rest informed me about the collection agency law, specifically the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. I feel more empowered in the debt arena. As lawyers go, Dimaggio appears to be a worthwhile one.
Dorio, Marc
1997: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Perfect Interview. New York, NY: Alpha Books.
This book appealed to me both out of general interest in Idiots’ and Dummies’ books, and also out of practical need. Though, it was more a matter of the former than the latter.
Eriksen, Ronald
1994: How to Find Missing Persons: A Handbook for Investigators Revised and Expanded Second Edition. Port Townsend, WA: Loompanics Unlimited.
I carried this book through customs, and perhaps surprisingly, they did not say much about it. I find it hard to believe some of the tricks used in this book to get otherwise inaccessible information worked and would work. It just seems these companies have more security than that. The informal tone added to the interest without taking away from the information.
Farah, George
2004:No Debate: How the Republican and Democratic Parties Secretly Control the Presidential Debates. New York, NY: Seven Stories Press.
The book is a critique of the state of presidential debates (they suck) and call to include third parties candidates most especially Perot, Buchanan and Ralph Nader. As a pragmatic move, the author recommends inclusion of only those like these, while excluding the rest of the third parties. Since I so dearly love third parties, the pragmatic move might be a smart one. The author also clearly demonstrates how utterly pitiful and unjust it is that the debates exclude third party candidates. To support his point, he even finds surprising backing from people like Alan Keyes! How wonderful it will be if the author’s ideas come to fruition.
Feiner, Michael
2004:The Feiner Points of Leadership: the 50 Basic Laws that Will Make People Want to Perform Better for You. New York, NY: Time Warner Book Group.
Generally sage advice drawn from the author's personal experience. In depth and elucidated extensively. I crave books about leadership because leadership is so
important to do right. Another leadership book I can add to my knowledge base.
Frank, Stephen and Stephen Wagner
1999:We Shocked the World: A Case Study of Jesse Ventura's Election as Governor of Minnesota. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc.
Written by two Stephens! Short and academic yet even non academics could get something out of it. It lacked the typical descriptions of this great victory instead opting for a more dispassionate analysis. Consequently, the main consultant to the authors is a professor from Minnesota State University at Mankato, whom I have met. This book, through its analysis, minimized some the intrigue of this campaign victory.
Fransway, Rebecca (ed)
2000:12-Step Horror Stories: True Tales of Misery, Betrayal and Abuse. Tucson, AZ: See Sharp Press.
Page turning extraordinaire. From reading other books about A.A., I was already predisposed to believe AA is not too good. This book has me convinced that, as many of the writers in this work say, the top self help organization is a cult. While reading this book’s description of AA, it occurred to me that AA is very similar to Rational Emotive Therapy. Since Rational Emotive Therapy has issue, so does AA. I wouldn’t want to go to an AA meeting; something rubs me the wrong way, and furthermore many of these authors rationally argued against it. Even though I am all against alcohol, I at best find AA to be an impediment.
Freeman, Allyn and Bob Golden.
1997:Why Didn’t I Think of That: Bizarre Origins of Ingenious Inventions We Couldn’t Live Without. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons.
The pagination was weird. Instead of standard numbering, the pages were numbered by chapter. Otherwise, a solid book which serves the trivia genre proud.
Goldish, Meish
1998:The Dangers of Herbal Stimulants. New York, NY: the Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
For awhile, I was skeptical of herbal stimulants, since I have long been opposed to most every use of any drug, then I soon got to the point where I was against them. This book firmly sets in my mind how bad these herbal stimulants are and how my intuition was correct in directing me to oppose them.
Graham, Kevin
2000:Ralph Nader: Battling for Democracy. Denver, CO: Windham Publishing.
I hope one day society paints
Nader the way Graham has painted him. Unfortunately, even the left has come to hate him for daring to run for President, for daring to demonstrate the Democratic Party is not right for America. I loved it when Graham described how General Motors attempted to dig up some dirt on Nader only to find out he was squeaky clean. Although Nader’s influence in society has declined especially since publication of this work, Graham understands what’s important and what’s right. May one day this way be revered.
Gravitz, Herbert L. and Julie D. Bowden
1985: Recovery: A Guide for Adult Children of Alcoholics. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, Inc.
My my my. This book articulated matters which I may have thought others didn’t quite understand. I can’t agree with all the solutions, but the assessment of the problem is certainly superb.
Greenblatt, Miriam
2003:Enchantment of the World, Second Series: Afghanistan. New York, NY: Children’s Press.
I was glad to find a post Afghanistan War book to describe the country because to read a pre-US intervention book would be missing out on so very much.
Gregory, Leland H. III
1998:Presumed Ignorant: An Uncensored Guide to Disorder in the Courts. New York, NY: Dell Trade Paperback.
A combination of one of those books about all our stupid laws plus absurd tales about our criminal justice system. To combine the two together certainly enhanced the book.
Hamilton, Lee
2004: How Congress Works and Why You Should Care. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
Hamilton is too supportive of Congress. One would expect him to be. Hamilton states that we need only reforms, but I would like to see a lot more than just reforms. At times, one might interpret Hamilton’s tone a bit condescending.
Hammerman, David, Ed.D. and Lisa Lenard, M.F.A.
2000:The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Reincarnation. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha Books.
Reincarnation and especially karma really intrigue me. It might be nice if they both existed, and they do seem more probable than a number of other possibilities, but I am just too skeptical to say they do exist for sure. This book says the purpose of karma is multifold including “experiencing the range of human emotions”. But you can experience any emotion for any event since human emotions are subjective, as many psychologists say. Can karma exist when our ideas of right and wrong are so subjective, since one person’s junk is another person’s treasure. Do we have to learn lessons the hard way? This book devotes much effort to discussing past life therapy. To me, again, it seems intriguing, but it just seems so ripe for abuse and false conjecture. In some ways, I would be really glad if reincarnation does exist, but I just am not convinced of theological matters too easily since they are making descriptive claims in addition to normative claims. I am eclectic, though it seems more difficult to be eclectic about the origin of it all. I can easily be eclectic about a religion’s description for how we should live, but it just seems that you are either right or wrong about the origin of it all and how the afterlife works. I did like how the book looked at reincarnation without necessarily focusing on one religion. On the back of the book, it was said we could “learn all about”…”Reincarnation in the ‘The Big Four’—Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Hinduism”. I do believe this is a misprint. Buddhism is not mentioned. I believe Islam was substituted inadvertently for Buddhism. I was intrigued about what Islam would say about reincarnation but there was nothing in the index or in the text itself about Islam and reincarnation. It’s odd that people so often mix up Islam and Buddhism when the two are very very different. The book is persuasive and extremely well written though I am not easily persuaded about these spiritual matters. Reincarnation is a neat concept and maybe it exists (hopefully?), I just can’t see myself affirming that it does for sure any time soon. Though there is something in me that believes in karma whether it is paired with reincarnation (as it often is used interchangeably) or not. I fear if karma exists. A “Complete Idiot’s Guide” on reincarnation is hard to beat. It’s hard to find books on this topic that cover the bases, so I am ever glad I did.
Handman, Gary
1990: Bibliotoons: A Mischievous Meander Through the Stacks and Beyond. Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Company, Inc.
I really should read more book about library themes (like this one), since I love libraries so very much.
Hayes, E. Nelson (Ed.)
1989:Adult Children of Alcoholics Remember: True Stories of Abuse and Recovery by ACOAs. New York, NY: Harmony Books.
A simply terrific concept for a book! In fact, I had an idea for a book very similar to this, but it was broader in scope. I thought it would be awesome to have a book with stories from people harmed by alcohol in many ways. I came across the book with part delight and part disappointment that someone beat me to the punch. The stories were touching and it is sure nice to realize someone shares your pain. I think a lot of people should read this anthology to get a better understanding of all the torment children of alcoholics face.
Hightower, Jim
2003:Thieves in High Places: They’ve Stolen Our Country and It’s Time to Take it Back. New York, NY: Penquin Group.
More inspirational than your average liberal polemic. Content wise, it’s pretty standard left fare. Some stories and examples were new to me. His aim is beneficial, his politics are generally a plus; we just need to expand ourselves, because the left doesn’t offer enough. The left doesn’t offer everything. I was born to read books about politics.
Hilton, Stanley G. and Dr. Anne-Renee Testa
1998:Glass Houses: Shocking Profiles of Congressional Sex Scandals and Other Official Misconduct. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.
Juicy to be sure. Though the authors are continuing the cycle. The authors condemn those who condemn Clinton because these people are judgmental. The authors are judgmental too! Is this book an apologist work for Clinton? It makes me wonder. I love reading about the impeached judge who became a congressman and the convicted congressman who had to wear an ankle bracelet while serving. For some reason Dennis Kucinich was included. He only got 2 pages. The material on him was pretty lame as his “misconduct” didn’t seem to warrant even mentioning him. Most of the work is tabloid style dirt. The last couple chapters do provide a nice philosophical, sociological, and psychological analysis of the nature of United States politics.
Hogshire, Jim
1992:Sell Yourself to Science: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Organs, Body Fluids, Bodily Functions and Being a Human Guinea Pig. Port Townsend, WA: Loompanics Unlimited.
Illuminating. Even though I do not plan to sell any of my body parts to science or be a guinea pig, I must say this book opens one’s eyes. Hogshire provides information on possibilities which some people may take advantage of. I don’t like the idea of testing drugs, because I don’t like putting drugs in my body, but I do like the fact that Hogshire is thinking outside the box by making novel suggestions. Perhaps, my favorite suggestion of Hogshire’s is selling one of your corneas for a few thousand dollars. I can’t believe anyone would think that bargain would be worthwhile. About the operation he says, “yes, you will be disfigured by the operation and probably have to wear an eye patch or get a glass eye and you will lose your depth perception as well as disqualify yourself for certain types of jobs and licenses”. Classic.
Hoy, Michael (Ed.)
1998:Loompanics Unlimited Conquers the Universe: Articles and Features from the Best Book Catalog in the World. Port Townsend, WA: Loompanics Unlimited.
Unfortunately I haven’t been able to figure out a way to do a search for book publishers on the La Crosse Public Library’s card catalog, thus this is the next best deal since I love finding Loompanics books. I guess finding Loompanics books by chance will be part of the fun. The editor has a talent of combining some of the dullest articles with some of the most fasci
nating. It was frustrating because I would read a fascinating article, only to find a dull article shortly after it. The story “Bramble Bush” was hyped up to be a classic, but it was probably one of the dullest pieces in this anthology. There’s not much worse than dull weak plot fiction. There sure was a lot of emphasis on prisons. In fact, I believe 3 articles were on this subject. One article would have been enough as the material basically repeated itself. Toward the back was an article called “Land Mine Legislation”. I was thinking the article might be about laws regulating land mine construction and setting, but no, the article was about really oppressive laws. I think I may have preferred the first option, but the article was still interesting nevertheless. I just wish it would have not been a metaphor!
Hunter, James
1998:The Servant: A Simple Story About the True Essence of Leadership. New York, NY: Crown Business Books.
About the only flaw of this otherwise high caliber book is the mindset so common to motivational books, that if you are a good person you will succeed in life, and if you are a bad person you will fail. Utter rubbish. Sure it would be nice if such was the case, but such is not the case. This book is in many ways similar to Stephen Covey’s Highly Effective People and related works. In fact, Covey is even cited in here. Effective was how the author borrowed from eclectic sources. I believe one of the values of an eclectic mindset is the possibility of learning from everyone. Servant leadership is entirely compatible with my philosophy of leadership. I want to embrace it. I do have reservations with Hunter’s recommendation that servant leaders need to put others needs before theirs, as many others say “You can’t love anyone else, until you love yourself first” The detailed contrast between authority and power was wise. Examples of Mother Teresa were given to illustrate how she had little power but tremendous influence. In another motivational work, the author used the examples of Frederick the Great and Jesus Christ, claiming the former was very powerful in his day, but today few care about him, while the latter had no official power, but today millions abide by his teachings. Adolf Hitler proves this example perfectly. Adolf Hitler obtained more raw power than perhaps anyone else in history, but his ultimate influence over lives is next to nothing. Few people seek to follow Hitler’s teaching thus ultimately Hitler became a twisted joke. I hope to one day to get in a position where I can be a servant leader who advances these noble principles to the max.
Hunter, James C.
2004:The World’s Most Powerful Leadership Principle: How to Become a Servant Leader. New York, NY: Crown Business Books.
Mostly a rehash of Hunter’s book, The Servant. If you read one, you really don’t need to read the other (take it from someone who has read both), since reading both gets redundant. I definitely agree with the basics of servant leadership. Some of the specifics in this book of Hunter’s bothers me. For one, Hunter over generalizes certain points. For example, he acts as if everyone, like him, is too easy on themselves. Lots of people are too hard on themselves. He like many other motivational writers/speakers act as if being good will always cause you to succeed, which is a very stupid though desirable suggestion. Ironically, he claims Wal-Mart follows servant leadership principles. I think in one sense it does, but in another sense it surely does not. Robert’s Greenleaf’s definition of servant leadership, involves “not using human beings”, which as many have shown Wal-Mart does do. Hunter, even praised Bush, because of some prayer he says a lot. A lot of evangelical types naively believe there is nothing to criticize about Bush. Bush is definitely not a servant leader. He is the opposite of a servant leader. These criticisms should not detract from how profound this book is. Servant leadership is so awesome and I am ever glad I have read about it.
Huston, Peter.
1997: Scams from the Great Beyond: How to Make Easy Money Off of ESP, Astrology, UFOs, Crop Circles, Cattle Mutilations, Alien Abductions, Atlantis, Channeling, and Other New Age Nonsense. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press.
The only noticeable flaw of this fine book was how harshly the author dismissed all new age ideas as hoaxes and rubbish. I believe there are mixed motives all over the New Age field. He opened my eyes to New Age problems and sent me the skeptic message loud and clear. When analyzed by critics, New Age seems to be absurd, just like the author bluntly suggests. A Paladin Press book that had the Loompanics feel. Even the bits about the author, illustrator, and model were great reading. Folks, this is the type of book we need, an intellectual yet down to earth expose on a fascinating topic.
Jordan, Dixie
1995:Honorable Intentions: A Parent’s Guide to Educational Planning for Children with Emotional or Behavior Disorders. PACER Center.
I surely had heard of ADD and ADHD before, but before I begin my current job working with Emotional Behavior Disorders, I had not heard of EBD before. I wanted to learn more so I asked my supervisor if I could have some material on it, which brought me to this informative book.
Kajander, Rebecca, CPNP, MPH
1995:Living with ADHD: A Practical Guide to Coping With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Park Nicollet Medfical Foundation.
Despite the fact this book was trying to advertise Ritalin through a thinly disguised attempt at writing about ADHD, it did provide good readable information about the “disorder” in a way as to promote sympathetic understanding.
Katz, Evan Marc.
2003:I Can’t Believe I’m Buying This Book: A Commonsense Guide to Successful Internet Dating. Berkley, CA: Ten Speed Press.
The second full length book I read on internet dating. This one had a more personable style than the other, by a little. Some of the same points were made in both. This book supplemented the other.
Koop, C. Everett, M.D. and Timothy Johnson, M.D.
1992:Let’s Talk: An Honest Conversation on Critical Issues: Abortion, Euthanasia, AIDS, and Health Care. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
One of the book’s selling point was dialogue from two very different opponents, but in a number of instances, their opinions did not differ all that much. In these cases, often the opinions differed on small matters. Most of the arguments for any of the positions were not new, but the premise of the book is an admirable undertaking.
Kritsberg, Wayne.
1985:The Adult Children of Alcoholics Syndrome: From Discovery to Recovery. Pompano Beach, FL: Health Communications, Inc.
This book is more geared toward how to handle the problem therapeutically that about insights into the disease, though it gives some good insights. The therapeutic approaches are wonderful, even those you could try by yourself without a therapist. Although many of the approaches would be positive, they do seem like extraordinary work.
Lansky, Vicki
1995:Baking Soda: Over 500 Fabulous, Fun and Frugal Uses You’ve Probably Never Thought Of. Deephaven, MN: the Book Peddlers.
I don’t think a person could remember all these tips; thus, it might be useful for one to own this book, if one wanted to maximize usage of baking soda.
Lawrence-Ell, George
1997:The Invisible Clock: A Practical Revolution in Finding Time for Everyone and Everything. Kingsland Hall Publishing.
The theme is to forget about time and base your life on "a mission". Although I may disagree on some of his particulars, generally this sounds real good to me. As a person who has long found time stifling, I believe such is a good idea. As a person who has
sought to avoid thinking about time for quite awhile now, this is welcome and it gives me the all the more reason to continue avoiding thinking about time.
Lucaire, Ed
1993:Celebrity Setbacks: 800 Stars Who Overcame the Odds. New York, NY: Prentice Hall.
A lot like the book The Road to Success is Paved With Failures by Joey Green. Little is more inspiring to me than stories of people overcoming adversity to one day triumph. Little is more beautiful than this. It gives me hop
e. It reminds us to keep our eyes on the prize no matter how bleak it gets. You really can’t get much better than this, folks.
Luger, Jack
1996:How to Use Mail Drops for Profit, Privacy and Self Protection. Port Townsend, WA: Loompanics Unlimited
In a way rebellious, in a way not. Either way still good to read
McCue, Camille.
2000: Finding What You Want on the Web. Foster City, CA: IDG Books Worldwide, Inc.
Virtually nothing in this book is new to me. I knew virtually all of it already. As a person who is a frequent internet user, a beginning guide to the net did not do me much good.
Metcalf, Franz.
1999: What Would Buddha Do: 101 Answers to Life's Daily Dilemnas. Berkley, CA: Seastone.
Reading this made me realize that the way of Buddha is not my way. I don't think attachment and desire are all bad nor do I think hatred is always wrong. I think some hate is good and healthy. There is good in Buddhism, to be sure. I like how this book, says it plays off the WWJD theme and does so especially in offering a WWBD bracelet just like the WWJD bracelet. I did like the question and answer format.
Moore, Michael
2003Dude, Where’s My Country? New York, NY: Warner Books.
His style and approach are second to only a few. The content is typical and not necessarily incredibly original, but a lot of what he says needs to be said. It was going pretty good until the chapter “Oil’s Well That Ends Well”; this chapter was stupid and it asserts just lofty ideas (ideas no one in the left has really been able to achieve). Moore does acknowledge how much Democrats suck, but his solution for solving our nation’s problems is to vote Democrat. Personally, if someone really sucks, I try to avoid voting for her or him. But Michael Moore actually encourages people to vote for rotten candidates and a rotten party. Go figure. In some ways, he reminds me of Ann Coulter. Moore claims that most of the population supports liberal ideas while Coulter claims most of the population is conservative. In both cases, I believe cognitive dissonance led each to these conclusions. The idea popularity = right is a firmly embedded aspect of our democratic system. Both Moore and Coulter believe their ideas are right, thus instead of saying “popularity does not equal right” yet my ideas are still right, they have to claim the masses support their ideas. It is impossible for the majority to be both liberal and conservative, so at least one of them is wrong, maybe both of them. Moore is thinking right when he recommends that Oprah run for President. I do believe it would be good if some progressive wealthy famous person with a strong personality ran for president. She isn’t the best pick, but Moore is thinking on the right track. Toward the end, Moore demonstrates his fair mindedness by showing how he thinks the left has erred over the years. Ironically, Moore in some cases criticizes the good of the left. One prime example is animal rights. Animal rights is a great cause and a great model for the left. It demands sacrifice, something all good activism does. He also disses the Free Mumia movement, which is a sure way to turn me off. Perhaps, Moore like too many liberals views the cops as redeemable. Other times, he has endorsed policies which help out cops (gun control for example), thus in turn, he has perhaps convinced me that gun control maybe is not such a great idea after all. Before the series of pages where he criticizes the left, he remarks, “I sat here for two full days staring at the computer before I could bring myself to continue” since he implied that the left is mostly correct. A person shouldn’t have to think for 2 days to find errors of the left, errors of the left should come to one’s mind instantly.
Motoyama, Hiroshi: Edited and translated by Rane Brown Ouchi.
1992: Karma and Reincarnation. New York, NY: Avon Books.
I needed to learn more about karma, so mission accomplished with this book. Another book I recently read was a bit more accessible, but there is some solid good information here. The author writes as though attachment is the greatest evil. How can this be? Attachment may not be desirable, but how can it be the worst element? That aspect of karma does not make sense to me. I do like the part of karma that rewards you for the all the good you do and punishes you for all the bad you do. Perhaps, we do need to be attached to justice and morality.
Mumford, Jonn with Megan Stevens
1999:Karma Manual: 9 Days to Change Your Life. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications.
From St. Paul! (I currently live in a suburb of St. Paul). I have even visited this place, which is located on Wabasha St. One of the employees I talked to said it was a great place to work. She said something to the effect of “especially in our current socio-political climate. I love to do what expletive evangelical Christians”. Well written and accessible. My curiosity on the topic was answered.
Novello, Don.
2003:From Bush to Bush: The Lazlo Toth Letters. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
Often creative if not laugh out loud funny! Some of us actually from time to time DO write letters like these!
Parco, Vincent.
1994:Researching Public Records: How to Get Anything on Anybody. New York, NY: Carol Publishing Group.
Nothing new, mostly common sense to resourceful and even outdated, but it still has use, and even more so, I found virtue in reading it.
Piven, Joshua and David Borgenicht
2003:The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Work. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.
I wish there were more books in this series. This stylistic approach enhances the how-to genre. Some of the scenarios are unlikely you will ever encounter them, and in some cases, I can’t believe people need tips to do so. For example, it is rare any of us would ever get trapped in a lion’s cage. The creativity is admirable, and it’s neat to have so many novel scenarios in one place for your handy reference.
Portez, Mel and Barry Sinrod
1991:Do You Do It with the Lights On?: Americans Reveal Their Most Intimate Habits. New York, NY: A Fawcett Columbine Book.
You might think this book sounds pretty juicy, but it really wasn’t. Does it really matter if 75% or 65% of all people thin about sex after voting? Not really. Although reporting statistic after statistic got tedious, the authors did try to vary the writing a bit, but it was still pretty tedious.
Quinn, Bill.
2000:How Wal-Mart is Destroying America (and the World) and What You Can Do About It. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.
The style is top rate and his points are good ones. It’s too bad his thinking doesn’t rule the world instead of Wal-Mart’s.
Rhodes, Carol L., Ph.D. with Norman S. Goldner Affairs: Emergency Tactics: From Discovery to Recovery. Rochester, MI: Somerset Publishing.
The tone was a little too soft: I would have preferred a harder tone. I did like the vignettes, as they enhanced the text. A fairly quick read, I didn't learn too much, but it was interesting.
Rinehart, William
1997:How to Clear Your Adult and Juvenile Records.
Port Townsend, WA: Loompanics Unlimited.
The book was too slim and it emphasized juvenile records far more, but still useful.
Robbins, Alexandra
2002:Secrets of the Tomb: Skull and Bones, the Ivy League, and the Hidden Paths of Power. Boston, MA: Little, Brown, and Company.
Robbins makes a stellar contribution to the expose genre. She is bold without being unnecessarily harsh or inflammatory. She makes her case.
Rutledge, Devallis.
1999:The Search and Seizure Handbook for Law Officers. Incline Village, NV: Copperhouse Publishing Company.
I wonder what law enforcement agents would think if they found out I was reading this. Such is a great advantage of a university library to have all this material of law enforcement training. The book was well written giving many good examples and through explanations. It was clear. At the end, there is a checklist, which I photocopied which could act as cheat sheet or handy reference sheet. I wish I could store all this inf
ormation in my head and I hope can retain lots of it as I really want to know as much as I can about the law and my rights under it. I love to make concerted efforts at trying to seriously learn about the law, and this book helps me do exactly that.
Sach, Jacky and Jessica Faust
2004:The Everything Zen Book: Achieve Inner Calm and Peace of Mind Through Meditation, Simple Living and Harmony. Avon, MA: Adams Media.
It is cool that the Everything Book series delved this deeply into a specific type of Buddhism. The book emphasizes over and over the main essence of Zen was meditating, or as the authors put it “sitting”. I just have a hard time accepting a worldview which places so much emphasis on sitting. The authors would encourage you to sit down all the time if you can. Zen and Buddhism certainly have virtues, and I know ways in which Zen could benefit my life, but I am hard pressed to accept it in its entirety. There was not enough coverage of karma and reincarnation; in fact, such seemed to be just an aside. The authors suggest than in Zen you lose your rational mind. I have tried meditation in various settings and it just has not worked for me, so I don’t know if I trust it nor give it all the credit Buddhists give it. It surely was neat to learn about Zen regardless of whether I accept it or not, as educating oneself on alternatives to western religions is wise.
Sartwell, Matthew (Ed).
1994: Bosses From Hell: True Tales from the Trenches. New York, NY: Plume.
Why can’t there be more books like this around. When I reached the end, I was regretful, because I wanted to read more stories!
Scheck, Barry, Peter Neufield, and Jim Dwyer
2000:Actual Innocence: Five Days to Execution and Other Dispatches From the Wrongly Convicted. New York, NY: Random House.
Frightening and terrifying in a philosophical way. I feel so bad for the innocent who were in jail, and this book not only argues against it in an academic sense, but gives the problem human faces. I wish all the hard on crime folks would read this, hopefully it would get them to reconsider if nothing else. The authors describe many facets of the problem, ones I did not realize were there. I don’t know how a decent person could read something like this and not be deeply saddened (perhaps crying) or righteously indignant. I think hard on crime people are psychotic. One of the most psychotic quotes I ever read came from this book. On one of the last pages, the authors quoted some psychotic nutcase, who said, “An innocent man [or woman] can never be convicted…It is a physical impossibility.” People actually believe that? Unfortunately, some do. The significance of innocent people being convicted would be realized 3 years after this book was published, when Governor George Ryan made one of the most beautiful moves a governor can make by commuting all death sentences to life sentences or less, because he said the “system is broken.”
Small, Linda Lee and Norine Dworkin
2003: You Know He's a Keeper...You Know He's a Loser: Happy Endings and Horror Stories from Real-Life Relationships. New York, NY: the Berkeley Publishing Group.
Light reading but great. You could say the keeper sections are inspiring. Some of the loser profiles were hilarious, like the one where the women described how disgusted she was finding the dog's name ahead of hers on the answering machine, and then upon asking why, the man said, "Because he's more important than you"
Smith, Perry
1986:Taking Charge: A Practical Guide for Leaders. Washington, D.C.: National Defense University Press.
A sage manual from a member of one of the best organized and best led organizations in society: the U.S. military. One may think those in the military would take a very iron fisted approach to leadership, but actually the opposite is true. At times, even an egalitarian approach. A very humble and inspiring way of approaching leadership which to boost sounds like an effective way.
Smolla, Rod
1999:Deliberate Intent: A Lawyer Tells a Story of Murder by the Book. New York, NY: Crown Publishers.
I read many books that are interesting, but most usually, I can put this books down when I need to, this book on the other hand was very hard to put down even when I needed it. It hooked me in. He describes the law issues involved in layperson terms without being condescending. He does tell a good tale of his dilemma of being a first amendment lawyer but not being overly dogmatic about the use of the first amendment. I was disappointed that he got Paladin to stop selling the Hit Man book especially before I got to read it. I am one of those who Smolla would call a first amendment absolutist. I believe there should be almost no exceptions to the first amendment. I read and enjoy books like Hit Man without using the material for illegal or dangerous purposes.
Sorrels, Bobbye D
1983:The Nonsexist Communicator: Solving the Problems of Gender and Awkwardness in Modern English. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Although I generally strive to be very conscious of avoiding sexism in my language, it never hurts to be reminded. Pointers were provided to better facilitate nonsexist speech. There were even areas that my awareness was increased because of this book. My aim of nonsexist speech has been better achieved.
Spohn, David
1998:Life on the Edge: Parenting a Child with ADD/ADHD. Center City, MN: Hazelden Information and Educational Services.
I do believe such a style is a very effective treatment for the topic of ADD/ADHD. Working with ADD/ADHD kids, I can testify that many of his personal experiences and observations are right on target. I do enjoy working with ADHD kids and it is a good experience for one’s soul, really. Unfortunately or fortunately, when I was riding my bike home from the co-op, olive oil drenched this book. So I told the librarian about it, and even though I damaged another book, she let it go because she liked my honesty. She said this book was damaged too much, so I had to pay for it, but “the good news is you get to keep it”. Which I figured, and I have it.
Strupp, Peter
2004Fat, Dumb, and Ugly: the Decline of the Average American. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
The style of the book is appropriate. No introduction and no explanation are needed to enhance the statistics in here. The statistics alone prove the author’s thesis and provide for an outstanding critique on the absurdity, folly, and shortcoming of contemporary America.
Sylvester, Nancy
2004: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Robert's Rules. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha.
This interesting book brought me back to my student government days in college. Although I find democracy questionable, I love parliamentary procedure. I love the formality of it. The formal structure of student government was the best part; we didn't really do anything; but the structure was fun. If Robert's Rules could be implemented for a non dogmatic democracy system, then we would have something praiseworthy.
Teece, Geoff
2003:Sikhism: Religion in Focus. North Mankato, MN: Smart Apple Media.
This book was published real near a dreadful place I once worked at in North Mankato. Before reading this I knew little about Sikhism, and this book filled in the gap. In many ways , the religion sounds fairly appealing as religions go, especially the part about not cutting hair.
Teece, Geoff
2003:Hinduism: Religion in Focus. North Mankato, MN: Smart Apple Media.
I knew a little about Hinduism and wanted to learn a little more. I learned a little more but not enough more. The book was too brief for my liking and I wish I could have read a Dummies book on Hinduism instead.
Teece, Geoff
2003:Religion in Focus: Buddhism. North Mankato, MN: Smart Apple Media.
Despite the slimness of this volume, and my previous intellectual exploration of Buddhism, I still managed to learn something (like as the book said a Buddha comes once ever 320,000 years)
Thibodeau, David and Leon Whiteson
1999: A Place Called Waco: A Survivor's Story. New York, NY: PublicAffairs.
I am familiar with the Waco tragedy, and cannot stop
learning about it. I liked Thibodeau's approach: biographical, fair minded, and critical when need be. He thought in some gray as he broke down the various elements of the acts and actors. He even critiqued David Koresh, which shows great fair mindedness. He stressed the idea that David Koresh was at least in part to blame for some of the circumstance, but overwhelmingly the government was tyrannical to an unprecedented level. I especially enjoyed his reflections about what happened after the event. He sadly mentioned that the left did not sympathize with the Branch Davidians; few people did besides the radical right. I noticed this before that in events such as Ruby Ridge, a prime example of tyranny, moderate left and right don't react too much, and mostly only the radical right cares. This is a big reason to be disillusioned with the left: when big acts of tyranny occur leftists care not. Yet reduce welfare payments and the left goes hog wild. It sounds as if unlike me, Thibodeau preferred that such an event not be framed politically. Thibodeau wrote about how most everyone was on the side of the government unwilling to see what was right. I am willing to hear the right side, the Branch Davidians, and am ever glad I read this excellent book.
Ventura, Jesse with Heron Marquez
2002: Jesse Ventura Tells It Like It Is: America’s Most Outspoken Governor Speaks Out About Government. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications Company.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out there was another book out by Jesse Ventura. Then when I went to get the book, I was surprised at how thin it was. I did not realize right away that this book was geared toward kids. (That explained how some writing appeared overly simplistic). A competent introduction to government plus a brief glance at who Jesse is.
Weaver, Randy and Sara.
1998:The Federal Siege At Ruby Ridge: In Our Own Words. Marion, MT: Ruby Ridge, Inc.
I was disappointed that the Weavers had a ghost writer write this book, but otherwise how could I have any complaints? The story was well told: candid and concise. It was awesome that some segments were included from the Senate hearings. Mostly this book caused me to sympathize even more with the Weavers (I already had considered their plight to be a major act of U.S. government tyranny). When Randy described that he was visiting Aryan Nations because he “enjoyed learning about different ideas”, he sounded just like me because I love to do that too!
Wegscheider-Cruse, Sharon.
1989:Another Chance: Hope and Health for the Alcoholic Family. Palo Alto, CA: Science and Behavior Books.
Of the classics on alcoholic families, to me this one most hits it right on the mark. As good as the others were, the others didn’t quite go deep, but this one made up for what was missing in the rest. I am not entirely sure her solution is exactly what I desire, but her analysis of the problem is one of the most insightful around. What she says about it makes so much sense and her model is one which truly understands who dangerous alcoholism is.
Weston, Liz Pulliam.
2005:Your Credit Score: How to Fix, Improve, and Protect the 3-Digit Number that Shapes Your Financial Future. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Before this, I had not had a comprehensive understanding of credit scores. My credit is good since I passed the test for my apartment. It was good to learn the ins and outs of credit and this book makes me curious to find out my own credit information.
White, James R.
1996: The Roman Catholic Controversy: Catholics and Protestants --- Do the Differences Still Matter? Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers.
I would have preferred to read a Roman Catholic critique of Protestantism instead of a Protestant critique of Roman Catholicism. I have gotten way too much of the latter and not enough of the former in my life, thus I would have preferred the former. He argues well, and I can see how someone would be persuaded by his reasoning, I, in the end, was not swayed. At this point, I say, if I have the pick between Evangelicalism and Catholicism, I think I would pick Catholicism.
Wilkinson, Phillip
2003:Eyewitness Books: Buddhism: Explore the Teachings and Traditions of This Ancient Religion. New York, NY: DK Publishing, Inc.
Even though the coverage was very basic, I still learned some important facts about Buddhism. A beginner could really benefit. Plus the visual emphasis of this series utilized fantastic pictures which enhanced the text a lot. It was a little too busy. I never saw most of the pictures before, so that was new.
Winston, Stuart and Harriet Harris, M.D.
1984:Nation of Gamblers: America’s Billion Dollar-A-Day Habit. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
I really haven’t read a book length treatment of the social epidemic of gambling, thus, it was about time I came across one. The authors reprint too many newspaper articles, and I don’t think their solution of Gamblers Anonymous is the best solution. But for illustrating a problem, the work succeeds.
Woitiz, Janet
1990:Adult Children of Alcoholics: Expanded Edition. Deerfield Beach, FA: Health Communications, Inc.
Such an important topic, but I really didn't learn much new. The couple of insights I did receive, were however edifying. Oddly and unfortunately, I do not think she went deep enough. This book does help outsiders and skeptics understand why being an adult
children of an alcoholic is a burden since it articulates the matter well. As someone who is extremely interested in this topic, the book didn't enlighten me the way I wanted it to, or the way it could. It could be great to gain sympathy for this condition and that alone is a very powerful purpose.
Woititz, Janet
1985:Struggle for Intimacy. Deerfield Beach, FA: Health Communications, Inc.
Fresh insights. I would have thought her other book, Adult Children of Alcoholics would have covered it all, but this book has more yet. You might think this book pertains to just relationship issues, but actually, it extends to matters beyond just relationships, petating to what children of alcoholics deal with. As I mentioned in the review of Adult Children of Alcoholics, that book disappointed me because it did not delve deep enough (it had a lot of promise, but did not come through all the way), while this book did more than I expected, which I am very happy about. Janet says relationships are so important thus the issues and pain of ACOS will be magnified in relationships.
X, Mr.
1995:Fired? Fight Back! The No Nonsense Guide for the Newly Fired, Downsized, Outplaced, Laid Off, and Those Who Are Worried About It. New York, NY: Amacom.
Since I love learning, I read this book to find out more about the firing process. As the book suggests it is also imperative to be ready just in case. I do believe in empowering myself by learning about as many rights as possible. I learned a lot from this book and enjoyed the journey.
Zigarelli, Michael
1994:Can They Do That?: A Guide to Your Rights on the Job. New York, NY: Lexington Books.
Most people probably wouldn’t find a book like this engrossing, instead they would find a novel engrossing, but I am the opposite. I just love learning about my rights. I have already read a bit on my rights in the criminal justice system, so this book on employment rights further empowers me. The style is an asset, as it utilizes effective techniques. You too pick this book up.
Other
Federal Communications Commission
2000:In the Matter of Creation of Low Power Radio Service MM Docket No. 99-25 RM 9208 RM 9242.
One pro low power FM radio publication recommended that I read this document, so I did. I am almost sure that virtually no one reads such documents, thus this act puts me and the cause ahead. The FCC frames the matter as it acting sensibly and fairly, but I differ. The beginning of my anti-FCC view was a great book about pirate radio written by Andrew Yoder, and ever since then virtually everything I have seen has reaffirmed this view. Through Yoder’s book and other people’s words I have become persuaded that the FCC should be dissolved and nothing it does can really please me. LPFM is certainly an improvemen
t, but the system still is unjust and unfair. This work gives me a glimpse of how the FCC operates, but I refuse to submit to this agency. I would rather have entirely free airwaves instead, just like the internet. I hope the next docket released by the FCC is one dissolving the agency.
Tolbert, Yul
The Timelike Report Sheet Version 2.0 Timelike Publications, PO Box 02222, Detriot, MI, 48202-9998.
The issue I got was a single sider (too short) which consisted of a very typically banal condemnation of George W. Bush. Perhaps, leftists need to learn from academics. In academics, you are supposed to always do something original, to make an original contribution. In academia, you can not do what someone has done before. Unfortunately, the left keeps giving us the same old tired banal lines again and again.
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends