"Seabiscuit" is not about a horse. It is about the people around the horse and their competitive desires, ambitions, and very interesting lives. In exactly the same way, "Gold in the Water" is not just about the sport of swimming. It is about a handful of compelling people living the Olympic Dream and trying to learn the elusive secrets of being great.

Quite simply, I could not put this book down the first time I read it. After a second reading, I believe this is the best true-life sports drama I've ever read. The message is as strong as Lance Armstrong's "It's not about the Bike", and the writing is far better.

Personally, I think businesses could benefit from the motivation messages. Young people would do well to emulate the strong character of the books subjects, particularly two swimmers who don't even make the Olympics, Kurt Grote and Dod Wales. I thought the coach, Dick Jochums, is too hard and stubborn in places. But he got me to start working out again, so he can't be all bad. This is definitely a book to put on your list.

This book is a compelling and engrossing character study of a group of super-achieving athletes with congruent but sometimes competing aspirations. It has an excellent narrative drive that made it a real page-turner, and perhaps because it pulls no punches in its treatment of its focal characters, the reader is left with a deep appreciation for the complex and usually (but not always) admirable qualties of elite athletes. Swimmers tend to be smart, and this is an intelligent treatment of both swimming and competition in general: this book is to the standard sports expose as collegiate swimmers' GPAs are to the GPAs of (pick your contact sport) players. Although I read this on the recommendation of a friend who is a serious swimmer, I feel it deserves an audience far beyond the competitive swimming world, for which I'm sure it will be required reading.

P. H. Mullen writes in his book, "Gold in the Water," that due to the nature of the sport, most competitive swimmers dream of Olympic glory. Our 13-year-old son is no exception. When this book was advertised on the USA Swimming website I knew it would be a winner with him as a Christmas gift.

The book gets into the heads, minds, and hearts of the coaches and swimmers from the Santa Clara Swim Club as they prepared for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Mr. Mullen also is able to make the reader understand some of the complexities and paradoxes of competitive swimming--which made us nod in agreement as we read. Why, for example, is it that a swimmer who finishes first in a race can be disappointed while one who finishes sixth (or even dead last) may be ecstatic?

When the book arrived at my work, I glanced through it and was immediately drawn in.... so much so that I ended up reading the book before giving to our son. I carried it around in a plain manila envelope so he wouldn't see what I had. I couldn't for the life of me remember how these swimmers faired in Sydney so for me it was a race to the end of the book.

In addition to telling the story of the men of the Santa Clara Swim Club, "Gold in the Water" explores both the heartache and joy of the Olympic dream including the intense amount of training required before one can even begin to live that dream.

I've recommended this book to all the swim parents at our local Aquatic Center and also to friends who "just don't get it" when it comes to understanding what the world of competitive swimming is like.

As for our son, he, too, enjoyed the book, spent his free time during Christmas break reading it, and used it for the basis of his book report due when school resumed in January.

Simply one of the best books I have ever read. I can't put into words the impact it has made in how I approach my everyday life. Hannah and her Mommy Maria have been an inspiration to "not sweat the small stuff." I am looking at the world now through the eyes of a three year old, wise beyond her years who is so willing to speak and live the truth. I saw myself in Maria, the Mom who wanted everything to be perfect.....wanted to look "right" to the world. This book, and Hannah reminds us that we should live our life the way we want to. The book is impossible to put down...I devoured it in 3 late night(after my children were in bed) sessions. I cried happy and sad tears.....but in the end, felt better to have taken this journey with them. I can't recommend this book enough. As a mother of a special needs 4 year old...I found it had many messages for me. Hannah reminded me that all people are God's special gifts and we need to cherish every little moment we have. I hope people read this book and honor a life that Hannah did fully live.

Beginning with John Gunther's DEATH BE NOT PROUD, there have been many poignant and touching books written, tragically, by parents who have lost beloved children. Hannah's Gift is different than all becuse it is the story of a very young girl who died at the age of four of cancer, but whose lasting legacy was to change the lives of all who loved her -- and, at the same time, live the end of her much too short life with dignity, grace and joy. It is also beautifully written in very surprising ways that come right off the page and grab a reader who will never forget many of the moments of this amazing book. I am the mother of a seven year old girl, and for me, one of the most astonishing moments in any book I have ever read comes near the end of Hannah's Gift. At Hannah's burial, her mother writes that the family decided to bury Hannah instead of cremate her because "I wanted to be able to come to her grave and know that the little hands I held and the form I had loved were there." Need I say more? The book is a must read for...everyone.

I read Hannah's Gift in an evening. The painful yet beautiful way that Maria Housden tells the story of her daughter's last year on earth left me crying and remembering my own daugher's third and fourth years (she is now 6). I closed the book deeply touched by Hannah, Maria and Will, the brave older brother whose love is tender and strong. The lessons that Housden shares, like the importance of letting go of the fear of what others will think, are poignant. Hannah's illness and death force her mother to break through what seems important to what truly is. Three-year-olds have an amazing capacity to be in the moment. It is something I will work to remember in my own life and with my own children.

This book was recommend by my martial arts instructor. It has very practical suggestions about deciding in advance how to deal with life threating situations. The book will be an easy read for anyone who likes true crime fiction because of the many stories included to illistrate how best to handle dangerous situations. Strong is a bit alarmist at points but no more so than any former police officer who has seen the reality of crime in America. You should especially read this book if you have young children.

I can say enough good things about this book. It is absolute must reading. I've taught martial arts for a number of years, and the one thing that has always bothered me is- many of the techniques and skills taught have nothing to do with surviving real life violence. Teaching a woman to punch will not save her from a rapist or carjacker. Strong stresses over and over again how important the will to survive is. He explains that your goal in any violent situation is to ESCAPE that situation with your life. Many systems of martial arts teach the idea or concept of "defeating" the attacker. This is likely the worst mistake you could ever make. It locks you into a struggle with him, it cuts down your chance to escape, you must prevail or perish. A more sensible choice is to attack savagely to buy yourself some room so that you can escape. Everything Strong says is well thought out and logical. He graphically shows what REALLY happens to victims of crime. You need t! ! his information. Reading this book could save you or your family's life. Get it!

Strong's book is a valiant effort to persuade us that the common mindset regarding violence is the one that will perpetuate it. Turning most everything we have learned up side down, Strong uses his own law enforcement experience and the stories of violent crime survivors to teach lessons that are hard to forget. His graphic descriptions of crimes the victims lived to tell about argue hard for his views that it is possible to maintain control in many criminal activities. I hated reading the book but am very grateful I did. I am teaching my children differently and have made some changes in my life to train myself to be a survivor.

I recently received a copy of The American Century Cookbook. My wife and I have several dust covered recipe books that are largely ignored when it is time to cook up something new. After one quick shuffle through this book however, we found ourself sitting together and going through the book as if it were, well what it is, an intriguing history book that accents its "flavor" with numerous recipes, pictures and facts. Several of my friends, including my parents and my in-laws will be receiving their own copy of this wonderful historical treasure. I may even have to buy myself another copy because my wife likes to dogear pages that she wants to come back to. In this case it would have been easier to dogear those that she did not want to return to.

Flipping the pages of this cookbook sparked memories of the way we used to eat. Each page overflows with historical lore, delicious recipes, trends, new/old products, info on famous foodies and lots more. I'd suggest taking a culinary trip down memory lane with the latest book from Jean Anderson, an award-winning food writer, whose books I bet most all of us already have on our shelves and what's more important -- use! Not only will you learn about American culinary history by reading THE AMERICAN CENTURY COOKBOOK, you'll also be tempted into the kitchen to create the tastes of the past. It's a scrumptious, thoroughly enjoyable journey. Keep this book within reach to cook from, to learn from and to just relish.

I use this book as a reference guide for my high school American History and African American Studies classes. Everything in the world seems to be here including an old favorite from the 1960s, 'Puree Mongole.' This cookbook is easy to read and most recipes are simple to follow. The best part for me, as a Social Studies teacher, is the gem of the history lessons and time lines associated with all the food preparations. A real pleasure and a book that is priceless if you like the history of American cuisine.

Dr. Sowell does a remarkable job of explaining the Universal Political Spectrum without using words like Liberal, Conservative, Radical, Reactionary, Left, or Right.

Sowell explains the underlying motivations of the two dominant worldviews, and does so in an evenhanded manner. He makes his case by painting two disparate pictures of human nature, the Constrained and the Unconstrained. He presents these two competing worldviews with the aid of readily understandable examples draw from history, such as Adam Smith and J. J. Rousseau. He then goes on to explain the effect these two competing visions of reality have on the individual's conceptions of such topics as Justice, Power, Knowledge, Law, Honesty, and Equality.

Although this argument, like any other product of man, is far from perfect, it offers a fascinating structure within which to consider ideological issues. Although it is not a panacea that will explain away all confusion, it does offer intriguing explanations for the often polar differences between liberals and conservatives, and why they so often seem to be 'talking past each other'.

I highly recommend this book to the beginner and the expert alike. The beginner is likely to find himself stunned, while the expert will be familiar enough with Dr. Sowell to recognize his expertise and admire his skillful writing.

Thomas Sowell begins the book by asking us why the same people seem to be on opposite sides of every issue, even when the issues themselves seem to be unrelated. His thesis is a CONFLICT OF VISIONS. He believes that political thought can be broken into two different camps. With some crossover and a few exceptions, people either subscribe to the constrained vision or the unconstrained vision.

The constrained vision believes that people have natural flaws and our resources are better spent designing society with those flaws in mind. The unconstrained vision believes that man can be molded and perfected with the right instruction and society should spend their resources to reach that end.

Sowell does an excellent job in explaining that most current ideas have their origins, at least somewhat, in philosophies that are over 100 years old. My favorite bit is Adam Smith's idea that supposes you were told every person in China was killed. Smith argues that you might feel immediate surprise and maybe even some faint remorse, but it would be nothing compared to the worry you'd feel if you'd lost end of your little finger. Smith's idea is that it's neither good nor bad that man is self-interested, but that societies would be much more productive if they recognized that truth, and worked with it, instead of spending their resources trying to change man's nature, which Smith believed was impossible.

You won't soon forget this work.

Dr. Sowell wrote an amazing book, that deeply impressed me since the first page I read, attaining a level that I only knew previously in Karl Popper, Friederich Hayek and, perhaps, Murray Rothbard.

The author depicts the main characteristics of the two antagonic ideological visions that, at least since the 18th century, fight each other in the western world's political arena, not unusually at a very hot level - the constrained vision (or the right / conservative) and the unconstrained vision (or the left / liberal), being himself, as it is widely known, an obvious follower of the constrained vision.

Summing up the finely erudite analysis of dr. Sowell, we can conclude that, contrarily to the unconstrained vision, the constrained one prefers common sense to emotion, reality to utopia, the best world possible to the ideal world, the real man of ever to the new man, and reformation to revolution, resulting that differences from the way each one faces that same man: the constrained looks him as an imperfect and decayed creature, with unchangeable vices and tendencies, so, to her, the most effective policy that can be taken is the one that tries to conciliate such a nature with common social good, puting the first working for the profit of the second; inversely, the unconstrained, facing man as a small god, believing blindly in the unlimited capacities of reason and in the complete maleability of man's characther, intends to built, in her most radical version, paradise on earth, but, despising simple truths about human nature, only reachs...hell.

This a superb book that I highly recommend to everybody, specially persons from the conservative and non-political correct family.

The Fab Five covers the lives and early years of the University of Michigan's five starting basketball players. Mitch Albom's writing is engaging and kept my attention throughout the novel. Using quotes from coaches and players, he was able to impart a sense of what the atmosphere was like on the famed team. Albom gave an in-depth background of the lives of the five players, and was able to give the reader a sense of the atmosphere among this famous group of college freshmen.
The novel covers U of M's trip to the NCAA tournament and the difficult adjustment to college life for the young players. Albom gives a profile of the players, including their early lives in a humorous but detailed style as well as an account of how the players felt on the court with one another.
When the Fab five were announce with hype, the press put pressure on them to win a championship. Albom shows how the extremely hyped-up atmosphere led to the downfall of the team, and the loss of the NCAA championship.
Albom's account of the lives of these young stars is detailed and allows one to come away with a real sense of the lives of these players, essentially teenagers thrust into the spotlight. They had not learned the responsibility on the court that they needed to win, even though their talent was never in doubt. Albom tells the story of why the famed "Fab Five" failed to live up to the hype.

Some say that the Fab Five were failures. The say that with the level of talent they had and not being able to win a championship they underacheived. I consider making it to the Final Four two consecutive years is accomplishing quite a bit. How in the world could coach Steve Fisher handle the pressure of having the nation's basketball spotlight on him and the Fab Five? Mitch Albom does and abloslutely phenomenal job following the Michigan basketball team through the ups and downs of the years with the Fab Five. Mitch goes through what is was like for all five of the freshman before they decided to come to Michigan. If you are remotely interested in basketball, read this book! It is excellent and keeps you interested the entire way through! If you are not a basketball fan, read the book anyways; you will become one. READ IT!

This is clearly the best sports book I ahave ever read in my life and would recommend this book to any of the college and NBA basketball fans out there. You will see how Chris, Juwan, and Jalen came about, where they are superstars in the NBA, while Jimmy and Ray had to try a little harder to become the stars, which they still haven't yet (but they will be in the NBA soon!!!). EVERYBODY, get this book its fun and fast reading, very informative, Mitch Albom did a great job in giving the reader an inside story of what was going on during the 92-94 Fab Five hype!

I'd like to start out with my favorite quote from Michael Modzelewski, "Sometimes you have to lower your standard of living to reach a higher level." I have sailed the inside passage via cruise ship 5 times and every time I read "INSIDE PASSAGE" brings back all the wonderful memories and magical moments I have experienced in this wild and untamed wilderness.
Michael lived with killer and humpback whales, bald eagles, Kwakiutl Indians on the surrounding Islands, Tuffy the cat, Cottonwood the ridgeback dog, and my favorite raven named Blackie! On page 59 is a hilarious story about Blackie!! Michael lived in Will Malloff's 12x34 ft. home with no t.v., indoor plumbing, electricity,no car or grocery store. No traffic jams,pollution or noise of any kind, and all you can eat fish in the sea was the trade off! You will learn what Michael needed to do to survive 18 months on Swanson Island.
This is one of those books you read over and over and underline everything. I'm going to close with another of Michael's quotes,
"I touched the whale; she touched me; and what passed between us changed me forever." Reading this book and meeting Michael changed me forever. This book inspired and motivated me to take some risks in life, to travel, and to dream big because dreams do come true,look at Michael's!

Inside Passage is a book for the ages. An awe-inspiring piece of work that has left me both breathless and wanting more. Each image is created with such care and heart, the spirit of a "warrior" and the heart of a "man" shines through in each page. Inside Passage will leave an idelible mark on both the reader and the readers soul. A must read for anybody who has ever had a dream or a person seeking refuge in the majestic landscape of the Alaskan wilds. Modzleweski presents a totally-balanced account. Unlike many authors who've left the city for the wilds he doesn't "deify" Native Americans. He describes each Kwakiutl he meets as an individual with different life-styles, education-levels, and manners of speaking. Inside Passage brings out the raw and harsh natural laws man must live by in the wilderness, but intertwined within that plot is a story of unharnessed adventure and a life worth living. Having visited the Inside Passage the past two summers, I can say that the author brought the area totally alive! In the economical and passionate-style of a poet, Modzelewski goes far-beneath the surface of an awesome place. Most of all, he takes the reader on a spiritual VisionQuest-where as he describes it:"The Inside Passage is real dream country. Even on land you are moved. The tides that carry the great whales move the bulk of your thoughts just as effortlessly. On the islands, the surrounding sea enters your subconcious, creating a rippling mirror that reflects reality from many perspectives. There is no concrete to fix attitudes, harden dreams. The world around you constantly flows in many levels, swirling deep fathoms into you, loosening holdfasts and safeguards, stirring up sediment, provoking protean change." Reading this book changed my life. Now I see the world through un-biased eyes. Life is a challenge and a blessing, I accept it with passion and un-dying gratitude. Mr. Modzelewski has opened my eyes to a world I never knew existed, and for that I am forever en-debted to him. This book will change you; I guarantee it!

After reading Inside Passage,I felt my soul was baptized by the beauty of Alaska and the author Michael Modzelewski was the minister who administered the baptismal ceremony for many poor polluted souls. My outlook of life has been changed since then. Every day and every minute I live is full of beauty and purity like Alaska's blue sky. I would like to live in inside Passage every summer!

North and South may be over 700 pages in lenght, but it is a book that simply cannot be put down. The way that the characters flow in and out of major events before the civil war is a true work of art. The characters themselves seem so real that you fall in love with each of them as you follow the individual trails of their lives. I was sad to see the book come to an end, but with parts 2 and 3 of the trilogy remaining to be read, I didn't have time to feel much sadness! The TV series "North and South" is based fairly close to the book. The only exception is Orry's injury in the movie is his leg, whereas in the book, well...I guess you'll have to read it for yourselves!

John Jakes is one of my favorite authors and the "North and South" books rank in my favorite top 10, too. I know these books are very long, but once you start reading, you don't even think about it. The characters are described so well, you feel like you are a part of their lives and you are actually living in another century. My favorite characters are Orry and Madeline, George and Constance, and Brett and Billy. John Jakes keeps you on the edge of seat during the part when Orry and George are fighting in the Mexican war. You grow to despise characters like Bent, Justin LaMotte, and Virgilia Hazard. I'd just like to punch that Justin LaMotte right in the nose! He is the biggest jerk! So start reading this book - then you have to read the sequels - they are equally as good!

North and South is an excellent book that grabs the reader from the opening page and sends him/her into the 19th century america. When I read the book I can feel the pain of the characters. I can better understand history while being entertained. John Jakes is by far the best historical author I have read.

........I truly learned so much from reading Carol Schaefer's personal story about giving her son up for adoption. This is a story that anyone with any connection to the world of adoption should read and benefit from. I am a future adoptive mother and I was horrified at how Carol was treated when she was a young vulnerable women who found herself in the difficult situation of facing an unexpected pregnancy. This story really shows the psychological torture that brithmothers can experience, especially in situations where they really do not wish to give their children up for adoption, but are coerced. After reading this book, I am convinced that someday, when I am an adoptive mother, I will want an open adoption for the sake of my child and his or her birthmother.

I recommend this book to everyone who is seeking to understand the birthparent journey. I am an adoption professional involved with searching for 19 years. I find Carol's book to be a gem. Carol has done an outstanding job of encapsulating the birthparent experience. She raises the consciousness of anyone who reads her story.

Adopted persons tell me consistently how impacted they have been by what they have learned. Empathy toward their birthmother is deepened and courage to pursue a search is enhanced.

Birthparents tell me how validated they feel after years of loneliness and anguish related to the loss of their children. Carol speaks their journey through her story. Powerful outcome.

Adoptive parents have also been impacted as they learn the effect of the adoption experience of birthparents. This allows them to better support their children's expressed needs which may include a search for birthfamily. Their empathy grows and their fear of the search and the birthmother diminishes.

Professionals also benefit from learning from Carol. No matter what role they play in the field of adoption, building sensitivity about the birthparent experience is crucial. This book can accomplish this.

I highly recommend this book to anyone involved with, or interested in, adoption.

Patricia Martinez Dorner, MA, LPC, LMFT co-author, Children of Open Adoption, author, How to Open an Adoption: a guide for parents & birthparents of minors, Adoption Search: An Ethical Guide for Professionals , Talking to Your Child About Adoption.

Jane Guttman GiftJGDC@aol.com

Inspiring... Eloquent... Healing...Extraordinary... A Mother's Tender and Poignant Love Story

The Other Mother has been a profound catalyst in opening my mind and heart to the birthmother's journey. Carol Schaefer has offered her voice as teacher, as guide to those of us who have travelled the tragic road of relinquishing a child. Her poignant and extraordinary account of the dark and despairing birthmother experience has fostered the expression of courage to seek further healing and resolution.

As I shared in my book, The Gift Wrapped in Sorrow, Carol's book is a sacred offering to those touched by the anguish of adoption.

I recommend this book to all who have endured the sorrow of separation and consider it to be a great tribute to every mother and child "lost" to one another.

This book stands as a classic in adoption reform and brings us all closer to our own humanity and compassion. This author, this mother has brilliantly captured the essence of the primal bond that characterizes a mother and her child.

Jane Guttman D.C., Author, The Gift Wrapped in Sorrow, Holistic Health Practitioner, Soma Sound: The Voice of Memory

The story of little black Sambo is truly a classic from all who remember it from our childhood.Helen Bannerman wrote this story for her two little children while traveling with them by train across India. If people would LOOK AT THE ILLUSTRATIONS they would see that Sambo is a little Indian boy from India, continents away from America and the Cival war and or South. I ran 2 independant bookstores some 12 to 14 years ago and when I finally found THE STORY OF LITTLE BLACK SAMBO in print again I'd order maybe 60 copies a week and could not keep this wonderful little storybook in stock. Almost every buyer were grandparents who could not wait to introduce their grandchildren to a book we all knew and loved. It is a must have for all collectors of wonderful literature!

When my wife asked me to try and find several classic children's books for her new baby grandson, I smiled at the mention of the titles, recalling with great fondness the stories being read to me by my mother when I was a child. Little Black Sambo was one of those stories. It is, of course, a shame that there arose some time ago individuals who equated the story with "racism". To the intelligent mind, it is truly a pity that some are so intent to find "racism" that they will envision same where none even vaguely exists.Such is the case with this fanciful, harmless classic story for children; a story that has been told to generations of children who have listened in wonder as the tigers melted into butter for (the little Indian boy) Sambo's pancakes!It is a story that returns one to a simpler time, long before child psychologists, political correctness (and who indeed is qualified to judge what is or is not CURRENTLY "correct"? Perhaps we're better off not knowing their identities, God help us!), shootings committed by school children, and all the other wonders of this wonderful Modern Age.Little Black Sambo is an American classic. As for racism: it can be found wherever one desires to find it. And if it exists not where they look, tis easy enough to invent.

A wonderful childhood book to read again even now at age 52.

The pictures of the tigers, bright clothing and how to make butter are still fresh in my mind from that story. I ran around that tree with that little boy, time and time again and I am glad that we are able to have this book available to share with our children and grandchildren.