On the Make: The Rise of Bill Clinton

Book Description

...required reading about the whys and wherefores of Bill Clinton's lifelong campaign for the presidency. --The Wall Street Journal

Customer Reviews:

A good read........1999-03-26

This bio of Clinton is not as easy to read as the Maraniss book; however, the effort to plough through it is well worth it. Because Oakley had covered Clinton for so many years, she offers far greater detail and insight into the inner workings of his years as governor. Sometimes she provides too much detail which, unless you are a true policy wonk, you may find tedious.

The result is an insightful and generally balanced view of our most gifted politician who is also a complicated and enigmatic man.

Now read this!.......1998-09-18

Great Bio. Here's an excerpt from page 68. Taken from a statement made by Clinton's friend, Clifford Jackson during their student days at Oxford. " One incident stands out very clearly in my mind," Jackson said. "We were talking about politics. Bill recounted a story he told to be true. He had heard a ... staff member telling about a White House secretary walking into the Oval Office...to find Lyndon Johnson and a certain attractive young woman...engaged in sex on the Oval office floor. She was on top of the president ,and she had a peace symbol on a chain dangling between her breasts." Jackson recalled the look of amusement on Clinton's face as the anecdote unfolded." Sure..it was a funny story...but the impression I got was that Bill thought it was so neat that Johnson could get away with something like that."

So, as I said, great book!

One of Two Great Ones.......1997-10-03

This is, next to David Maraniss' bio, the best one available. Although Oakley spends too much time glorifying Arkansas Democrat Editor John Starr, she does present a look at Clinton from his home crowd, the people who have known him longer than anyone else. At times she seems almost jealous of Clinton's success. This remains, however, a definite book to read if you want to get inside Bill Clinton's head and stroll around for a while.

Average customer rating:

On the Make: The Rise of Bill Clinton
Meredith L. Oakley
Manufacturer: Regnery Publishing, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KPEHX6

Average customer rating:

Much better than I expected

I could have done without the philosophy

5th Grade Level of Writing

Painfully boring

Fatal Mountaineer

Fatal Mountaineer: The High-Altitude Life and Death of Willi Unsoeld, American Himalayan Legend
Robert Roper
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

Nanda Devi: The Tragic Expedition

Addicted to Danger: A Memoir About Affirming Life in the Face of Death

Fragile Edge: A Personal Portrait of Loss on Everest

The Last Step: The American Ascent of K2

Everest: The West Ridge

ASIN: 0312261535

Book Description

Willi Unsoeld became an international hero during the Kennedy years, when he emerged as probably the greatest American climber of the Himalayan golden age.Displaying the sort of vigor that President Kennedy so admired, Unsoeld became the most visible hero of an ascent of Everest's previously-unclimbed West Ridge -- an ascent that cost him parts of both feet and nearly his life. His casual fearlessness and physical power established the template for extreme adventure, and his lectures as a charismatic professor inspired the generation of the sixties to test itself in acts of physical daring. Fatal Mountaineer sets Willi Unsoeld's intense life against the story of two defining adventures: the triumph on Everest and a more ill-starred expedition in 1976, when he led a group of mountaineers up a new route on Nanda Devi, the tallest peak in India.One of that gifted group of climbers was Willi's daughter, Devi -- a golden girl named for the mountain she sought to ascend with her beloved father. The intense rivalries within the expedition team, and the dangers of the route, led to an outcome darkened by tragedy, an outcome that continues to fuel one of the most tormenting debates in mountaineering history. Blending adventure with a frank look at the cultural background, Fatal Mountaineer considers the pressures on mountaineers in a period of our history torn by conflict.It balances hunger for fame with stark tragedy, a man's ambition with a father's love.Unsoeld emerges as an American classic, a self-invented genius of adventure to rank with Mark Twain or Will Rogers for sheer attractiveness.Under the close scrutiny of this thrilling story, his heroism turns out to be deeply authentic-as does his suffering.

Customer Reviews:

Much better than I expected.......2005-12-13

Having admired Roskelley's accout of the '76 Nanda Devi expedition, I was curious when I found Roper's book on Willi Unsoeld at the Albuquerque library.
Unlike other reviewers, I felt that Roper's "digressions"--on Bergson, Muir, and on the CIA's attempt to place a tracking device atop Nanda Devi in order to spy on Chinese nuclear testing--were all fascinating, and essential to Unsoeld's (and Devi's) story.
Roper is a fine writer, capable of vivid, even poetic prose, in an era when we seem to demand nothing but spare, no-frills accounts. Indeed, few books can match Joe Simpson's TOUCHING THE VOID or Herzog's ANNAPURNA in mountaineering lit, but I found this book riveting, both for its accounts of the three central climbs that informed Unsoeld's life and death (Everest, Nanda Devi, Rainier) and for the philosophy that informed his life.
I would have liked a bit more on Unsoeld's experiences as a guide in the Tetons and on his pre-Everest climbs, but overall, I found this book extremely well-written.

I could have done without the philosophy.......2004-03-06

Yes, we are all human, and have egos. Mr Roper did more to erode the human Mr Unsoeld with his speculation, grandiose words and tangential philosophy, than to give us insight into the great man himself. I recommend this book to only those who want more 'fluff' and less 'stuff'.

5th Grade Level of Writing.......2004-02-10

Well, what can I say about this book? Not too much. This book read like an opinion column in your local Sunday newspaper or, better yet, like a trash tabloid. The author seemed hell bent on destoying John Roskelley every chance he got. It seemed un-ending, low-brow and ultimately childish, hence, the title to my review.
At times this book was irritating , other times it made me yawn. Roskelley's book on the Nanda Devi tragedy is a much more engrossing read and hard to put down. Now I'm not comparing this books section on the Nanda Devi tragedy to Roskelley's book but, I do find it interesting that a person who wasn't even remotely associated with the climb can so easily pick it apart and smear the good names of some of its members all the while effectively cannonizing others.
Which leads me to my next point: This book is supposed to be an homage to a great mountaineer, Willi Unsoeld, but the author doesn't even do his books subject honor. The author re-hashes the American Everest climb from 1963, but this has all been done before, there is no new insight, no new offerings.The author talks about Unseold's untimely death but, again, nothing new. This book, is in effect, boring. It is also aggravating. I found myself getting quite irritated as the author continued to take his perpetual pot shots at Roskelley and Jim States.
The author wasn't on Devi, he wasn't on Everest in '63 and he wasn't on Ranier with Unsoeld when he died.The author had no first hand experience and I found his biased slop a let down and boring.

Painfully boring.......2003-02-06

The writter forgot that this was a book about a mountaineer. This could have been an exciting, inspiring book about a great climber and instead its a book about someone's ramblings since other more interesting books were apparently already written

Fatal Mountaineer.......2003-01-20

I do not recommend this book because I knew Willi Unsoeld, and this book does not talk about the man I knew. Willi was my teacher in the classroom and in the mountains and I spent many hours with him. The author does not capture the spirit or the vitality of Willi Unsoeld and actually wrote this book against the wishes of Willi's family. Even the title of this book is offensive to people who knew Willi because it is so far from the man who really existed. The author includes many assumptions and speculations about Willi that are far off the mark. I would love a book that explored Willi's life and his remarkable accomplishments, but this is not it.

Fatal Mountaineer: The High-Altitude Life and Death of Willi Unsoeld, American Himalayan Legend

Average customer rating:

Fatal Mountaineer: The High-Altitude Life and Death of Willi Unsoeld, American Himalayan Legend
Robert Roper
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OT9O0O

Average customer rating:

interesting & of moderate quality

good for beginners

Make this your First Pen Book.

I am glad this book exists!

Great Reference and Table book combined.

Fountain Pens Past & Present (Fountain Pens Past and Present)
Paul Erano
Manufacturer: Collector Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Reference | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Collectible Fountain Pens (Collectibles)

The Illustrated Guide to Antique Writing Instruments

Fountain Pens and Pencils: The Golden Age of Writing Instruments

Pens & Pencils: A Collector's Handbook (Schiffer Book for Collectors)

Fountain Pens: Their History and Art

ASIN: 1574323857

Book Description

This deluxe second edition has been expanded and reformatted to be almost one third larger than the first edition, a book that is already regarded as one of the most authoritative and entertaining books on the subject of pen collecting. Outlining eight major manufacturers and their classic model pens, the book is colorfully illustrated with photos and advertisements. You will find current collector values; new photographs including hundreds of additional vintage and contemporary writing instruments; new tips on buying, selling, and trading; and a new 'Collectibility Status Chart' identifying over 100 brands and models of fountain pens and their relative values. In addition, there are new sections on individual artisans and their unique creations and a revised section on contemporary manufacturers, double the size of the first edition. Discussions are included on building your collections, storage and display, refurbishing and repair, paper and inks, and valuing your pens. 2004 values. REVIEW: This book is a revised edition with current collector values and new photographs and catalog reprints. It contains valuable facts and insight from Frank Fenton himself. This book looks in-depth at the regular line production of Fenton's major patterns over four decades. It is divided alphabetically into four major chapters covering the specific patterns - Coin Dot, Crests, Hobnail, and Spiral Optic. Each chapter is also divided into the various colors in which the pattern was produced.

Customer Reviews:

interesting & of moderate quality.......2007-08-20

This book does help identify pens to some extent. It often takes extensive looking to find information the reader doesn't already know.

good for beginners.......2007-01-28

As a beginner collector I found the book very usefull. It helps you organize and plan your collection. But also don't miss Fountain pens of the World by Andreas Lambrou. It's is expensive but it's a "must have".

Make this your First Pen Book........2007-01-11

This is a very informative book and a must have for collectors. It provides a sound foundation on a wide variety of fountain pens, their value and is an invaluable general reference for any collector. I find myself opening it at lease weekly.

I am glad this book exists!.......2005-10-18

This is the book for you, if you are fascinated by fountain pens and all their beauty, and would like to know them better, but did not know where to start. It is very clearly written, thoroughly documented and well-organized, and profusely illustrated. The photographs are excellent and there is a lot of practical information for would-be collectors.

Great Reference and Table book combined........2005-09-07

The history, photos, illustrations, and other content were great - the only deficiency was the lack of estimated prices for the pens.

Book Description

No one could describe NATURE JOURNAL as a blank book. Clare Walker Leslie has transformed what could have been an ordinary diary into something truly unique. The text and illustrations offer just the right amount of inspiration and guidance to help the journal-keeper begin and succeed at making this book his or her own.

First Clare explains to the budding journal-keeper how to get started and suggests some possible formats to follow. She even includes a few sample pages from her own journal as inspiration.

Then come the journal pages themselves. The left-hand page has ghosted-back lines for those who prefer a sense of structure. The right-hand pages are left blank for sketching or writing. Short, inspirational quotes and exercises to help guide the journaling process are scattered among the pages.

At the back of the journal is Clare's mini-field guide, packed with essential information on how to recognize (and draw!) basic families of birds, insects, and trees, thus sparing the journal-keeper the trouble of lugging multiple field guides into the wild. An elastic band keeps paper from flapping while you're writing, holds specimens, and acts as a bookmark. Drop it in the mud. Get trail mix stuck between the pages. This journal can take it! Printed on recycled, acid-free paper with a lay-flat binding.

Customer Reviews:

Comprehensive.......2007-07-18

If you have ever read one of Clare Walker Leslie's books before, then it won't surprise you that this is a Journal that invites you to go out into nature daily, but gives you ways to make your journal special and your own personal work of art. She shows you the basics of how to draw birds, flowers, trees, etc. to make your time in the outdoors more fun. If you follow her ideas, you will find that you will get down your old journals for years to come and look at them. They will all bring back fond as well as bad memories. You will find yourself putting them all down.

Awesome companion to "keeping a nature journal".......2006-03-28

If you have the original book "Keeping a Nature Journal" then you will find this journal to be awesome. It is for using what you learned in book 1 to make your own recordings. Beautifully bound. Very nice item. Of course it is blank...it is a journal.

Don't Make My Mistake!.......2005-10-23

The editorial of this book is inadequate. It should say in bold: "This book has LOTS of blank pages for you to use."

If you are looking for a book on HOW to journal this is *NOT* the product you want. This book is just as it says:

A journal (i.e. lots of BLANK pages for $11+ dollars!)

If you are wanting a book on how to journal buy her other book... "Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You"

Book Description

The Grandparent Solution is a groundbreaking book that gives you the tools you need to build a “family team”¾the optimum family arrangement that offers your children loving support from their grandparents and gives you (busy and stressed-out parents) the practical and emotional support to do the best job possible. Based on more than thirty years of medical research, the book reveals how to overcome common barriers to creating your family team and offers specific guidelines and techniques to deal effectively with the many challenges you will face along the way. Dr. Kornhaber also stresses the importance of personal attitudes and values, of drawing the line between love and intrusiveness, and devotes special attention to help you find the appropriate degree of involvement for grandparents in helping you raise your child.

Customer Reviews:

A great read.......2004-02-05

Arthur Kornhaber gives great, practical advice--this book is no exception! Also recommended: Off Your Rocker! The Ultimate Guide for Grandparents.

Book Description

Conversing with Cage draws on over 150 interviews with John Cage conducted over four decades to draw a full picture of his life and art. Filled with the witty aphorisms that have made Cage as famous as an esthetic philosopher as a composer, the book offers both an introduction to Cage's way of thinking and a rich gathering of his many thoughts on art, life, and music.
John Cage is perhaps this century's most radical classical composer. From his famous "silent" piece (4'33") to his proclamation that "all sound is music," Cage stretched the aesthetic boundaries of what could be performed in the modern concert hall. But, more than that, Cage was a provocative cultural figure, who played a key role in inspiring scores of other artists-and social philosophers-in the second half of the 20th century. Through his life and work, he created revolutions in thinking about art, and its relationship to the world around us.
Conversing with Cage is the ideal introduction to this world, offering in the artist's own words his ideas about life and art. It will appeal to all fans of this mythic figure on the American scene, as well as anyone interested in better understanding 20th century modernism.

Customer Reviews:

"art is either a complaint or do something else".......2005-05-09

i consider this book to be the most valuable resource, in terms of art (art being all artistic medium) theory, that one can find. richard kostelanetz is a superb editor, and the book is organized to the infinitessimal of degrees. the book consists of a compendium of interviews with cage, conducted by various peoples, spanning about forty years. this book is a precise method through which to understand the means that led to cage's understanding of art and life. in that regard it serves as a fundamental piece of learning material because he divulges what he knows and how he came to know it, rather than how he feels.

excellent book for those wanting to know about Cage's ideas.......1998-08-12

This book is a collection of interviews with John Cage, the late avant garde composer who was one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. The interviews span nearly a half century and give a cogent idea of Cage's thought on music, art, education, politics, and social revision.

If you are curious about why a composer would write music that is "silent", why he would use chance, nonintention, and denounce music as communication, this is a good book to begin an overview of Cage's philosophy of art.

It also shows that Cage's musical thought was not monolithic, but changed several times in the course of his life, as did his music.

Average customer rating:
Conversing with Cage
Richard Kostelanetz
Manufacturer: Limelight
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GRBKO2

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful and inspiring for people of all faiths........1997-09-16

It is unfortunate that this book is out of print, because it is an outstanding modern-day tale about being our brother's keeper. Set in the Italian town of Assisi during World War II, "The Assisi Underground" tells the true story of a network of Catholic clergy, nuns, and lay persons who secretly provided shelter and aid to Jewish refugees escaping from the ravages of the war, German pursuers, and Fascist loyalists. Narrating the story in the first person is Padre Rufino, an earthy Franciscan priest who lead the network on orders from his bishop. Through Rufino, author Alexander Ramati relates in fine detail the difficult logistics of the operation from the arrival of the refugees at their monastery shelters to their safe passage to Allied-occupied zones. The book is exciting as it is moving; the reader is treated to the cloak-and-dagger aspects of the operation as well as its desperate but ultimately triumphant moments. (A motion-picture adaptation written and directed by Mr. Ramati was released in 1985, yet it does no justice to the book). To those searching a copy through a library or second-hand bookstore, I will say it is worth the effort.

The Assisi Underground: The Priests Who Rescued Jews

Average customer rating:

The Assisi Underground: The Priests Who Rescued Jews
Alexander Ramati
Manufacturer: Jove/HBJ
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000NWHBK2

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