The Corporate Directory of U.S. Public Companies 2000 (Corporate Directory of U.S. Public Companies)

Customer Reviews:

American Dreams in a Nutshell.......2000-06-21

Ward's Business Directory reflects the hopes and dreams in actual numbers and cents for over 90,000 privately and publicly held companies across the U.S. Its alphabetical arrangement includes profiles of each company, assets, gross earnings, revenues, and other pertinent information. It is ideal for "at a glance" usage.

U.S. top three companies and its sales revenues.......1998-10-12

Wich are the companies that are the leader as a food processing industry?

2000 The Corporate Directory of U.S. Public Companies

Average customer rating:

Awesome Research Tool for Business!

2000 The Corporate Directory of U.S. Public Companies

Manufacturer: Corporate Directory
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Directories | Catalogs & Directories | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1879346419

Customer Reviews:

Awesome Research Tool for Business!.......2000-08-24

The Corporate Directory is a reliable source when searching for company information such as headquarters address and phone numbers. It has listings of officers and susidiary and parent company info. It also lists a web site address if the company has one which made searching faster and easier. I haven't found another source that contains as much information as this one. It is quite spendy but the rest of my Business Development group agree that it is well worth the price.

Average customer rating:

Relevant and Very Helpful

Poor quality

Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam: License Exam Manual (Passtrack Series 65)

Manufacturer: Dearborn Trade Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Business Law | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Law | Subjects | Books
General | Business | Law | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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Pass the 65: A Training Guide for the Nasaa Series 65 Exam

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Passtrak Series 63 Uniform Securities Agent State Law Exam: License Exam Manual

ASIN: 0793152410

Customer Reviews:

Relevant and Very Helpful.......2006-05-15

I studied the material presented within this book for three weeks prior to the exam and passed by an extremely comfortable margin. I did not find the kind of contradictions mentioned in the other review. This was the only source I relied upon in preparation for the exam.

Poor quality.......2004-07-13

I have the 10th edition of this book. I'm studying it now for the Series 65 and find myself cursing every 3rd page or so. There are multiple typos, grammatical errors, and mis-spelled words. Even worse, a lot of the text doesn't make any sense. A subsequent paragraph often contradicts its predecessor, for example. I'm waiting until I finish it to call Dearborn's "help line" with all of my questions. It will probably take an hour to get through all of them. I do not recommend Dearborn's publications and wish that someone would kick them out of this market. Dearborn's editors are welcome to hire me to summarize all of the problems I found with this book.

Passtrak Series 65: Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam : License Exam Manual

Average customer rating:

Great test preparation
Poor quality

Passtrak Series 65: Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam : License Exam Manual

Manufacturer: Dearborn Trade Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0793195365

Customer Reviews:

Great test preparation.......2004-09-21

The book does have some typos, but it is not that important as long as it helps you pass the test! After only several hours of study I was able to pass at first try. The book is well organized and includes:

Test Topic Alerts - Clear identification of concepts likely to be heavily tested to help students maximize exam preparation efficiency
Lesson Exams - Multiple-choice questions at the end of each lesson designed to be proportionate to the number of questions from that lesson of the exam
Rationale - Explains the correct answer, plus provides insight into the concept and its testable context to reinforce learning
Quick Quizzes - Interactive Multiple Choice and T/F exercises with answers and rationales improve retention

I recommend it.

Poor quality.......2004-07-13

Worst-quality "text book" I've ever read, and with six years of higher education, I'm somewhat of an authority. There are multiple typos, grammatical errors, and mis-spelled words. Even worse, a lot of the text doesn't make any sense. A subsequent paragraph often contradicts its predecessor, for example. I'm going to call Dearborn's "help line" with all of the questions/clarifications that I've marked throughout this book. It will probably take an hour to get through all of them. The only good thing I have to say about it is that it's organized well. Overall, I do not recommend Dearborn's publications (they seem to have very bad editors) and wish that someone would kick them out of this market. Dearborn's editors are welcome to hire me to summarize all of the problems I found with this book.

Series 65 Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam: License Exam Manual

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Series 65 Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam: License Exam Manual

Manufacturer: Kaplan Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Study Guides | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1419595768

Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam: License Exam Manual (Passtrack Series 65)

Average customer rating:

Poor quality

Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam: License Exam Manual (Passtrack Series 65)

Manufacturer: Dearborn Trade Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Business Law | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

Poor quality.......2004-07-13

Average customer rating:

Poor quality

Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam: License Exam Manual (Passtrack Series 65)

Manufacturer: Dearborn Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Business Law | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

Poor quality.......2004-07-13

Uniform Investment Adviser Law/Combined State Law Exam License Exam Manual (Passtrak (Numbered))

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Uniform Investment Adviser Law/Combined State Law Exam License Exam Manual (Passtrak (Numbered))

Manufacturer: Dearborn Financial Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0793137691

Book Description

Express Yourself is for those who are tired of living a passionless, humdrum, or uninspired life. It offers a practical path of change for those dissatisfied with meaningless jobs, stuck in relationships that don't honor who they are or living lives that don't support their individuality. This thorough guidebook offers numerous insights and practices for making positive, profound changes in your life, achieving a greater ability to express yourself and for living a creative, fulfilling life. In a manner similar to Artists Way, Express Yourself makes a fantastic tool for study groups, book clubs, support groups and your personal journey.

Customer Reviews:

Packed full of useful and easy self-discovery tools.......1999-04-25

Joy Freeman's "Express Yourself" is a useful example of an author who has worked hard at successfully obtaining life's "psycho-spiritual" wisdom. She then puts these insights into a book form that is easily assimulated. Her many "Try it!" excercises provided me with heartfelt and "grounded" tools that helped me transform my life into a more soul-empowered one.

I have read many "self-help" books over the years, but this book seemed a conglomeration of all other books, plus it offered me new and more powerful ways to free my soul.

My life has changed drastically to the better since reading this book.

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Entertaining With Regis & Kathie Lee - Year-round Holiday Recipes, Entertaining Tips, And Party Ideas
Regis & Gifford, Kathie Lee with Albright, Barbara Philbin
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RJ4Q3Q

Average customer rating:

Oh yeah!

Oh yeah!

Entertaining With Regis & Kathie Lee: Year-Round Holiday Recipes, Entertaining Tips, and Party Ideas
Regis Philbin , Kathie Lee Gifford , and Barbara Albright
Manufacturer: Hyperion Books (Adult Trd Pap)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Special Occasions | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0786881305

Customer Reviews:

Oh yeah!.......2000-08-16

Oh yeah...another winner by regis and kathie lee. This book is a good addition to your bookshelf if you're keen on entertaining, giving parties, or just looking for holiday tips. While most of their books are good, I foud this especially helpful since it even covered holidays and parties. I came across many new and different ideas, not to mention ones that are economical and REALLY REALLY useful. If you've read all there is to read on this subject, then this book is just another one of them, but if not, then this is a definite addition to your bookshelf. But either way, this book is also a lot of fun,so you'll want to read it anyway.

Oh yeah!.......2000-08-16

Entertaining with Regis & Kathie Lee Year Round Holiday Recipes, Entertaining Tips, and Party Ideas SIGNED

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Entertaining with Regis & Kathie Lee Year Round Holiday Recipes, Entertaining Tips, and Party Ideas SIGNED
Philbin Regis & Gifford Kathie Lee
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LD8SXC

Average customer rating:

Entertaining with Regis & Kathie Lee: Year-Round Holiday Recipes, Entertaining Tips and Party Ideas
Regis and Kathie Lee Gifford with Barbara Albright Philbin
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PW1RO6

Entertaining with Regis and Kathie Lee : Year-Round Holiday Recipes, Entertaining Tips and Party Ideas

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Entertaining with Regis and Kathie Lee : Year-Round Holiday Recipes, Entertaining Tips and Party Ideas
Regis; Gifford, Kathie Lee Philbin
Manufacturer: Disney Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KPJJD4

Average customer rating:

A Handy Reference Guide for All Fund Investors

How to Read a Mutual Fund Prospectus: A Practical Guide to Getting the Most Out of a Mutual Fund Prospectus
Thomas P. Lemke , and Gerald T. Lins
Manufacturer: Mercer Point Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Mutual Funds | Investing | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0965537412

Customer Reviews:

A Handy Reference Guide for All Fund Investors.......2001-11-22

An excellent, practical guidebook for the mutual fund investor. Helps you understand what you own.

Customer Reviews:

More realistic than not.......2006-10-05

I'm sorry, but yes, people do rise to the top with all those personality problems. It's totally normal. I'm responding to a previous review that thought petty dictatorship at the highest levels is unrealistic. Quite the reverse is true. It is totally normal for people at the top to be the most incredibly dysfunctional (emotionally) and abusive personalities. Sure, not all, but they are very common.

Frey depicts the kinds of interactions pretty well, with a lot of realism. I like it for that. The book is pretty good.

Suspenseful But Unrealistic Plot.......2005-11-15

Ambitious investment banker Andrew Falcon is the prime character.Unfortunately, he is just not believable. Nor is the plot theme of a group of wealthy, influential men called The Sevens. They come up with a plan to ruin the liberal President of the U.S. by disrupting the financial markets. Falcon is kind of a pawn. But is to be compensated to the tune of $5 million for his efforts in their behalf by putting together the takeover of a large chemical company. Frey's books are usually good quick reading page turners. But, this one suffers the common problem of being just too far fetched.

Could be worse.......2005-04-02

A friend recommended Frey so I checked two out from the library. This is not as bad as "Silent Partner" but has the same mechanical and unbelievable plotting, tiresome characters, evil old white men, and unremitting coincidence. It is irritatingly apparant that Mr. Frey has never been nearer to the world of finance than an ATM machine.

Take a Wall Street Ride into The Firm.......2004-06-09

Andrew Falcon, investment banker, can earn five million dollars for engineering a single hostile take over. Is it worth his career and his life? He angered one of the most powerful men in the financial world, and that man will do whatever it takes to exact his revenge. Living means keeping three steps ahead of a conspiracy geared to disrupt the government. Living well means he must outwit the Sevens.

Frey is a powerful writer who opens the doors for an insider's view of trading and a hostile take over of other companies. His terminology is comprehensible, descriptions are vivid, and most characters are well developed.

I can generally tell when I read the first book by a new author. The mistakes they make are similar, and this is no exception. However, the multiple points of view within small sections are acceptable and do keep the story flowing. In addition, this characteristic flaw either lessens or is not noticeable because I was hooked on the story and it had my rapt attention

Without doubt, this is a five star first book for a new author, and I will buy more of his books. I did not care for the last paragraph, but the ambiguity has caused me to think about the story and characters long after I completed the read.

Victoria Tarrani

Highly recommended!.......2003-08-25

Awesome.

I loved this book. I had bought this book second-hand at a street sale because it sounded ok from the description and the reviewer quotes, and also because it was only $1 - and I'm really glad that I did. Right now, I'd definitely include The Takeover in a list of my favorite books. To put it into some context, I'm also a fan of Michael Crichton and Tom Clancy books.

This is the first book by Stephen W. Frey that I've read - I will definitely look for and read other books by him.

The story is fast-paced and entertaining, and the plot is terrific. One thought that I had as I read it was "This would make a great movie!" And obviously others, including Paramount, thought that too as I believe Paramount has optioned it.

The depiction of Wall Street, and its reach into the Federal Reserve, the SEC, the press, and Washington is spot-on. A few years ago I might have thought it far-fetched, but since Bush, Enron, the market action of recent years, etc. I've become much more aware/cynical of how things work in the US and in the world. The Takeover was published in 1995, but I found I related it to recent events and the current corporate and political environment (ie. Enrons, Wall Street scams, CEOs, questionable elections, generally self-enrichment at the expense of the public.) Again, to put this in some context, the author, Stephen W. Frey, is a Wall Street investment banker at the executive level so he's able to provide insights into that world.

Wall Street has too much power for my taste and this book reinforced that opinion. Yes, it's fiction, but so was Tom Clancy's Debt of Honor's incredible closing scenario - until it happened.

Customer Reviews:

Fair and Balanced.......2004-07-24

It was truly amazing how the author stayed unbiased thru this very interesting and important time of our country. I caught myself saying, "I didn't know that!" about every other page. Relevant for today's partisanship in our govt..

excellent evocation of a distant, difficult time.......1999-03-27

Gene Smith's treatment of the l868 impeachment and trial against President Andrew Johnson is beautifully written and presents fair, yet compelling portraits of all of the major players. In the wake of the most recent impeachment crisis concerning President Clinton, this book becomes more important than ever.

The Impeachment and Trial of Andrew Johnson

Average customer rating:

Good Factual Analysis, But Bad Conclusion
An apologia for the impeachers
Makes Lewinsky Battle Seem Tame

The Impeachment and Trial of Andrew Johnson
Michael Les Benedict
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Constitutional Law | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0393319822

Book Description

This book argues that although Johnson's impeachment did not succeed in ousting him, it was a justified step. It describes the critical issues and events leading up to the impeachment and then discusses the trial itself: what the grounds were, what the different sides' motivations were, why the attempt failed.

Customer Reviews:

Good Factual Analysis, But Bad Conclusion.......2007-07-05

Benedict studies contemporary newspaper accounts and private correspondence from the participants to put together a nicely detailed account of the 1868 impeachment effort against Andrew Johnson. He seeks to correct what he perceives as history's overly unkind treatment of the radical Republicans who sought to remove Johnson from office. He states that the modern view is that the Republican efforts were well-meaning, and if anything did not go far enough. While Benedict's account is well researched, his conclusions are not supported by the facts or by the law, or by good political sense. There was an honest disagreement over whether the Tenure in Office Act even applied to Johnson; further, there was doubt as to whether it was even constitutional, and Johnson's view that it was not was vindicated years later when the Supreme Court declared a similar law unconstitutional in 1926. The real core issue here is how broadly one is supposed to read the impeachment clause in the Constitution. The broad interpretation urged by Benedict amounts to the President serving at the pleasure of the Senate, a view that was specifically considered and rejected by the Constitutional Convention. In light of that, Benedict's conclusions make little sense, though his scholarship is laudable.

An apologia for the impeachers.......2001-05-30

Professor Les Benedict lays out the case for President Johnson's impeachment in this 1972 monograph. The narrative is highly sympathetic to the radical-Republican impeachers, and unsympathetic to Johnson: Les Benedict embraces an emerging theme among historians who "now speak in terms of well-meaning efforts of conscientious Republicans to establish national security on the basis of equality before the law" in the highly volatile post-Civil War era, and he complains that "[o]nly one event has resisted this historical reversal--the impeachment and trial of President Andrew Johnson." The book paints the congressional Republicans as conscientious and rational politicians interested in restoring the Southern economic base (and securing their own political ascendancy) after the War, and Johnson as a power-hungry executive who thwarts the congressional policy using his military authority and other constitutional powers--all to the point where the restrained and long-suffering congressional majority is left with no choice but impeachment (the chapter leading up to the impeachment is titled "Johnson Forces the Issue"). The book paints the politics with a very broad brush, and unfortunately gives short shrift to Johnson's motives, even though Johnson himself is portrayed as a capable and determined politician and not as the out-of-touch bumbler that some histories have made him out to be. But the book tells an engaging story from the congressional viewpoint, and offers a detailed and balanced view of the legal issues on which the trial ultimately hinged.

Makes Lewinsky Battle Seem Tame.......2001-01-24

Now Andrew Johnson may not have been hiding with an intern in the oval office, but this book has a lot more to offer. Drama in the House, drama in the Senate, verbal fights, threats, it sure beats the heck out of blue dresses and cigars. I don't think people have any idea how close Johnson was to being kicked out of office, let alone for what reason. Benedict does a remarkable job chronicling the times surrounding the day. Going in I found the battle to purely partisan, but after reading I agree with Benedict, the impeachment was justified.

History of the impeachment of Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, by the House of Representatives, and his trial by the Senate for high crimes and misdemeanors in office, 1868

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History of the impeachment of Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, by the House of Representatives, and his trial by the Senate for high crimes and misdemeanors in office, 1868
Edmund Gibson Ross
Manufacturer: Cornell University Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Product Description

This volume is produced from digital images from the Cornell University Library Historical Monographs collection.

2006 Essential Guide to Impeachment Background, History, House Documents, 1868 Trial of Andrew Johnson, President Clinton Independent Counsel Referral and Trial (DVD-ROM)

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2006 Essential Guide to Impeachment Background, History, House Documents, 1868 Trial of Andrew Johnson, President Clinton Independent Counsel Referral and Trial (DVD-ROM)
U.S. Government
Manufacturer: Progressive Management
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM
ASIN: 1422005232

Product Description

This unique electronic book on DVD-ROM has a comprehensive collection of the finest federal documents and resources about impeachment including the trials of Andrew Johnson and William Jefferson Clinton. Historic Background on the Impeachment and Trial of President Andrew Johnson - The Significance of President Johnson's Impeachment and Trial: Johnson's impeachment trial is considered to be important because it checked the attempt among certain Members of Congress to establish congressional control of federal policy and relegate the President's role in governance to that of a chief minister's. The acquittal of Johnson also prevented later Congresses from using the threat of impeachment as a means of settling policy differences with the executive. Finally, the acquittal meant that in future impeachment trials the defendant would have to have committed an actual crime in order to be convicted. The Impeachment - President Andrew Johnson became the first President of the United States to be impeached by the House of Representatives. He was impeached in 1868 for dismissing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton without the approval of the Senate as required in the Tenure of Office Act and for attacking congressional policies on the Reconstruction in the South. Congressional opposition to Johnson's policies on the Reconstruction of the southern states had been building, however, since early in his term, and in 1867 the Committee on Judiciary of the House of Representatives had conducted an investigation as a preliminary to impeaching Johnson. The attempt to impeach Johnson as a result of this investigation was unsuccessful. However, because the War Department was responsible for administering most of the policies on the Reconstruction that the Congress, overriding Johnson's vetoes, had enacted into law, the removal of Secretary Stanton was viewed as an attack on these policies and was an additional motive for seeking Johnson's ouster. The House of Representatives impeached Johnson on February 24, 1868, by a straight party line vote of 126 to 47. On February 27, the House of Representatives adopted eleven articles of impeachment that were then submitted to the Senate. The Senate Trial - Issues in dispute during the trial included whether the Tenure of Office Act applied to Stanton, whether the Act, if it did apply, was constitutional, and whether Johnson committed an impeachable offense in attacking Congress for its policies on Reconstruction. The first vote, on article eleven which charged Johnson with bringing disrespect to Congress and its policies on Reconstruction, was held on May 16. The vote on the article was one vote short (35 to 19) of the two thirds majority needed for conviction. The trial was then recessed for ten days. On May 26 the Senate also failed by the same margin (35 to 19) to convict Johnson on articles two and three. At this point the Senate voted to adjourn the trial sine die without considering the remaining articles. Clinton material includes the Starr Referral to the United States House of Representatives pursuant to Title 28, United States Code, § 595(c), Submitted by the Office of the Independent Counsel, September 9, 1998 and the subsequent impeachment and trial. This incredible DVD-ROM is packed with over 50,000 pages reproduced using Adobe Acrobat PDF software - allowing direct viewing on Windows and Macintosh systems. The Acrobat cataloging technology adds enormous value and uncommon functionality to this impressive collection of government documents and material. As a bonus, this disc also includes a virtual federal reference bookshelf of 18 vital and interesting core federal documents with extraordinary material: HISTORIC AND FOUNDING DOCUMENTS - Constitution with Index, Declaration of Independence; Constitution as amended with Unratified Amendments and Analytical Index; Pocket Version; Emancipation Proclamation 1863. GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS AND CONGRESSIONAL DOCUMENTS - How Laws are Made Hou

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Andrew Johnson: President on trial
Milton Lomask
Manufacturer: Octagon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

High Crimes & Misdemeanors, The Impeachment Trial of Andrew Johnson

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High Crimes & Misdemeanors, The Impeachment Trial of Andrew Johnson
Gene, Smith
Manufacturer: New York: William Morrow and Company Inc. 1977
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NXMHAU

High crimes and misdemeanors : the impeachment and trial of Andrew Johnson / by Gene Smith

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High crimes and misdemeanors : the impeachment and trial of Andrew Johnson / by Gene Smith
Gene Smith
Manufacturer: New York : Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VZLTYA

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High Crimes and Misdemeanors: The Impeachment and Trial of Andrew Johnson
Gene Smith
Manufacturer: WILLIAM MORROW AND COMPANY, IN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OLFAEG

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History of the impeachment of Andrew Johnson,: President of the United States, by the House of Representatives, and his trial by the Senate for high crimes ... Franklin research & source work series, #94)
Edmund G Ross
Manufacturer: B. Franklin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Federal Jurisdiction | Administrative Law | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006CDW5W

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The Impeachment and Trial of Andrew Johnson
David Miller Dewitt
Manufacturer: Library Reprints
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Presidents & Heads of State | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Mary Chan Ma-lai wasn't given her own name. Her family called her Ah Ngan, "tiny and thin."

She was born in 1950 on Little Salted Fish Street in Macao, to a Tanka family. The Tanka were the boat dwellers of China, living on wooden scows and junks in the great Chinese port cities such as Shanghai and Hong Kong. Considered inferior, they were not permitted to settle on land or marry land dwellers. Mary's family is desperately poor. Mary is nearly blind from cataracts and stooped over from osteoporosis. One could not imagine a less privileged life. Yet Mary Chan Ma-lai's is an indomitable spirit.

Customer Reviews:

This Most Courageous Lady.......2003-06-13

Mary Chan was born in 1950 in the Portuguese colony of Macau to a very poor family of boat dwellers. The family were not English speakers and yet Mary became fluent in the language to the extent that she was able to write her auto-biography and travel internationally as an inspiration to others more fortunate. Whilst cursed with a spinal deformity and near blindness from soon after birth she was blessed with a healthy brain. She exploited that major asset as perhaps only someone so physically handicapped could.

The tale is told in simple English and is a basic chronology of her lifetime with a lot of family history. Father Edward, an Irish priest, enters her life at the age of 5 soon after the family moves to Hong Kong where their fishing boat is permanently moored in Aberdeen harbour. Father Edward becomes a "guardian angel'' to Mary and dramatically changes the course of her life for the better. Whilst her eyesight is beyond repair - even her grandmother's traditional Chinese treatment of rubbing incense ash and mud into them didn't work - there is a ray of hope that her hunched back can at least be straightened a little.

Mary wins a place at a Catholic girls school where her hard work studying English pays off with excellent results, even mastering Braille in English and Chinese. She finishes college and finds work sewing soft toys. Despite the difficulty of commuting as a blind person to her work place (how do you cross Hong Kong's dangerous roads safely and how do you know what route number the approaching bus is displaying?) she is feeling a degree of independence. Now aged 21 Mary is admitted to The Duchess of Kent Children's hospital to undergo spinal surgery, thanks again to Father Edward's influence in these matters. After painful surgery and nearly a year in hospital with her spine in halo-pelvic traction, her body held rigid with steel rods pinned into her shoulders and thighs, and even her head held in a metal frame, she emerges with her deformity almost cured. This high point in her life is destined to be short lived as at the age of 27 a viral infection paralyses her from the waist down committing her to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. It is hard to imagine how challenging every apparently simple task can be when one is so handicapped. At one stage her wheel chair is rolling down a gentle tarmac slope with her feet being badly gouged as they drag on the ground caught below the footrests. Of course, she had no way to notice.

Her adult life is a triumph of determination and will power over the challenges posed by her handicaps. Mind over matter, she wins the battle with the trip of a life time pilgrimage to Lourdes followed by other exciting and mind opening overseas trips. Mary tells her tale eloquently and simply without attempting to exploit the reader's sympathy for her plight. It is a wonderful story. It is also one that will make any able-bodied person realise how fortunate he or she is.

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