A True Picture of the Problem
928976
This book is well written and researched. The authors have a heartfelt desire to help black couples to deal with the myriad of problems that they face and it definitely comes across in the pages. It presents historical reasons for the problems (more than you may be aware), then categorizes them. Finally, they present possible solutions. These are 'harsh' but, in my view, necessary.
Definitely a wedding gift for a young black couple.
1210459
John MacArthur does a remarkable job of closely examining the cancer of the U.S. society losing its ability to recognize sin and to differentiate right from wrong.  He examines that sin has been relagated to a problem of having too much guilt, being a victim, an attack to one's self-esteem, etc., rather than something that one is accountable to.  The author also examines that due to this lack of ability of society to properly recognize sin and be accountable and responsible for one's actions, society's conscience has been weakened to the point that there is no absolute right or absolute wrong, only moral relativism.  As a result, there is rampant crime, business misconduct and scandals  (Enron, Arthur Anderson, MCI-WorldCom, etc.), teenage pregnancy, rising rates of STD's and premarital sexual activities among teenagers, etc. After examining this cancer in society and its rammifications from a Biblical point of view, Mr. MacArthur offers very insightful solutions to this problem by addressing the nature of sin, how to handle sin, and the redemptive power of being freed and saved from the bondage of sin by the Power of God, Jesus Christ, and The Holy Spirit.  I highly recommend this book to anyone (Christian or non Christian) who is concerned about the breakdown of moral standards and the chaos in our society.  This book is a must read for any Christian, regardless of denomination, who is genuinely concerned about America's declining moral standards and the chaos that has been caused by it.
4644153
Bad Pharma deserves a five star rating first and foremost because it delivers a message about a world-wide crisis in medical practice that has been largely neglected even by those who have been calling for health care reform.  The word "corrupt" is not too strong a summary of the condition of the relationship between the pharmaceutical industry,  the governmental entities which ostensibly regulate it, and ultimately those who write the prescriptions for patients who are woefully too uninformed to defend themselves against the malfeasance of an entire industry.  if you are interested in health care reform, you should read this book, because practically nothing in it is even being discussed in the political arena despite the fact that it is of much greater life-and-death consequence than any reforms either presently implemented or even contemplated.  That fact alone should engender the outrage of anyone who cares for or cares about those who suffer needlessly as a result of the inadequate testing and reporting on both the safety and efficacy of the pharmaceuticals that impact the health of nearly every person on the planet..
3479197
This is a true story of an all-to-often downside of modern medicine.  The medical system has become so intent on stopping law suits and spending long hours of paperwork and bureaucratic minutiae that it has forgotten the original purpose of the profession - helping patients.  With the current use/overuse of highly toxic drugs, these types of situations are happening more than ever or worse problems occur while in treatment, exacerbating the initial reasons for admittance.  Most people are profoundly aware of what is happening with their bodies and, when given a chance to be heard, can shed considerable light into very logical sources of their suffering.  Having advocated for a friend who has had scores of very intense surgeries and treatments over the years, I can attest to the lack of common sense and lack of knowledge to details of previous records regarding the patient.  In every hospital visit, it is we who have had to get the medications straightened out.  We are told to take things that have already been proven to not work or cause harm, and other necessary proven drugs have been overlooked, allowing suffering to exist where it is unnecessary.  We have had to self-diagnose problems, one of them so simple, but absolutely life-threatening, that went unanswered or unheard by the professionals.  This book clearly shows how these things happen in facilities which one assumes are run by professionals who care for their patients.  The system is broken due to the convoluted and excessive levels of specialization, but then is aggravated by the lack of communication between said specialists and due diligence.  All the documentation and record-keeping in the world is worthless if no one reads or reviews it.  This in depth recollection of a typical medical fiasco, also potentially life threatening, is poignant and insightful on all of these levels.  The system needs to be fixed by caring people who are given the time in their work days to be comprehensive and aware, allowing them to put the patients' needs first.  Shift changes and lack of contact with doctors when needed, especially on weekends, is killing people.  Hopefully the public will educate itself with the help of this memoir and then share with the professionals with whom they may come in contact, and demand the attention and care their loved ones deserve.  I don't know what happens to those who go to hospital and don't have a strong, knowledgeable advocate to oversee their care and speak for them when necessary.  It is a life saving requirement these days.  Unfortunately, it is also looked upon by many professionals as an annoyance with which they don't want to deal.

Sent from Janice Wilson's iPad.
2644310
Finally Dr. Farmer couples his lucid historical, political and economic analyses of the conditions that put the poor at risk for bad health outcomes, with a plainly indignant calling out of healthcare professionals  and healthcare organizations to make honest efforts to understand and  remedy conditions which would never be tolerated among the well off in  Western nations.  In his goundbreaking, earlier books, "AIDS and  Accusations," and "The Uses of Haiti," Dr. Farmer matter of  factly discusses the global and local structural conditions and  misrepresentations which led to the spread of disease and persistent,  dismal health conditions in Haiti.  In "Infections and  Inequality," Dr. Farmer adds moral overtones to incisive,  sociopolitical analysis and his characteristic accounts of individuals  suffering from disease.  The book consequently provides a powerful  reflection from a man who has worked in some of the world's poorest regions  on what the benefits of medical technology mean for people who have not  traditionally had access to them.  A powerful, informative read that  clearly reflects the years of experience of a physician who has wrestled  with the global responsibility of caring for the those who are worst off.  An obligatory read for anyone even thinking of working for the impoverished  of the world.
853675
Kristof & WuDunn provide a realistic examination of the problems faced by millions of women around the world - sex trafficking, female genital mutilation, prostitution, child prostitution, rape, violence, lack of education, denial of life due to favoring of males - suffering.  However, the authors do not propose "pie in the sky" actions to effect change, instead they suggest supplying iodine to women to reduce the loss of IQ, educating young girls and women, increasing the number of fistula hospitals to help women harmed by childbirth, etc.  They discuss comparing cost effective strategies to determine which ones are the most effective at improving the lives of women and families.  The authors provide endnotes for further research or verification should one choose to check their facts.  They also list numerous organizations for individuals who want to help.  Kristof & WuDunn explain the problems faced, meet with women who are resisting the extreme pressures to conform to cultural norms and finally describe women in the U.S. or other wealthier nations who support women effecting change within their communities.  This is one of the most logically, clearly and realistically argued texts I have read in a long time.  If we want to reduce terrorism in the world, supporting women's HUMAN rights is key!!  Just as when slavery existed in the U.S., when dictators came to power in the past as well as today, the Holocaust and other genocides, and when men have or had absolute control over women - one will find people behaving extremely badly, without any moral filters, without any concern for the human being or for human rights, killing those over whom they have power without consequence or remorse.  Once again, absolute power corrupts absolutely.  If we have any hope of ending/reducing terrorism, violence, and war, women MUST have the right to exist, to be treated with dignity and respect just as any other human being deserves.  If you read nothing else this year, PLEASE read this book!  Everyone can help, everyone together can create the kind of world we all want to live in - "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
4060127
This is one of my favorite books that I have ever read. This book gives a summary about why America is on the decline and it gives solutions to how to fix it. When I watch all the news on MSNBC, CNN, and C-Span, the elected officials argue about the same issues on whether our government should raise taxes or cut spending. Both Parties are not even focus on fixing the real issues that will get this country back on track. Dylan Ratigan provides real solutions to fixing our biggest problems. Thank you for taking the time for writing this great book. I will read it again because I like it that much.
4136735
As a retired firefight with over thirty years of trying to help solve the perplexing problem of wild fire and its impacts, I was impressed with Gary Fergusons in-depth study, Land on Fire, and particularly with its conclusion; the landscape is turbulent and fire behavior is not likely to change anytime soon.  My futile efforts seem universal, not necessarily a byproduct of my ineptitude.

Ferguson presents the dilemma with spot-on and clear analysis.  The complications involved with the intricate science of burning, the unpredictability of the weather, global warming, increasing deterioration of the forest structure, and lack of funding for research and suppression all contribute to a problem that defies resolution.

Using historical data and anecdotes, accompanied by stunning photographs depicting the fury of wild fires across the country, the author presents a masterful description of where firefighting has travelled, what complexities affect suppression efforts, insight into successes and failures, and prospects for the future.  I found the information very informative, even after twenty-four years of retirement, because I have witnessed a recent increase in the number and size of fires, caused by the shrinking of the wildland urban interface areas and the other factors noted.  Its disturbing and the answers are very elusive.

This book is a great source of information for those who care about the problem, and even for those who are only vaguely concerned, because it sheds light on a growing menace that threatens all of us and warns of the uncertainty of solving it in a timely fashion.  It reinforces the need for public insistence on leaders who recognize the need to face the challenges posed by human contribution to climate change and its footprint on the earth where we live.  There must be leaders, as the author asserts, that have the wisdom and courage to neither deny the challenges nor shrink in the face of them.

Schuyler T Wallace
Author of TIN LIZARD TALES
3637349
The author has done a remarkable job of exposing the problems we go through and providing helpful insight and clear illustrations.
3344075
It should be noted that this book is not, nor does it claim to be, a definitive and expansive report on the plight of the working poor.  It functions as a personal memoir and a slice-of-life, an undercover view of a life that is intentionally made invisible to most members of the middle-to-upper classes.

And the view it offers is harrowing.

Ehrenreich allows herself a safety net not available to many of the places she lives among, including a car and a way out if things become threatening to her basic safety.  That despite these allowances she finds it difficult to survive causes one to truly wonder about those who, for example, have to rely on systems of public transportation.

Her co-workers live in hotels and trailers, unable to make the first and last month plus deposit that would allow them to move into more cost-efficient, safe, and comfortable housing on their hand-to-mouth wages.  This effects everything else in their lives:  how close they are able to live to their workplaces is dictated by economy, which in turn effects the time and cost of their commute and how much sleep they can often expect to get in a night.  The lack of a stove or refrigerator means they lack nutritious food and are forced to live on overpriced fast foods and processed foods, often on the edge of starvation.

Yes, Ehrenreich is an educated liberal.  No, she doesn't miraculously come up with easy solutions.  Given the material, she shouldn't have to apologize to anyone with a conservative bias for either of these facts.  The information she gives has not been covered at this level and in this detail anywhere else, and that alone is commendable.  "Nickel & Dimed" allows the realities of the invisible people who handle our food, clean our homes, and ring up our purchases to be brought to the attention of those who might want to look away.
4064161
This book is excellent in that it gets dead on to the point on a major problem that faced Black America in 1957 and that it STILL faces today-too many Black Americans have internalized the racist beleifs said about us and are filled with self-hatred as a result. One cannot hope to find solutions to Africa-America's problems unlesss you get to the source, and this book does exactly that. Read it, think, then act.
3884609
Lorna was right on point. Many of the same issues that she dealt with happened to me as well and many other educators that I have come into contact with. School systems have become cash cows and they need the gravy train to keep on moving. If you question them on anything, you are labeled a troublemaker. This book is a must read so you can become more aware of this phenomenon and how it has infiltrated through our public school systems throughout the country. The best way to expose this problem is become educated on the issue and assist our educators to fight back to say enough is enough for our children. Lorna gives you that insight. A must read.
2799477
For me the Introduction alone was worth the price of the book. (although I didn't purchase the book but received it through the Amazon Vine Program) Jonathan Tepperman gives a very accurate and thoughtful look at the political and economical problems facing our world today. He starts with all the bad news of what is happening in our world today, but that must happen, for as he states, "Understanding the problems in depth is also the first step toward understanding their solutions."

So, the introduction deals with the problems. It deals with what is wrong in our world through looking at what he calls "The Terrible Ten," which are the ten things that countries need to address and solve if they are to move on. These ten are;
1) Inequality
2) Immigration
3) Islamic Extremism
4) Civil War
5) Corruption
6) The Resource Curse
7) Energy
8) The Middle-Income Trap
9) Gridlock I
10) Gridlock II

He concludes the Introduction with the comment, "Abandoning Hope certainly is tempting--especially at a moment when so many things seem to be going wrong with the world." But he encourages us to not abandon hope. The rest of the book will give looks at countries who have realized that there are solutions to the issues they face and that in putting those solutions to work they will overcome the Terrible Ten and actually turn their economies and countries around.

He will look at Brazil, Canada, Rwanda, Indonesia and South Korea just to name a few of the countries detailed in their own chapters. But the encouraging part is to see how these countries have faced certain aspects of the Terrible Ten and turned them around in their country and started the long road back to recovery.

This is a MUST READ for anyone who is loosing heart in our worlds economic crisis.

I'll look forward to hearing from others what they thought of Tepperman's work.
2393424
Well written, got a true picture of the pressure the officers experiences approaching the unknown. I was able to pass this info to some young folks in the neighborhood. It can only help. Hope Mr. McConnell has a chance to have some face to face on this matter with schools , boys and girls clubs, and other gathering of young people. This book should be heard(I think people would rather hear than read) Good luck in the future.
3166871
For the most articulate and credible perspective on the origins and nature of our hideous problem in the Middle East, this book is a must-read.  Along with his incisive look at the events and the players, Ajami communicates a deep sadness about what we now face there.  There is no venom or hatred here, only an almost poetic account of the big and the detailed pictures.  May he rest in peace, having made such a great contribution to our understanding of these frightful dynamics.
2792491
this is an outstanding read on problems that our earth is going to experience over and over.
2324407
Excellent presentation of one of the most significant problems of our times.  Well written, documented , and very readable. This book should be widely distributed among our country's leaders.