Out There, But With Good Intentions
348737
I have to say that Mitch Albom is an author I look forward to reading almost every time he comes out with something new. "Tuesdays With Morrie" was just incredible, pulling at heartstrings all around the world, and "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" had people reeling as well, and asking for more of this bestseller from Detroit. But with me, a funny thing happened. "The Time Keeper" made a mark, as only Albom can do, once again being a bestseller. Honestly? I did enjoy it, but it was easily forgotten, something quite un-Albom-like in my experience of reading him. Now he has "The First Phone Call From Heaven," and while the intention is good, I've wondered if this will have people hoping once again, or just plain confused altogether!

While Sully Harding is attempting to get his life back together after serving some time in jail, phones start ringing. That isn't so unusual. Right? What if these phone call are claiming to be from loved ones calling beyond the grave? WHAT IF these phone calls are coming from Heaven? That's what people are claiming! Some wonder if this happens to be all made up, and some prankster is behind all of this "Good news." In Coldwater, Michigan, people are talking, and these phone calls are making some major headlines.

But don't tell Sully there's anything beyond this life, because he ain't buyin' it! He'll take his grief, and do whatever he pleases, because his wife is dead and gone, and that's final! But his little boy has hope, and faith, to the point of carrying around a toy phone, that Mom just might call. Alexander Graham Bell and his invention have never been more popular. Will the pay-off be just as sweet? And will Sully Harding himself have questions answered that he never imagined possible?

This indeed carries some history, with Alexander Graham Bell, some of the first words spoken over his miraculous device, and it also has some serious questions. Being a believer myself, I definitely believe in God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and I also believe, as this book suggests, that "The end is not the end." What I'm really not a fan of is antics that can get people so wound up to the point that chaos eventually ensues. And I think that's what happens. But there is also hope within the pages of Albom's bestseller.
3821860
Nothing totally revolutionary, but a solid examination of the issues in close relationships, and inspiring and motivating, to go out and do it better.
3456227
We want to keep following his work, showing good promise.
1271998
As Stella Porter points out, things like psychic awareness are often ridiculed.  For those of us raised in mainstream churches, we might consider it 'wrong' to dabble in such matters... and the people behind some of these churches might not like us to realise we have our own direct connection to the 'powers that be' instead of having to work through a hierarchy, or according to a set of rules.  Some academics might be quick to brush aside reports of psychic success because they feel it threatens the basis of their life's work and beliefs.  And it could be argued that the world's financial elite and big businesses wouldn't want workers and consumers to find out how powerful they really can be.

I firmly believe that there is much more to man than meets the microscope.  I have had experiences and insights that have convinced me that we can operate beyond our 'traditional' physical constraints.

I would have liked to have read about some of the author's personal experiences in this small book, and I was a little distracted by what appeared to be errors that somehow got missed in the proof-reading process.  While I'm being picky, I must say that I would have preferred to have seen a picture of the author on the book's cover instead of what appears to be a stock image grabbed for the purpose, as it is so similar to other books in this category (wait... maybe that is a picture of the author on the cover.  Dunno).  Nevertheless, the use of a stock image enabled this book to be published quickly at a low cost.  And despite these minor problems, the book has the feel of authenticity.  I also get the impression that the author is  a sincere and caring person (that's another reason why I'd like to read her personal stories...  maybe we'll get these in a subsequent book).

If more people became 'aware'... if they tuned in more to what is beyond physical sight... if they had more contemplative moments and considered the possible affects of their every thought, word and action.... and if they could see how every person and thing might be connected... then our worldly experience would be very likely to improve.  With that in mind, I recommend this book.  Reading anything sincere like this is useful.

While I (or you) might not agree with all of what an author may write, or the reasoning that they use, it is still possible to find valid and useful ideas in a majority of written works.  "Take the best and leave the rest" is a good guideline.  While novices and seasoned psychics alike might disagree with some things that others say, they are all likely to agree that there really is something going on in the non-physical realms.  People have been using electricity for years, and I don't think that anyone has ever been able to explain to me, in a satisfactory way, how it really works.  But it is apparently a real phenomena (well, something is going on), and I find that I can use it to my benefit... irrespective of whether it is positive particles moving one way through a wire... or electrons moving in the opposite direction or whatever.

I think that Stella Porter knows a bit about what is going on, and she is trying to help us learn about it.

Best wishes from Nelson, New Zealand.
3330590
As many pastors have pointed out, sometimes we as Christians, focused on mission trips or mission needs around the world, fail to notice those who live right next door.  So true.  Lance Ford and Brad Brisco challenge Christians to be good neighbors in Next Door as It Is In Heaven: Living Out God's Kingdom in Your Neighborhood.

Rehashing some of our cultural history, Ford and Brisco point out how separated we are from our neighbors.  For many of our parents or grandparents, church, neighborhood, school, commerce, employment, and recreation all had a great degree of overlap.  This is less true today, especially in our scattered suburbs.  Many of us spend more time in our cars than getting to know our neighbors.  Interestingly enough, they point to commercialism and consumerism as major culprits in creating the image of the family as an isolated, individualistic unit.

I like the quote they used from Frederick Buechner: "If we are to love our neighbors, before doing anything else we must see our neighbors."  We should be practicing biblical hospitality (which, they point out, is distinct from entertaining) and inclusion, "loving strangers and welcoming people into our lives."  And above all, look for Jesus in your neighbor: "We desire to be in the presence of the Lord.  What we so often miss is that his very presence is available right now, through the presence of those made in his image."

Next Door is practical, yet convicting.  They don't beat the reader over the head, but they do want to snap us out of our too-often insular existences.  I tried to justify myself.  "I know my neighbors. . . . I am connected to others on my street. . . ."  But I have to face up to it.  My neighbors will be blessed (and my life will be enriched) to the extent that I "neighbor" better.

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
1317048
Much of the story is romance and tragedy, two classic modes of literary entertainment.  What appealed to me was the shared reflective nature of these young death-bound lovers, the effort to find meaning rather than give up to dispare.  It is their conscious effort to pay attention to what is real, what is good, what can be controlled or not, and the understanding that evolves from that effort, which gives them insight into the meaning of human existence, frees them to love generously and to face death with dignity.  Despite the sadness, an uplifting read.
1454828
I think this book serves a good purpose as it shows how a single-minded noble vision can be pursued to success. The world needs Jane Goodall's thinking more than ever, and of course, all of us need to believe we can make a difference. Her work attests to that and this book not only shows how she has done it, but suggests some areas of focus for the rest of us to continue in her footsteps. It's a quick read (intended for younger readers I suppose) and I recommend it, but I don't believe it is great literature and it certainly skips a lot. Nonetheless, it makes a great textbook case for trying to lead an exemplary life in the natural world.
3717528
A sincere effort and a "conflicted buddy" road trip.
1609383
Let's review: here is a decent person who wanted to make public his convictions, to help protect those who are discriminated against,  someone who worked his way up from a tough upbringing, who is exercising his right to speak. He may not have been perfect in the delivery, but shouldn't more of us be brave and speak up when others need our love and support? I thought that was the point. Life is about love, acceptance, tolerance and forgiveness.
1646740
This is almost perfect in its genre ,I think.  Not too revealing, not too intrusive but still revealing enough for us to understand that these men are human.  Sharing ordinary days, turmoil and some triumphs.

We get a fairly complete picture of both men as sensitive, worried about their careers and money.  And we feel their love for each other.

This book can be enjoyed by all literary people.  I ended up wishing I had half of Phelps' literary sensibility and half of Salter's  skill with words.  This is worth reading to see how a good life is lived.
1160151
New York in the Snow is almost successful in achieving its subtitle A Magical Vision of New York City. I say this because, although some of the photographs are almost magically successful at capturing the moment and the mood, others seem almost to be fillers. But, without doubt, they all live up to the title, although technically it should be New York CITY in the Snow.

The fact that this is a rather small format for a coffee table book probably doesnt help matters. Some photos are no larger than 3.75 x 2.75. There is a mix of color, black and white, and a sepia-like treatment which I found very appealing, especially when dealing with lit buildings at night.

This is a very personal book. Not only does it contain the photographers vision and technical expertise (which is abundant) but also her feelings as portrayed in verse, the metadata of the photos, and technical explanations or descriptions of the moment they were taken. The curatorial decisions of which photos to use and how to group and display them seems somewhat erratic to me, even though the book is technically organized into topics (Silence, Storms, Embrace, and Memory). Again, I suppose that this is personal to the author/photographer. Curiously, I found photos to like under all the categories.

Being so personal, it is natural that some images may not speak to another person who did not share the moment or does not share the same aesthetic. As a result, there are some photos that have absolutely no appeal to me, photos that I find almost generic. Then there are others that are almost mystical in their appeal, that capture a mood Ive felt or a moment Ive lived--maybe not in that place but somewhere. There have been pages which I dismissed and turned rapidly, and pages which grabbed my attention, with which I immediately connected, and that touched me.

I think that this will be the case with most readers and that all will find a little bit of themselves in some of the images.
76542
Dang, I wish I had come up with this idea --contact a bunch of people who are passionate about what they do and ask them to put down their thoughts about how they came to pursue their adventurous dreams and lead adventurous lives. Maybe all of us are not cut out be be all adventure all of the time, but these folks are, and this book will explain why and how.  Besides, it looks pretty good.
2702053
It's time we opened the door to other meaningful interpretations of what is required to live a good life. This book takes a small step in that direction. The message is subtle enough that one can enjoy the rhymes and pictures alone, however.
547226
Before reading this book I would classify myself as genuinely concerned about the world environment, angry about those who are in denial and with no really positive ideas about what can be done apart from a vague notion that somebody should do something. Now, I am clearer about what the problems are and have a moderately positive outlook about how we can avoid a potential catastrophe. The first half of the book describes the impending crisis of resources and the second half explaining how we (the population) will eventually get the message and will act with urgency to take remedial action. His analogy of how nations and groups of nations come together in war is somewhat persuasive, but obviously suffers from the fact that being at war is much more obvious than an impending environmental disaster. His optimistic scenario does recognise that many millions might die in the process of reconfiguring our economic system. Nevertheless, for an expert environmentalist, his point is a refreshingly positive about we humans. He regularly says, "We humans may be slow, but we are not stupid."

What is distinctive about Gliding's argument is that despite being passionate about his beliefs, he is not an ideologue. He has very positive things to say about captains of industry that he has worked with, and he has no time for ideologues from the environmentalist world. For example he does not rule nuclear power in or out as an energy source. He says we can only reach a judgement when the costs and benefits are weighed up.

Incidentally, he write very well and in an engaging manner. His TED Talk, 'The World is Full' is a good introduction to his message.
4605459
It's probably best to separate the ideas of the book itself (writing style, etc), the story line (Alex's life and Jen's belief in it), and Alex's life as a mountain climber. Probably every reader will have their own feelings about the three.

The book was reasonably written -- it moves along, doesn't slow down too often, and does a fair job of communicating the main ideas of the story line and the Alex life line. So as a book, I do think it has something to say, and communicates it reasonably well.

The story line, more or less, is about how Jen and everyone else seemed to worship Alex and his life line, working around his needs, his desires, his exploits, his limitations, ..., you get the idea. The picture I took away was something akin to groupies doing hero support and worship of some kind (which occurs in other places in life too, of course, so Alex is certainly not the only instance). It's probably worth saying that everyone involved chooses (voluntarily in this case) to play their roles in such relationships, so it would not be fair to put the responsibility solely on Alex, or Jen, or any of the other people. It's just the way they chose to live their lives, neither right or wrong.

Alex's life line, around which the whole book revolves, seems to be almost totally focused on mountain climbing, with little bits of "real" life (some university, random jobs, random places to live, etc) thrown in between climbing exploits. Clearly this was where he wanted to excel, and where he did excel. Once again, neither right or wrong, neither good or bad, and just another case of a person focusing on something they wanted to do in life to the exclusion of other things. (Of course lots of other climbers, scientists, musicians, artists, and wanderlusts of various kinds have also lead their lives this way, so Alex is one of many.)

Probably the book was written out of love as a worshipful eulogy to Alex and his life (thus the title) by the people around him. I hope that the book turned out as well as the authors hoped, and fulfilled its purpose from their point of view.

But it seems to me that unless you're a climber with some hero worship or "climbing is most important" in you, the book might be self-defeating if its purpose was to help strangers remember Alex in a positive way. All I remember about the book was Alex's more or less self centered view of life (with some good family times thrown in between exploits), Jen's endless support and defense of him, regardless, and his eventual end in an avalanche.

Anyhow, this was an interesting book for the interplay of all these ideas about the life paths that people choose, about the self-centeredness that can define a central life path, about the voluntary roles of satellite supporters who support and defend the hero, and finally, about possible reflections and thoughts on the whole picture after the hero goes to a quick death and leaves everyone behind.
1413991
Turns out many of the advice we've been given over the years, is not as advertised. It won't cure all our ills. In fact, in some cases, following it can actually do harm. That's right. Striving for things like excellence, creativity, and balance may not be the way to go.

Jack Breeden exposes the danger behind these and other common business maxims. For instance, seeking balance can result in bland compromise. Seeking excellence in all things can create paralysis and stymie the implementation of workable solutions. A slick, creative approach often does not best the tried and true more bland solution.

Breeden explains how to combat these and other "sacred cows" with compelling stories and easy-to-follow examples. The writing is engaging and thought provoking.

An argument could me made, though, that this is primarily an issue of excess, and there are far fewer people taking these maxims to the extreme than those that ignore them completely. And, if more people actually followed the maxims, the result would be a far more successful workplace.

Regardless, the book is well written and has oodles of valuable advice. The highlighter will get a workout with this one.

--Nick McCormick, author, "Acting Up Brings Everyone Down"
4890283
Reading a Christian book set in an amazing and exciting location with characters laden with common burdens made for one worth reading.  The lives that were turned around, accepting God's unconditional love and forgiveness was encouraging. A tentative criticism I offer in hopes that new or potential Christians might not be misled into unreal expectations of God's perfect love for us.  Prayers a may be answered differently than we'd like.  Our idea of 'good' is being blessed with things that make us and others happy.  God's perspective of 'good' is making us more like Jesus.  Trusting God even when things are difficult is challenging.  It's vital to communicate this with our fellow believers, especially new ones.  God's timing often is much different than ours.