"Pacifier": Don't quit your action career, Vin
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Every once in a while, the movie industry does something so weird that you are forced to wonder what was going on the day some executive okayed the idea.  Was the L. A. smog particular poisonous or something?  For the most part, these bizarre movie ideas (example: "Hey!  Let's make ANOTHER movie about an enchanted racing Volkswagen Beetle!") turn out to be total duds, but every so often, these crazy plots actually turn into something remotely resembling a good movie.  Such is the case here, where tough action star Vin Diesel is thrown into a silly family comedy.

 On the surface, "The Pacifier" seems like a really dumb idea: Putting an action movie tough guy in charge of a bunch of kids in a goofy family movie.  And deep down, it is.  But for whatever reason, it works- occasionally.

 Shane Wolfe (Diesel) is a hard-edged Navy SEAL who is tasked with protecting the family of a (now-murdered) scientist from those who would try to hurt them.  It seems this scientist invented some kind of ballistic missile scrambler, which all manner of nasty types want for themselves.  What, exactly, is with Disney's fascination with ingenious scientists who invent truly incredible things, but live in normal American suburbia?  Isn't there one of those in nearly every Disney action/comedy ever made?  Anyway, as is completely expected, Wolfe is left to fend for himself, while the scientist's widow heads for Geneva to, yes, get into his safe deposit box which contains, supposedly, the vital technology.  She's only supposed to be gone for a couple of days, but it turns out to be more like several weeks, because (this is so pathetic) she can't guess the password to access the deposit box.  You'd think after about, I don't know, a day or so of guessing wrong passwords, the bank people would toss her out.

 So, Wolfe must take care of a rather large clan of kids, including a boy-crazy teenage girl, a surly teenage boy, an irresistibly cute little girl, a couple of younglings, and for no apparent reason: a duck.  And just like that, (that was the intent anyway), hilarity ensues.  To be honest, there are some pretty funny moments here, but nothing too spectacular.  Mostly it's just an overabundance of diaper humor, a given when dealing with several young kids, but enough is enough.  No need to be disgusting.  It was pretty amusing to see the rigidly-trained SEAL trying to deal with a bunch of unruly kids on his militaristic terms, even when it was stuff like Girl Scouts.  One of the funnier moments is Vin Diesel getting ready to take the kids out by wearing baby bottles like grenades and juice boxes like ammo cartridges.

 What I found most interesting however, was that there actually was a sufficient amount of action in this family comedy.  You can't completely take Vin Diesel away from the fight.  The opening credits sequence had enough explosions and guns going off to get MY attention.  And during the movie proper, there are some incredible chase scenes; incredible because they involve a Toyota mini-van.

"The Pacifier" is a good effort, but what it really needs to do is grow up.
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Dr. Schlessinger is a best-selling author, award winning radio therapist and a former professional licensed marriage and family therapist.  The book is a collection of documented phone calls to her radio show sprinkled with her consultations.  Given her background in marriage and family therapy, it is not surprising that this book is weighted heavily in issues, examples and discussions in these areas - and almost exclusively from a woman's perspective.  So unless you are interested in these areas, you'll find yourself skipping entire sections of the book.  That being said, I found these refreshing pearls of wisdom both from the good Doctor and from her callers:

1)  Closure isn't necessary - or sometimes even possible...most of the wish list rarely comes true.  And it is very wise to let go of a persistently rotting rope, isn't it?

2) Trying to make things be different by going over them again and again only fixates you in the past.  Letting go of that rotting rope with your hand firmly gripping a better philosopher, a wise counselor, or a loving friend or relative as a cheering squad gives you the possibility of greater peace and happiness

3) "The longer you behave in certain ways, the more it comes to define you, not only to others, but also to yourself."

4) Too much talking.  Whine less, do more. "I have learned that there is great power in taking action in directions where I have complaints or have been wronged by someone - and most of all, by taking forward steps instead of dredging up the past and displaying my suffering.

5) Perspective.  How are you doing: "Better than some and not as good as others."

6) You are what you give (to others and yourself).  You are what you do - first do good, then feel good.

7) Endure. "The point of documenting all these calls and letters is to give you enough scenarios that one might strike you as way to close to home; and better still, before it become "impossible."  For some of you, then is now.  You are already whining and feeling perpetually trapped...yet the whining state is just about the only condition you imagine is possible.  Let me repeat an important concept: enduring.  What we can't change (or fix) must be endured.  That means the whining stops because you set your mind, heart and soul to how to make the best out of a situation you'd rather not be in...but it is too late.  You must be polite, nice, helpful, positive, kind, patient; you know, some of that actually is potent salve to make the unendurable even pleasant.  And enough of that might change the situation completely and for the better."
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This soon-to-be classic by Nir Eyal challenges you to forego your "dope-dealing" approach to marketing in favor of a more enlightened, systematic approach: Be Morpheus (of "Matrix" fame) -- not Mayfield (of "Pusherman" fame). (This review assumes some fairly eclectic pop culture tastes, so if you're not familiar with these characters, I suggest that you Google them ;)

Eyal's theme is as follows: Create habit-forming products, ones that you love and use yourself.  Ask yourself what ACTION you want your user-consumer to take; think about how to SIMPLIFY that action; and give that user a REASON to become invested in your product over time--i.e. keep him/her coming back for more.  Sounds simple, doesn't it?  ***Well, then, why do so many ventures fail at thinking this essential process through?***  I know the answer: They haven't read Eyal's book.

If you've ever started a venture or enterprise -- small or large -- and then wondered, "Where the heck are my customers?", this book is a must-read.  He's Morpheus.  Youre Neo.  Treat your prospective customers accordingly -- and buy this book.
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Ladies and Gentlemen of interwebs, please allow me to push my agenda for one moment: This is a must-read for any coming-of-age person. The message is succinct and pragmatic. It might contain difficult content for some readers, but as the overall message of the book is: That's life.

The reader focuses on a young man named Travis who has been entrusted with the Texas homestead in his father's absence. Travis' father has pushed on to sell livestock in Kansas until fall. This means Travis must look after the daily struggles of life in the 1870's with his mom and his brother. Just when Travis needed a helping hand, a dented-up pooch comes into his life to strike some nuisance. Funny thing is, the dog is extremely useful. He comes to be known as Yeller for two reasons.

The reader follows Travis and Yeller's adventures in the novella. Yeller helps with guarding farm at night, he helps bay pigs, he lends a paw to corralling the ever-crazy Spot. Plus his yelling howl provides a nice alert. At first Travis wanted to do away with Yeller. Now he can't accomplish many things without him.

It is a shame this book has been whispered away along with the movie. These days it seems like people want their kids to watch "happy ending" movies that don't get kids emotional. No one will respond with "awe" when mentioning Frozen, but if one specifically points to Bambi and the hunting scene or Old Yeller, people who have witnessed the two referenced scenes clearly remember them. Perhaps these movies have been vaulted because they are too real.

Here is my agenda: As a teacher, I feel students of middle-school age should read this book. Lately it seems people don't want to give kids a dose of reality. Not employers, not teachers, and certainly not parents. This book becomes a casualty because of the body count that piles up and because of the ending. Yet hidden in the final pages are a father's sage words that can be paraphrased to benefit anyone: That life can get pretty hard sometimes. If one wants to sulk and focus on bad times, it makes it all bad.

This is why the book is great. It provides a dose of reality in a quick, concise, easily-decipherable message that can be carried around for the rest of one's life. People often cite revisiting this book during difficult times as a sort of healing process. Much like Where the Red Fern Grows, Old Yeller can help smooth over difficult points in life to remind us, just like Travis' father, that good times and bad times come and go. What one chooses to do with the handling of those good and bad times is up to each person. If people want this to be a menacing book that offends, it will remain so. However, if one wants reality in one sitting, this book will remain in a memorable area of the house to be referenced often at difficult times in life.
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Nick Duva was a member of a CEO Group (Vistage International)that I chaired.  Meeting with Nick on a monthly basis allowed me to observe over time how he applied the principles in his book to diverse businesses.  His successes rate was impressive and his clients were able to either enjoy a successful turn around or move to a liquidity event. You will see that his book is telling you to do what you know you should, but are too busy or too distracted to get it done.  So, either read the book and implement the principles, or hire Nick to do it for you.  Even if you are a dentist, extracting your own tooth is awkward and could be painful.
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Sometimes the perfect job is the very one you should walk away from; a lesson Mick and Bud quickly learn when a too-good-to-be-true robbery has dangerous implications. Pulling off the heist goes off without a hitch, but enjoying the money proves a challenge.

And they aren't just trying to evade the cops or the FBI investigation, because many people end up wanting to be cut in on the action. Mick and Bud face more trouble than simply figuring out a way to start enjoying their money. They are in a fight for their lives.

Exciting from start to finish, this story is non-stop action. Bud, in particular, is a character you are rooting for regardless of the fact that he's a thief. He has kids and a wife, and they need the money. I definitely related most to his character. Mick comes across as the more traditional criminal, but he looks out for Bud--very big brother.

With every turn of the page, a new person was after Bud and Mick. Bad guys, good guys, and everything in between. It's a well-written, high intensity read.

Why, you might ask, did I give it 4 stars? Up until the last page, this was a 4.5-5 star read. But endings matter, and this one simply left too much hanging. I didn't need some wrap-it-all-up happy ending--that wouldn't have been realistic--but I need an ending. Instead, I felt like I was missing chapters. I understand the idea of a cliffhanger (since this is the first of a trilogy), but this felt rushed and too abrupt.

However, please consider, I felt passionate--like hopping mad--about the ending. That shows just how much I was enjoying the book. So give Duke City Split a chance, and let's hope book two comes out soon and makes up for this one's ending.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.
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How can anyone make a list of man movies and not bring up the films of Charles Bronson? Granted he's already been in the cast of three of the movies I've chosen to write about already (THE DIRTY DOZEN, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN and THE GREAT ESCAPE), but those movies included him more as a member of the cast and not as the star. As Bronson's career grew he went from playing the mute lab assistant in THE HOUSE OF WAX to the main character in a number of action films in the seventies including today's gem MR. MAJESTYK.

Bronson stars as Vince Majestyk, a watermelon grower who wants nothing more than to get his crop in. As the film starts he shows his caring side by taking the side of migrant workers who just want to use a gas station's rest room. Hiring them to work along side his already picked crew, he returns to the farm to find a hustler named Bobby Kopas (Paul Koslo) trying to force him into using the crew Kopas wants to supply. A physical altercation that results in Kopas losing his gun and having the stock used to change his mind results in a warrant issued for Majestyk's arrest.

Placed in a jail Majestyk runs afoul of mob hit man Frank Renda (Al Lettieri). As far as Majestyk is concerned he's just another guy in jail. Renda strikes fear in the hearts of the rest of the convicts but not Vince. The prisoners are loaded for transfer to another location but their bus is attacked by a group trying to free Renda. In the aftermath of the attack a number of officers are left dead or dying and Vince has taken Renda and the bus for a drive to his summer cabin. He makes a deal for Renda's release just to get his crop in, but Renda's crew show to rescue him.

The die is cast. Renda won't listen to reason, wanting nothing more than to exact his revenge on Majestyk. The police won't interfere, hoping that Majestyk can be used as live bait to catch Renda in the act. Not willing to bide his time, Renda eventually attacks Majestyk, first shooting up his barn filled with watermelons and then breaking the legs of Larry (Alejandro Rey) his foreman. Now its time for Majestyk to get some revenge of his own.

Written by action author Elmore Leonard, MR. MAJESTYK is a fantastic action/revenge film that moves at a fast pace and doesn't waste a moment of screen time. Each second seen on the screen is planting the seeds for the final showdown and doing it with perfection. And the two leads are amazing to watch. Lettieri was always cast as a mobster and killer and seemed to excel at those roles.

Bronson was the epitome of the tough guy you just knew you shouldn't mess with but who stood up for those less fortunate. He made a living playing roles like this, becoming a icon of the seventies. He didn't possess the looks of the typical leading man having a rough exterior, but there was something about him that made you wish you had him in your corner. He had more movies that fit the "man movie" category and you'll see me write about them in the future. In looking back Bronson was one of the main stars to represent the kind of actor found in those films. He took no guff, he kicked butt and he stood for something bigger than himself. And in MR. MAJESTYK Bronson gives a good example of the kind of star he was just before he became a bigger international sensation.
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Vinnies book doesn't sugar coat things and that's a good thing. If you are expecting to pick this book up and read all the ways you can keep doing what you are already doing you won't be a happy camper. Vinnie tells it like it is. You have to get off your butt and start moving, you've got to eat the right foods, be emotionally connected to the task at hand to succeed. If you are looking to change your old habits and form new healthier ones then this is the book for you.
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Richard Pimentel knows what it is to be unwanted.  That's the way life started with his mother (Rebecca De Mornay) whose multiple miscarriages led her into suicidal grief for each one's passing.  So absorbed is she in her loss, she has little left to give to her only living son.  (The narrative is crisp through the movie, as he observes that his mother was "...not successful at suicide, but she was punctual.")  His father is a Chinese restauranteur, who provides some stability in the boy's life until he passes away from a work-related accident.  Then, mom changes custody for him from her to relatives and back to her again.

Richard becomes eloquent in spite of it all.  He develops his speech skills enough to win trophies, but not enough to win a scholarship from Portland (WA) University.  Dr. Pedro gives him a try out, but his conviction doesn't match his delivery.

His solution is to join the Army where he volunteers and becomes an enlistee for the Vietnam War.  One night while celebrating and reverie with his fellow soldiers, a shell pierces the night sky, but they aren't able to evacuate in time.  The blast leaves Richard injured, especially with hearing loss.  One of the masterstrokes of the movie is how they relate the muffled sounds of speech and the perpetual ringing in the ears he experiences and is expected to live with for the rest of his life.

Coming home, he has disability support, but he needs so much more.  He comes across a counselor who gives no support or consolation about job opportunities, but his anger and determination keep him going.  Like nearly everyone else, he'd like to relate to others and be a productive and working member of society.

The people he meets from there are essential.  Fellow Vet Mike Stoltz (Yul Vzquez), suffering from an amputated leg, offers him a beer at 10:00 in the morning, but he proves to be a better companion than beer for breakfast.  At a cafeteria, Richard meets a patron, Art Honeyman (Michael Sheen), who has cerebral palsy.  Shooting from the hip with a few choice expletives, Art has a style and conviction Richard likes better than the professor did his own.  Together they're inseparable.  One day while roller skating (Art's in a roller chair) they inadvertently knock over Christine who is understandably flustered, but he finds his match with her steady live-in boyfriend who has the looks, but not the congeniality toward his handicapped friend.

Most of the movie shows Richard's struggle--within himself, against institutions, and winning Christine's affection.  With friends and determination as his chief resources, he is able to lobby support for handicapped people in groundbreaking ways. Although based on a true story, I was surprised to find so many means one man, who used his eloquence and handicaps to provide those "...little differences you make in someone's life."  Both personal and historical in impact, 'Music Within' should be music to every movie goer's ears.
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Great read, inspiring story, true to the American dream for what is possible in the life insurance business. I was impressed but when I looked him up to verify his story, details started popping up that gave me pause.  In short, his insurance license in NYS was revoked, so he's no longer in business doing what the book is about.

I have no idea why, but it may be due to his phoning prospects with pre-recorded messages to consumers (B-to-c) dials. I checked and the practice he describes is illegal. It's not illegal to do B-to-B calling like this, but calling to consumers this way is illegal.

It's unfortunate in a way - he's clearly a unique presence with the gusto and force to have executed what he writes about. I don't doubt he did it all. It's too bad he didn't play within the lines because I'm sure he'd still be killing it.

Because if that I'd recommend against reading it. Instead I would recommend anything by Ben Feldman, or more like Rashaun, Joe Gandolfo. In fact, Joe Gandolfo's "Making Big Money in Selling" is what you should read if you're considering this book. Same total dedication attitude, same staggering work ethic, but Mr. Gandolfo has been in business for over 40 years and is one of the industry legends.
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Four years ago, I was suffering from an awful addiction that was destroying my life: I couldn't stop sucking my thumb.

It started out innocently enough, work would stress me out and I'd suck on weekends to relieve my stress. A little suck here and there wouldn't hurt, right? Wrong. Soon, things took a much darker turn. I knew I had a problem after I realized, after giving presentations to industry leaders at work, I'd sneak off to the bathroom to suck my thumb in private. I'd spend entire nights out, hanging around the wrong sort of bars in order to suck my thumb. My home life suffered, my wife became cold and distant, my kids became a blur in my mind.

I'd turn up to work looking rugged and I'd have bloodshot eyes from the lack of sleep. It was then that it happened. "Xeno", my boss called to me, "Would you step into my office?"

"I'm afraid we're going to have to let you go. I'm sorry." I begged him not to, I PLEADED with him. "In the light of your recent absences, I have no other choice." He affirmed.

The blood drained from my face, I went a green-pale. I could only stand there paralysed. Security removed me.

After that I stayed out even longer, night after night. I'd stay out and suck until the early hours of the morning. Then I'd come home and collapse on the floor of my living room, drooling all over the floor and leaving brown stains on it. Eventually my wife and kid vanished, but it didn't matter to me anymore. It was just all about me and the sweet nectar which was my thumb. Lord knows how many months I spent in a daze of drunken sucking, making an ass of myself. It was then one night I woke up to a white light: a hospital ceiling. Apparently I'd been hit by a truck after I wandered onto the highway, suffering critical injuries. It was there that a doctor told me that if I didn't stop sucking my thumb, I would die within the next year. With the aid of my physical therapy nurse, I immediately turned to the internet for solutions.

That's when I came upon it: Thumbusters. "My god?! Could this be real?!" It seemed too good to be true. "Something could cure me of this disease? What nonsense." I told myself. Regardless something uncouth inside me compelled me to buy one and give it a try. Let me tell you a piece of advice I've learned from this that I will cherish to my grave: always keep an open mind. The physical therapy was long and hard and my addiction was fought back with attrition, but I think without Thumbusters, I would have definitely relapsed. I now work at an automobile salesman, pulling my life back together, piece-by-piece. Thanks Thumbusters! Highly recommend to all.
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The 1st track 'Everything' by Pacifier will be most Americans first chance to hear them. They have been around for over a decade now with 5 albums under thier belts. Formerly called Shihad the tragic events of 9-11 forced a name change (Shihad sounded to close to jihad). Pacifier is scheduled to release thier self titled album in the States in January. So the album is worth it even for the one song, but overall it is a good album. "Everything" track 1 is the song that plays at the closing credits as well as part of it durning the movie.
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Ever since I saw Martin Scorsese's TAXI DRIVER I've had a problem getting into cabs especially in New York City. I always find myself asking, "Could Travis Bickle be driving me around?" What a scary thought. That fear has lingered into my adult hood. Now thanks to Mr. Scorsese I'm afraid of stand-up comics. Stop scaring me.
The King of Comedy tells the story of Rupert Pupkin (Robert De Niro, Flawless). Pupkin is a man with a dream, to become the newest King of Comedy. He will stop at nothing to get on the hottest late night talk show "The Jerry Langford Show" and after many months of trying he finally forces a meeting between him and the host Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis, Funny Bones).
After the meeting Rupert thinks he's made a new friend. Too bad Jerry doesn't realize that. So Rupert begins to stalk Jerry, showing up at his office, and out his summer home. Then Rupert gets fed up with Jerry's games and decides to kidnap him. Will this get him a shot on the Jerry Langford show? That's up to you to find out.
THE KING OF COMEDY is Taxi Driver light. Rupert Pupkin is disturbed but not dangerous. This works really well, because it gives you an under dog to root for, even if the ends don't justify the means. But aren't all of us a little star struck. Don't we all at one time or another look up and see some hack on television, or a Michael Bay movie and say "Hey I Can Do That?" I think well all have a little Rupert Pupkin in us.
De Niro makes Pupkin come alive. Rupert Pupkin is a really annoying guy. He's the kind of guy who attacks famous people with banal chitchat. If I were famous I'd want to steer clear of a guy like this. I would assume De Niro has had exposure to people like this and that's why he can channel a character like this. It's a strong performance with subtle wit and amazing presence.
I especially liked the scene outside Jerry Apartment Building where Rupert doesn't want to stop talking to Jerry and Jerry just wants to get away from this nut. I loved the urgency in Rupert's voice like if he were to stop talking this night would end and that can't happen. It's almost a letdown when Jerry walks into his apartment. The mind game over. It's a shame.
Another bright spot in this film is an actress I usually have very little faith in Sandra Bernhard (Hudson Hawk). She plays Masha, another one of Jerry Langford's obsessive fans, and Rupert's partner in crime. There is a sequence in which she tries to seduce Jerry; it's a performance that is both painful and silly, and really astonishing. I was impressed.
THE KING OF COMEDY is a lot of fun. It's also quite painful, and beautiful at the same time. Director Scorsese does a bang up job, even going as far as inviting the likes of Dr. Joyce Brothers and Tony Randall in as guest stars. Offering us that little spark of reality. What a great movie THE KING OF COMEDY is.
Why not give it a try yourself.
****1/2 (out of 5)
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Corporate America has long since turned into a bureaucratic nightmare; highlighted by micro-management, finger-pointing and malicious backstabbing.  It's such a depressing environment, it's no wonder so many employees are miserable; some are so unhappy, they're going out of their way to undermine the efforts of fellow workers who are trying to do a good job, although their level of engagement is frequently slipping with each passing day.  Yes, it's quite a mess out there.

For any beleaguered employee who's come to the end of their career rope, Pamela Skillings may have some encouraging news for you; if you're serious about breaking out of corporate hell, she's put together some very solid exit strategies that could change your life for the better.

Skillings has laid out a very pragmatic guide, designed to challenge the corporate slave into weighing the pros and cons of their current employment status; most importantly, it's time to really ask some tough questions of yourself; namely, are you content to chart the same career course for the next 30 years, or are you ready to make a break for it?

If you do opt in favor of a career change, formulate your best strategy for achieving that goal.  I highly recommend reading a few other books, which should help you prepare for the transition---<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Escape-from-Cubicle-Nation-From-Corporate-Prisoner-to-Thriving-Entrepreneur/dp/1591842573/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Escape from Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Career-Renegade-How-to-Make-a-Great-Living-Doing-What-You-Love/dp/0767927419/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Career Renegade: How to Make a Great Living Doing What You Love</a>&nbsp;&<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Leap-How-3-Simple-Changes-Can-Propel-Your-Career-from-Good-to-Great/dp/1591842565/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Leap: How 3 Simple Changes Can Propel Your Career from Good to Great</a>.

Good luck!
1851187
"Slow down," one of my children may tell me; sometimes, I even say it to myself.

Forget it!

The great message of this book is "Keep going--full tilt."

Consider Dorothy Toy, 88, with a dance class full of high school girls, or Lily Hearst at the piano practicing her scales before she tackled Chopin, all this before her students arrive. Lily didn't like teaching youngsters--she insisted that they be at least 70. It makes sense, since when Lily taught her students, she was 105 herself. Dorothy and Lily are but two of the inspiring women whose stories enliven the pages of this fascinating book.

Author Amy Gorman, along with her colleague, Frances Kandl, became intrigued with women artists who continued to pursue their art into their later years. Amy was so intrigued, that in 2006 she interviewed twelve of them, all but one 85 or older, who lived in or near Berkeley, California. The interviews and these women became this book, which is itself an inspiration.

The women followed many muses: Lily, music; Dorothy, dance; the well-named Stella Toogood Cope told stories, as did Orunamanu (Mary Beth Washington). There are painters, singers, a doll maker, a rug braider and an Ikebana artist as well. Despite the differences in craft and life story among the women, the author noted many similarities: they accepted the limitations of age without complaint and they "continued to do their art no matter what."

As my own clock ticks along (whose does not?), I find inspiration in each story. These women can serve as models for all of us. It would be a fine book to share with older women's groups, not only to encourage the participants but also to serve as a catalyst for the sharing of their own stories. This book also deserves a place in the larger field of women's history, for while each woman was living her later years in California, their stories spanned three centuries and several continents. Lily began her life in Austria, where with her sister, she pioneered skiing for women--and wore pants to do it! Stella began her storytelling career on the radio in England, while Madeline, the doll maker, was a pioneering African-American nurse in New York. Dancer Rosa Maria traces her family back to the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico, and dancer Dorothy, American born with Japanese heritage, spent the Second World War in her parents' homeland. Such diversity, such a wealth of personal creativity. If these women are all in Berkeley, I wonder about the women around me!

A bonus comes with this book. Frances Kandl composed seven songs about the women interviewed here. She performed them as a salute to the women; a compact disc is included with the book.

This is a book to appreciate and share.

by Patricia Nordyke Pando
for Story Circle Book Reviews
[...]
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I recently noted an interview with N.T. Wright by my friend Tripp Fuller. One of the subjects covered in the interview was Wright's new book After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters. Explaining the hope he had in writing the book, Wright mentioned a possible titled included "Virtue." There was some concern it would not "sell." Imagine living in the 21st Century and "virtue" not selling.

Even if someone may not buy a book on virtue, nearly everyone should be concerned about character. The matter runs to the root of what kind of person we choose to be. Too often we get confused about "doing the right thing." Asking someone to "do the right" thing without addressing  the aim of personhood and what kind of person you or I would want to be seems a bit wrong headed - to borrow a Wrightism.  I am reminded of C.S. Lewis' essay, "The Abolition of Man." There in that classic essay Lewis notes how insufferable it is to remove the framework for making moral decisions and then asking a person then to be moral. He write something like, ". . . then bid the gelding to produce."

Wright, for me, runs along the same track Dallas Willard has been running on. When the question is about deciding to do right, we are managing our impulses. When we determine what kind of person we will be then we choose according to that aim. One tends to begin at the point of behavior. The other emphasizes living out a way of life that is constructive and formative in keeping with the personal decision to be this kind of person or that kind of person.

It is no secret that I like Bishop Tom. We have shared a meal, a conference, and a plane - public not private. He is affable and memorable. He has determined to be a kind of person that flows from his understanding of the grand project of redemption of all things in Jesus. That aim is born out not only in his writing but in his person. Go get it. Read it. Let it inspire you to move from managing impulses to charting a course for what your lie may look like as it reflects the life of Jesus.

This review is in response to my participation in The Ooze Viral Blogger project for After You Believe. I did receive the book for review. However, I would have bought the book and reviewed it had all the books been handed out for the project.
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Order So Good They Can't Ignore You today. Get it in hardback, get it in Kindle, it can change your life. Cal Newport is a computer scientist in his first year teaching at Georgetown. So what does he know? Well, he has already published three successful books on how to be a super-student--in college and high school--and he runs the enormously popular blog "Study Hacks." And now, in this newest book, he debunks the popular career advice "follow your passion." He doesn't just blow some self-help smoke about how to manipulate your own emotions, he actually tells you what steps to take to develop rare and valuable skills and achieve an interesting life, his "career craftsman" approach.

Cal Newport argues that passion comes after you put in the hard work to become excellent at something valuable, not before. Just showing up at work or school is not enough. Just being good enough to get by is not enough. Nor is it enough to get to be good at something ho-hum. Cal tells you how to choose what you do carefully, and how to build your rare and valuable skills, always with a view, as well, to how to get your achievements known.

Cal is a scientist. To develop his theories he talked with many people who are successful in their work, from organic farmers to venture capitalists, and he met with the brilliant young evolutionary biologist Pardis Sabeti at Harvard and analyzed her career-building choices and the effect on her career of her sense of mission. But he also applied his theories candidly to how he made his own decisions, good and less so.

Now here's my experience. I have followed Cal Newport's blog for several years. I took it to heart when Cal first started talking about Steve Martin's advice to young comedians, "Get to be so good they can't ignore you"--now the title for the new book--and I recited that motto daily as I drove myself through the final painful months of producing my own latest book&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Perform-Your-Best-on-the-Bar-Exam-Performance-Test-MPT-Train-to-Finish-the-MPT-in-90-Minutes-Like-a-Sport-TM/dp/0970608837/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Perform Your Best on the Bar Exam Performance Test (MPT): Train to Finish the MPT in 90 Minutes, Like a Sport(TM)</a>. Who knows how long the job might have taken without Cal's inspiration. But this review is about Cal's book, not mine.

Let me tell you, Cal Newport's new book is terrific from the title page to the index. Buy it today. Get to be so good they can't ignore you. Get an interesting life.