Book-No Reason to Live by Scott Mason
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Wow Scott! Your book is a very good & interesting read! I'd read it non-stop if I could!!! I'm about half-way or more through!!! I love books, but it takes a really good one to make me want to read it non-stop!!! Thank you for sharing your story & giving us such insight to what a life like yours has been like & lets pray that many young people will learn not from your story not to go down the same path, but to make better choices in life so as not to suffer as you did...
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Book Review - Death with Dignity
Robert Orfali

Death is the final separation. When a loved one passes on, it is difficult enough dealing with the trauma; but how much worse is it when your loved one suffers from a terminal illness before their time comes? How do you handle caring for a loved one knowing that, as Pink Floyd put it, `.... you're older and shorter of breath and one day closer to death.' Modern medicine has made it possible to cling on to life that little bit longer but( in some cases) at what cost?

Robert Orfali rests his case for legalising physician assisted dying or what we know as euthanasia in his book Death with Dignity. He says in his book, that we cannot choose how and where and to whom we are born  and most often we cannot choose how to die. But sometimes with the help of modern medicine, we are sustained and forced to live longer than we would care to. Orfali states, ` modern medicine has the technology to sustain us past the point of awareness.' We are told to fight to the very end but if that fight is wrought with immeasurable pain and suffering, then what good is that life? Hospices are a slightly better option only because the focus is more on comfort care rather than constant medical interventions and intubations in a cold and clinical ICU.

Robert Orfali was a software expert and he and his wife and soul mate Jerri dealt in programming and distributing software systems. They co -authored books and lived the idyllic life till Jerri was diagnosed with cancer. Then Robert became her sole caregiver and helped her cope with her day to day life.

Jerri's cancer progressed and soon it was evident that things were going downhill. Jerri was a strong, clear headed woman who knew exactly what she wanted and she wanted death without pain.

The state of Oregon in the United States has legalised physician assisted dying and this is what Robert is advocating. He believes that the option to have the administration of a lethal dose of the barbiturate Nembutal along with the option of palliative care will improve the choices that terminally ill patients can have. It will give them the choice of a painless dignified death. And a person who still has all his cognitive capabilities intact should be allowed to make that choice. In order to state his case Robert not only cites many istances from around the world where Nembutal has been recognised, but also gives options and solutions as to how physician assisted dying can and should be made legal. `Nembutal provides another palliative care option -an alternate way to die. It allows us to combine the beautiful hospice end-of-life experience with a gentle and easy death.'

This is an explosive topic and no one knows that better than Robert Orfali. He has been there, done that. He has endured the incredible pain of seeing his partner die. There are obviously many hurdles before euthanasia or physician assisted dying can be legalised in most parts of the world, but it is a matter which is very much worth pursuing. After all we are all headed to that destination one way or another.
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This book was given to me for free by Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for this review.

"Is it possible to be high on a mountain and deep in a valley at the same time?"

Scott Macintyre had been asking this question since he was diagnosed with kidney failure at the young age of 19.  Being a prodigious child, Scott's musical abilities far excel the talents of those the same age. Not only could the kidney failure be fatal to Scott's career, it could also be fatal to Scott.  His story is an interesting one. One of a scholar, a songwriter, a student, an American Idol contestant, and most importantly, a child of God. With prayer, perseverance, and praise, Scott's roller coaster-like biography proves the goodness of God even in the most trying circumstances.

I '

  His writing style. I felt as if I was having coffee with him, or at least hearing him speak at an event. You can see his personality through his writing, and it is one of the best parts of this book.

  His detail. While some readers would complain that too many details are a bad thing, I think it is rarely true. Scott added the perfect amount of detail: Enough to describe accurately the setting/person/thing, yet not enough to cause readers to become uninterested.

  His story. It is very uplifting, and fascinating. Usually in biographies/memoirs, there is at least one portion of the book that is somewhat dull. Not this one!

  His attitude. He remained with a great attitude towards his problems, never giving in to moping or discontent, despite his blindness.

  His humility. I think in autobiographies, a lot of times, the author can come across as prideful, even if they are not doing so intentionally. Fortunately, Scott is extremely humble.

I didn't '

  I cannot honestly think of something that I disliked about the book. While it is not for the light of heart, it is easily rated a G. It is fantastic.

Overall, I think if you are into American Idol, Biographies, or books in general, this one is a great one to add to your library!
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Grasshoppers, swings, dirt, traffic jams, puppy dogs, and blue skies. N.D. Wilson appears to be captivated by everyday objects and everyday situations. He appears to be captivated by life. Living life is what his new book is meant to convey - really living life. But living also means dying.  So the author wordsmiths his way into the heart of readers by painting portraits of life and death - most of which arise from his own life and the lives of his family and extended family.

Death by Living is a plea for people to living life as God intends. In other words, to quote Red from Shawshank Redemption, "Get busy livin' or get busy dyin." Wilson challenges readers to get busy living which of course will culminate with death: "How much of the vineyard can we burn first? How fast can we run? How deeply can we laugh?  Can we ever give more than we receive? How much gratitude can we show? How many of the least of these can we touch along the way? How many seeds will we get into the ground before we ourselves are planted?"

A theme that runs through Wilson's work is that life is a story. Life is a story that each of us participate in. Indeed, we write our stories every day.  But the author maintains, "there is a difference between asserting that life is a story and actually living life like a story. And there is another difference between living life-like a story and living life like a good story."  Living life like a story, therefore, is part and parcel of the Christian life.

The author helps readers see what real living looks like: "Grabbing will always fail. Giving will always succeed ... Our children, our friends, and our neighbors will all be better off if we work to accumulate for their sakes ... Don't leave food uneaten, strength unspent, wine undrunk."

Wilson urges readers to live with all their might. And while he never mentions Jonathan Edwards, I hear a strong Edwardsian influence throughout the  book. Edwards himself penned 70 resolutions that reflect many of the propositions in Death by Living. One of those resolutions is to "live with all my might, while I do live" (Resolution 6). Nate Wilson argues in the same vein, which of course, is undergirded by America's greatest intellectual: "Laugh from your gut.  Burden your moments with thankfulness. Be as empty as you can be when that clock winds down. Spend your life.  And if time is a river, may you leave a wake."

Death by Living will elicit laughter - lots of laughter.  I found myself reading portions of Wilson's work to my wife and she would laugh with me.  In fact, I haven't laughed so hard in a while!  Some won't find Wilson's humor funny - which makes me laugh even harder!

Death by Living may prompt tears. There is a realism here that is hard to come by these days. This author speaks in candid terms.  Taking prisoners simply isn't an option.  All the cards are on the table.  Readers are left to determine a whether the "hand they've been dealt" will result in joyful, Christ-saturated living or death by a thousand qualifications.  Far too many have simply thrown in the towel.  Wilson argues from an entirely different perspective as he encourages readers that "life is meant to be spent."

One reviewer compares Wilson to John Eldredge - what is likely meant to be a compliment. Sure, whatever.  I prefer, as I have done elsewhere [See my review: Notes From the Tilt-a-Whirl] to compare Wilson to Dennis Miller, G.K. Chesterton, and C.S. Lewis - no doubt a true compliment!  Death by Living is about the gospel but it never comes across in "preachy" tones.  It's a celebration of life lived and ended well.  It's about a life that is lived passionately and faithfully.  Death by Living is about living with gusto; about living with passion; about living to honor Christ.  But real living also requires dying.  We are called to finish strong and die well - all to the glory of God!

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review.
[...]
4.5 stars
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77 days in September is a very enjoyable, easy to read book. It tells of one mans journey to rejoin his family after North America  grinds to a halt following an EMP attack.  The book explores how people react when their world is suddenly changed. We see both the good and the ugly sides of human behaviour. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.
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Genre: Non-Fiction

Age Recommendation: I believe that everyone should read this book- its very well written!

This is an extremely inspirational story about a man who persevered his whole life to achieve his dream and how he overcame all the obstacles that stood in his way.

This book was my summer reading assignment and I enjoyed reading it immensely. The first time around, I was put off by the fact that this book was non-fiction and therefore could not focus. However, the second time around, I realized that this book was as good as any other and that one should not judge a book based on its genre. Furthermore, an open mind is required when reading books and one should not be afraid to step out of their comfort zone or genre.

Astronaut



Colonel Chris Hadfield, a native Canadian has wanted to be an astronaut most of his life. However, the fact that he is a Canadian restricts him from pursuing a career in his wanted field because Canadas space program is not as developed as those of other countries, such as America or Russia. The only way into a program is to join an academy which then sends a certain number of astronauts to NASA.

When Colonel Hadfield finally finds a way to join NASA, he must deal with the pain of separation from his family and the fact that he can not be an avid participant in their lives.

Moreover, he sustains an injury which may lead to him not being able to go to space.

But he never gives up



For the full review, and more young adult book reviews, visit [...]
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Just finished reading&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Fearless-Imagine-Your-Life-Without-Fear/dp/0849921392/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear</a>&nbsp;I can honestly recommend it not just as an inspiring book to read once or even pass on, but a reference to pick up and skim a chapter or two when we feel fear gaining a foothold. That's how I'm going to use it. I'll buy more copies to pass on to people, but this one? I'm keepin'.

When I first picked the book up and read the title - Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear - I thought to myself, I've been around the block a few times...there isn't much I'm afraid of, so this book may not mean much to me. You see, I've always considered myself a bit of a risk taker.

As I read through the chapters though, I began to realize that the most paralyzing fear is not what you feel just before you bungee-jump for the first time (frightening - yet exhilarating...). Immobilizing fear is what you encounter everyday - fear of getting laid off, of not having enough money to pay the bills, of terrorists showing up in a town near you, of the weirdo that just moved in next door, of economic collapse, of global warming - I mean, just watch the TV news, it is packed with these insidious fears. It is these every-day fears that trap us in our ruts. Fear breeds anger and distrust. It turns us into people we don't want to be. Like seeds fears are planted in our subconscious and we feed and water them everyday with the belief that we are completely alone out here!

Yet, as Fearless points out, scattered throughout the Bible are reminders of why we have no need to fear anything...ANYTHING.

Let's face it, there is a lot to be afraid of these days. Is there more now though than in other times? Every generation has had its wars, atrocities, natural disasters. The human spirit is pliable, we just have to remember the great good that is constantly watching over us.

Freedom from fear is a liberation we all deserve - it is our God-given right. So even if you think you're not afraid of anything, pick up a copy of Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear by Max Lucado. You may not even realize that you're afraid, or what your fear is doing to you and those around you.
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Awesome book!  Wish the author would write one for each of Mason's SEAL Team members. Recommend this book!
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This book was written by a friend who is a great skydiver and has endured many odds against him. I have not had a chance to read this yet, but am sure it will be a good read.
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This book was such a great book to read, and I don't even like to read. When I first started reading the book I had a hard time putting the book down. It was such an inspiration to me to see how someone could change even when they were in such terrible circumstances. I really liked your tips for change in your book. I would recommend anyone to read this book.
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Great book, I could not put it down. It keeps you on the edge of your seat as it tells how a group of people found a way to escape the horrors of their old lives under big brother and find joy in one with out out big brother stealing all their chances for true happiness. I live in the part of the country where this story was inspired so my imagination went wild dreaming about escaping from a 1984 totalitarian government to live free and independent.
I was told by a person who knows the author a second book is in the works and may also be offered on Kindle. I am looking forward to reading it soon.

I plan to give these as Christmas presents as this is a gift that can be enjoyed by the entire family for may years.
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*:**:*.10*STAR.*:**:*. My adult son (Australian living in China) and I (Australian in Aussie Land) thoroughly enjoy Scott's inspirational writing; his adventurous spirit, honest thoughts and positive attitude. Scott is a true role model, a genuine motivator and all-round good guy. His writing is suitable for academics and children alike. They should be a must read at school! Scott's self-reliance, optimism and integrity shine through. We highly recommended his books!
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The book Lockdown: Escape from Furance written by Alexander Gordon Smith. It is an action/ adventure horror story. It starts off with Alex and his friend Toby. Toby gets killed and Alex gets arrested for Toby's murder. Alex gets shipped to Furance prison for the rest of his life. Alex meets his new friends Donovan and Zee while locked up. They all are working to together to escape the horrible prison Furnace.
In the book Lockdown: Escape from Furance there was a lot I liked and didn't like. One thing I liked is that it have some similarities to real prisons. Most things they did in the prison really happen in real life. Second thing I liked is how Alex grow as a person while locked up. This also happen in reality when some people get locked up. Some people change and some people stay the same. A few things I didn't like is how everything happen. One example is when the people killed Toby and Alex got arrested for it. Honestly Alex got framed and that's what I didn't like. Second example is when Toby got killed. Seeing Alex lose his bestfriend is something I didn't like.
Overall the book was good. I was hoping to see if Alex break out successful but it doesn't tell. I recommend this book to anybody who wants to read any book that wants to read about prison stories. Also if you want to feel the emotion a person feels while in prison. Last is you want to hear how to escape escape from a prison.
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Introduction

  A very well writen book by a man that has had to endure a tremendous amount of physical and emotional punishment. Frankel's main argument is that a human being can overcome almost anytihng in life if they can find their meaning for living. By using some of his own perosnal experiences and others' as well, he is able to illustrate that his argument of meaning is true. By using his personal experiences and observatoins it is very clear to see that his argument that by finding a true meaning or desire a human being can hold on for what they believe in.

  Argument summary

Frankel's main premises in the first half of the book are that even under the most extreme circumstances, as in Frankel's time in a Nazi concentration camp, a person who has something to live for can and will survive.  For Frankel it was his wife that he constantly thought about and strived to live for. He had observations of people emotionaly giving up, which led to sickness and death. The conclusions of his arguments are that if a person finds their meaning for life, in Frankel's case his wife, and they never give up hope for them then a person can overcome almost anything as long as you don't give up.

Critical Evaluation

  Frankel's arguments are of good reasoning and deductively valid. If a person has nothing to live for, nothing to strive for, then that person is not going to live or strive for anything. It is this very simple yet very strong emotion that makes it possible for people to go on and continue. If a person finds true meaning for their life then that person will do everything in their power to keep that meaning and that meaning will keep them striving forward. His arguments do not seem to contain any fallacies. In fact if you look at the fallacy of look who's talking, Frankel is doing exactly the opposite. He is practicing what he preaches if you want to put it that way. Not only is he arguing that if you find a means of continuance then it is possible to go on, but he also has personal experience with this. His times in the concentration camps and not giving up on hope and having his wife as a means of continuance prove that he is not commiting such a fallacy for example. The only negative I have to say against Frankel's arguments are that once he makes one, as in his argument that logotherapy is the meaning of life and existence, he seems to ramble and lead to something a little of course. Besides this, I find his arguments to be stellar and in my mind prove to be a very heartfilled and emotionally lifting read.

Conclusion

  Frankel's experiences not only prove that the human soul is very powerful as long as you give yourself a means to go on, to strive for what not only what you believe, but prove that almost anything is possible. Using his own personal experiences and observations amongst others, he not only proves these arguments but lets you into his life of meaning. Throughout the book Frankel is numerously quoting Nietzsche which is a strong support for his argument that human beings need to find meaning in order to survive. I am going to leave you with the quote that is most often quoted, "He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how".
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Annotation:  In San Francisco, newlyweds are being slaughtered one by one.  Four women, lead by Lindsey Boxer, a homicide detective, have decided to join forces to outwit and trap this terrifying killer.
Author Bio:  James Patterson lives in Palm Beach County, Florida with his wife and son.  He graduated with a B.A. in English from manhatten College and with an M.A. in English from Vanderbilt University.  He has written numerous bestsellers including Along Came A Spider and Kiss the Girls, which have been made into feature films starring Morgan Freeman.
Evaluation:  James Patterson is one of my favorite authors. His books always keep you at the edge of your seat.  1st to Die is definitely one of his most suspenseful novels yet.  In this story, the main character, Lindsey Boxer, is incredible.  She not only has to fight to find the killer, but she also has to fight a potentially fatal disease.  I especially loved reading this book from a woman's viewpoint.  This book could definitely be empowering for any woman who reads it.  It shows that women can be successful in a man's world.  I also loved the fact that their was a romantic aspect to this story.  It gives the plot another twist at the very end.
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I have yet to read the 2 unmarked books.
When Breath Becomes Air was an inspirational book. I truly believe it should be required reading for prospective medical students
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When I read what the book was about I did not know if i wanted to read it. it sat on my book shelf for a number of years.  I was afraid it would be too depressing and pull me down.  But on the contrary.  Yes, the book is about the authors friend/teacher dying but Mitch Albon's writing is so inspiring that is was a feel good book.  There were a lot of very good messages in the book about life.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.