Review: However Long the Night by Aimee Molloy

However Long the Night
Author:  Aimee Molloy
Published: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Harper One, A Division of Harper Collins Publishing
Pages:  272
ISBN:  9780062132765

Source:  Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for a complimentary copy of However Long the Night.  Receipt thereof bears no influence over my opinion nor this review.

The story of how one of the “most powerful women in women’s rights” (Forbes) is paving the way to a world with human dignity for all.

However Long the Night is the extraordinary story of one woman’s determination to create a movement toward change, and a better future, for millions of girls and women across Africa. Molly Melching grew up in the Midwest but was called to explore the world outside her hometown when she arrived in Senegal in 1974. There, she quickly grew invested in the fate of the Senegalese women she met. Based on her experiences living in a remote African village, she founded Tostan, an organization dedicated to empowering African communities by using democracy and human-rights-based education to promote relationships built upon dignity, equality, and respect. She forever changed her life and the lives of those touched by Tostan.

Unlike many Western organizations that have tried to transform various African cultures from the outside, Melching, who was named as one of the “150 women who shake the world” by Newsweek and Daily Beast, understands that true change comes only from within. Tostan’s groundbreaking strategies have led to better education for the women of rural Africa, improved health care, a decrease in child/forced marriage, and declarations by thousands of African communities to abandon the centuries-old practice of female genital cutting.

However Long the Night brings together Melching’s riveting personal journey with the stories of the Senegalese women and men who found the courage to lead this movement. This book is a testament to the fact that the connections between women can lead to a better world.

My Thoughts:

"Molly Melching saw a deeply disturbing but deeply entrenched practice and refused to accept that it couldn't be stopped.  Her relentless efforts are proof that commitment and partnership can drive transformational change." Hillary Rodham Clinton

Such a statement from Hillary Clinton, while it hints at the monumental task that one woman set out to accomplish, it also conveys the worldwide acknowledgement that Molly Melching has achieved for the accomplishments she was instrumental in bringing forth in Africa.

Always intrigued by other cultures, Molly Melching loved to travel.  In October of 1974 she made the journey that would change her life and the lives of many many more.  Travelling to Senegal Africa as an exchange student with the intention of attending the University of Dakar for a six month program, she became friends with Ndey, who was from a small village in Africa.  It was while she was visiting with Ndey and her family there that she learned of female genital cutting (FGC).  This was the beginning of her real journey.

Molly soon learned that the best way to affect positive change in a land that was deeply set in tradition and customs was through an education program.  "I have learned many lessons during the decades I've been doing this work," Molly says, "but none as important as this:  if you want to help empower people to positively transform their communities and their lives, human rights education is key.  For many years, our education program did not include discussions on human rights.  We were successful, but it was only after introducing human rights learning that an amazing thing happened.  I can't explain it.  It felt like magic."

Molly does not readily accept credit for the positive changes in the villages of Africa.  She prefers to allow the women of the villages to tell their story.  Upon telling the author, Aimee Molloy this, she invited the author to go to Senegal to see for herself and that is just what the author did.  

Seeing the isolated villages in a land so incredibly dissimilar to her own, Aimee found it incredible that a woman of thirty-two (Molly's age at the time of the author's visit), would leave everything she knew to live there.  The joy Molly experiences amongst the villagers and the mutual love they have for one another is evident.  It is because Molly truly cares for each individual and respects them and their customs, that she approached cautiously in terms of educating the villagers.  Upon education, she was able to open communication amongst them with her, each other, their husbands and their spiritual leaders.  Once they learned of vaccinations, diseases, how to properly care for injuries and more and of their rights as human beings; they became aware of the dangers of FGC, understanding that the hemorrhaging, the infections, years of problems and sometimes death were not attributed to bad spirits but rather to the procedure of FGC.  Understanding brought about communication and then change.  Seeing support from local spiritual leaders and the World Health Organization, the organization of Tostan (headed by Molly) was able to affect positive changes for the women and for generations to come.

The work is still ongoing but it is a labour of love for Molly.  It took a great deal of personal education and patience, not to mention courage, but this one woman has been instrumental in changing a nation.  Isn't that incredible?

One person can make a difference.

Meet the Author:

Aimee Molloy has collaborated on seven books, including with Newsweek journalist Maziar Bahari on Then They Came for Me: A Family’s Story of Love, Captivity, and Survival and with Pam Cope on Jantsen’s Gift: A True Story of Grief, Rescue, and Grace. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Duke University and a master’s degree from New York University. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and daughter.

http://aimeemolloy.com

Review: Margaret Fuller - A New American Life by Megan Marshall

Margaret Fuller
A New American Life
Author:  Megan Marshall
Published: March 2013
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 496
Category:  Biography
Format: Trade paperback (Advanced Reader's Copy)
ISBN 9780547195605

Thank you to the publisher and to TLC Book Tours for a complimentary copy of Margaret Fuller - A New American Life.  Receipt of such did not influence my opinion nor this review.

From an early age, Margaret Fuller dazzled New England’s intelligent elite. Her famous Conversations changed women’s sense of how they could think and live; her editorship of the Dial shaped American Romanticism. Now, Megan Marshall, whose acclaimed The Peabody Sisters “discovered” three fascinating women, has done it again: no biography of Fuller has made her ideas so alive or her life so moving.

Marshall tells the story of how Fuller, tired of Boston, accepted Horace Greeley’s offer to be the New York Tribune’s front-page columnist. The move unleashed a crusading concern for the urban poor and the plight of prostitutes, and a hunger for passionate experience. In Italy as a foreign correspondent, Fuller took a secret lover; wrote dispatches on the brutal 1849 Siege of Rome; and gave birth to a son.

When all three died in a shipwreck off Fire Island shortly after Fuller’s 40th birthday, the sense and passion of her life’s work were eclipsed by tragedy and scandal. Marshall’s inspired account brings an American heroine back to indelible life. (summary from TLC Book Tour site)

My Thoughts:

Megan Marshall's Margaret Fuller - A New American Life is a well researched and written biography of a rare lady, writer and early feminist.  Through correspondence and diaries amongst other sources, Margaret Fuller's extraordinary childhood and development to womanhood and beyond is written with meticulous attention to historical facts while giving life to the story of a woman who was amongst the trailblazers of her time.

Though her life was cut short at 40, Margaret found much success and helped pave the way for women everywhere in the work force.  A wife, mother, writer and genius; Margaret Fuller did find herself after struggling to find her own identity and remains an example to women everywhere to be and do what their heart desires.  

For lovers of memoirs, influential women in history, and/or inspirational biographies, Margaret Fuller - A New American Life is highly recommended.

MEGAN MARSHALL is the author of The Peabody Sisters, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Atlantic, New York Times Book Review, and Slate. A recipient of Guggenheim and NEH fellowships, Marshall teaches in the MFA program at Emerson College.

My Favourite Books of 2011

I have read over 100 new books this year and a few stand out amongst the rest as memorable.  As I recall, from the top of my head, I think of The Help by Kathryn Stockett (thought provoking and humorous), The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (dreamy fantasy world of the circus), Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (creative suspense), Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson (true genius), Little Princes by Conor Grennan (touched my soul), Huber Hill and the Dead Man's Treasure by BK Bostick (can't wait for the next in the series), The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (true friendship under occupation), Still Alice by Lisa Genova (loyalty, support, knowledge and humor), Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer (remarkable, 1st in a series), A Walk Across the Sun by Corban Addison (eye-opening and suspenseful), Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes (a languid visit to romantic Tuscany), Hot Water by Erin Brockovich and CJ Lyons (suspense!), Don't Let Your Mechanic Pick Your Pocket by George A. Moyer (an honest informative book for all car owners), Reflections of a Successful Wallflower by Andrea Michaels (funny and entertaining), Hunting for Hemingway by Diane Gilbert Madsen (who knew Hemingway was so intriguing?), Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda (a warm read recommended for every mother/daughter), Engage Commit Grow by Larry Smith (should be required reading for every business student, manager, and owner), Sudden Moves by Kelli Sue Landon (a best-seller in the making!), The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (fantasy meets mythology).  But if I have to categorize them, by genres, it narrows the field somewhat.  

Fiction: Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda, Still Alice by Lisa Genova, The Help by Kathryn Stockett,

Fantasy/Fiction:  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Legal Thrillers:  A Walk Across the Sun by Corban Addison, Hot Water by Erin Brockovich and CJ Lyons

Historical Fiction/Classics: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Non-fiction: Engage, Commit, Grow by Larry Smith; Don't Let Your Mechanic Pick Your Pocket by George A. Moyer, and Reflections of a Successful Wallflower by Andrea Michaels

Biography: Little Princes by Conor Grennan, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Travel/Memoirs:  Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes

Teen/YA: Sudden Moves by Kelli Sue Landon

Children's: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, The Wizard Who Saved the World by Jeffrey Bennett

Mystery:  The Cat Who Turned On and Off by Lillian Jackson Braun, Hunting for Hemingway by Diane Gilbert Madsen, Postern of Fate by Agatha Christie

I am looking forward to a new year of remarkable new reads, debuting authors, book previews, advance reader's copies.  To curl up with a good book, a throw over your lap, and a favourite drink in hand and perhaps a little chocolate is pure delight.  Imagine a fire crackling in the hearth and, perhaps, some Michael Buble playing softly in the background.  Is there anything better when you are enjoying some time to yourself?

Here's to a new year of remarkable reads!  

Review: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Steve Jobs
Author:  Walter Isaacson
Publishers:  Simon and Schuster
Published:  October 2011
Pages:  656
Genre:  Biography
ISBN 9781451648539


From the publisher:  

FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE BESTSELLING BIOGRAPHIES OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AND ALBERT EINSTEIN, THIS IS THE EXCLUSIVE BIOGRAPHY OF STEVE JOBS.

Based on more than forty interviews with Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing.At a time when America is seeking ways to sustain its innovative edge, and when societies around the world are trying to build digital-age economies, Jobs stands as the ultimate icon of inventiveness and applied imagination. He knew that the best way to create value in the twenty-first century was to connect creativity with technology. He built a company where leaps of the imagination were combined with remarkable feats of engineering.Although Jobs cooperated with this book, he asked for no control over what was written nor even the right to read it before it was published. He put nothing off-limits. He encouraged the people he knew to speak honestly. And Jobs speaks candidly, sometimes brutally so, about the people he worked with and competed against. His friends, foes, and colleagues provide an unvarnished view of the passions, perfectionism, obsessions, artistry, devilry, and compulsion for control that shaped his approach to business and the innovative products that resulted.Driven by demons, Jobs could drive those around him to fury and despair. But his personality and products were interrelated, just as Apple’s hardware and software tended to be, as if part of an integrated system. His tale is instructive and cautionary, filled with lessons about innovation, character, leadership, and values.

My thoughts:  It took me three weeks to complete this biography.  Not because I found it slow, no, just the opposite.  Walter Isaacson developed Steve Jobs, the biography, in a meticulous manner that requires full attention and concentration to fully appreciate the genius of the man Jobs was.  I cannot say that I would like Steve, if I had a chance to meet him.  There are far too many incidences of cruelty to others done in the name of honesty that make one shudder to think of the poor soul on the receiving end of his barbed attacks.  Steve displayed a blatant disregard for social norms, parking in handicapped spots, overriding those he deemed not "intelligent" enough to warrant his time or attention.  These behaviours were not new to him as he built the iconic Apple company and became a household name in the process.  Even as a child/youth he exhibited an impatience for ineptitude, an intolerance for others' opinions and a lack of patience and empathy.  There is the mention of the day, as a teenager, that Jobs discovers he was smarter than his parents (adoptive).  The time Jobs insisted they send him to Reed College rather than Stanford which had accepted him and likely had a scholarship for at least part of the tuition.  He knew his parents had saved his entire life for his continuing education, yet he asked for more than he knew they could afford.  He didn't even have the decency to thank his father for the ride to Reed College, acknowledge his parents' sacrifices to send him there, nor allow their presence on campus.  He wanted to be known as parentless.  Years later he told his biographer, Walter Isaacson, that he truly regretted how he treated his parents.

Reading of this makes one feel of his callousness and selfishness and it is difficult to see past it.  Did you know that Steve Jobs was forced to leave Apple at one time in his young years?  He started the company with Steve Wozniak but he was immature for the responsibility of leading the growing computer giant.  At this point, Steve Jobs started up NeXT, another computer developer and then went to Pixar where he would become the CEO and be instrumental in bringing to screen such hits as Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Monsters Inc.  Then at a time when Apple was floundering Steve found his way back as an advisor, then acting CEO and finally as CEO of Apple.  

At MacWorld in Boston August 1997, Steve Jobs addressed Apple upon his return, stressing the word "we" as he spoke of the future of the company.  "We too are going to think differently and serve the people who have been buying our products from the beginning.  Because a lot of people think they're crazy, but in that craziness we see genius." (p. 322, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson)  (was he speaking only of his loyal customers?)  Jobs made it very clear that "he" and "we" of Apple were one. 

Embracing the "think different" theme upon rejoining Apple, Steve and an advertising team including Clow, Ken Segall, and Craig Tanimoto, created a tone poem, some of which Steve Jobs used in his keynote speech at Boston MacWorld. The original version read:

"Here's to the crazy ones.  The misfits.  The rebels.  The troublemakers.  The round pegs in the square holes.  The ones who see things differently.  They're not fond of rules.  And they have no respect for the status quo.  You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.  About the only thing you can't do is ignore them.  Because they change things.  They push the human race forward.  And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.  Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do."  (p. 329, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson)

He refocused the company from a money making endeavour (which it was losing, by the way) back to its origins of designing, engineering and building exceptional products.  With an eye for meticulous detail, a penchant for perfection, and a head for business, he rebuilt his company while developing the iMac, iPod, iPad, iPhone, Apple Stores, iCloud, iTunes, the App Store, and Apple with an eye to the future, foreseeing future trends.

As a  young man, Steve Jobs seemed to predict his short life and felt an urgency to accomplish all that he could in what he deemed would be a short time on this earth.  Years later those premonitions would prove true as he battled pancreatic cancer, had a liver transplant, and cancer again, which proved to be his last battle.  He was at his happiest building his company.  His family was second in his life and for the most part, they realized and accepted that.  It would always be that way.  

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 Steve Jobs passed away at the age of 56.  He will be remembered as a tyrant, a loyal friend, an innovator, a visionary man, a businessman, a husband and father.  Not necessarily in that order.  Whatever you think of the man, you cannot help but admire his accomplishments.  He was a strong personality, a genius, an innovator.  Jobs reflected upon his legacy which Isaacson included near the end of the biography.  I include here a portion which will show you the man and the focus:

"My passion has been to build an enduring company where people were motivated to make great products.  Everything else was secondary.   Sure, it was great to make a profit, because that was what allowed you to make great products.  But the products, not the profits, were the motivation.  Sculley flipped these priorities to where the goal was to make money.  It's a subtle difference, but it ends up meaning everything:  the people you hire, who gets promoted, what you discuss in meetings......You always have to keep pushing to innovate.  That's what I've always tried to do -- keep moving.  Otherwise, as Dylan says, if you're not busy being born, you're busy dying.....We try to use the talents we do have to express our deep feelings, to show our appreciation of all the contributions that came before us, and to add something to that flow.  That's what has driven me."

Steve Jobs admitted that "everything he did correctly had required a moment when he hit the rewind button.  In each case he had to rework something that he discovered was not perfect.  "If something isn't right, you can't just ignore it and say you'll fix it later," he said.  "That's what other companies do." And that way of thinking is what helped differentiate him from others, and Apple from other companies.  

Regardless of your opinion of the man, the product, or the company, Steve Jobs, the biography, is a book you really should read.  It is enlightening and will make you think, contemplate, and appreciate the great minds of our time.

Read or listen to an except from the audiobook here.

 

Book Review: Alzheimer's Killing Me Unknowingly by Jana Pryor

Alzheimer's Killing Me Unknowingly 
Author:  Jana Pryor
Publisher:  JDP Books
Copyright:  2011
ISBN: 978-0-615-42630-3
Genre:  Biography/Autobiography/Personal Memoirs
Pages:  90
Source:  A complimentary copy was provided by the author and Bostick Communications in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Copies are available for purchase at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Amazon.uk, Outskirts Press Bookstore online.

From the back cover:  Alzheimer's is a disease that slowly consumes an individual's brain and causes a major impact on the mind. The medical definition of mind is "that which thinks, reasons, perceives, wills and feels." In neuroscience, there is no duality between the mind and the body; they are one. The mind appears in no way separate then the brain. If this is true, people who suffer from Alzheimer's may as well be considered "the walking dead"- they just don't realize it.

It is the desire of the author to shine light on how Alzheimer's ruthlessly affects behavior by taking readers through the different stages of her grandmother's battle with the disease. Alzheimer's disease is an abnormal way for an individual to age. It is fatal, and it consists of much more than just memory loss to the elderly. Jane's story will give readers insight into what really happens in the world of an Alzheimer's patient.

My Review:  Alzheimer's Killing Me Unknowingly is a brief memoir of the trials of the author's grandmother, (Valerie) Jane Pride's (nee Sweeney) struggle with Alzheimer's.  Her granddaughter, Jana, became Jane's primary caregiver during the beginning stages of the disease, giving up her career out of love for her grandmother.  Determined to care for her grandmother as long as physically and mentally possible, Jana moved Jane to her home to live with her family.

Unfortunately, the author, Jana Pryor, writes this memoir from a third person point of view, which doesn't do the story justice.  Had she written it in the first person, and strung the events together more fluidly, sharing thoughts and emotions with the reader, this would have been a moving tribute to a wonderful woman whose last days were stolen from her due to this debilitating disease.  The writer struggled with tense, as in past, present and future; sometimes including more than one tense in a sentence.  The aid of an editor would have polished Alzheimer's Killing Me Unknowingly, presenting it to the reader as a powerful tribute and form of support and knowledge for those who are undertaking the care of an individual with Alzheimer's.

I am surprised at the lack of information the author had available to her as she assisted her grandmother through early onset and beyond. For Jane, Alzheimer's disease approached in the late 1990's and continued into the 2000's; a time when information would have been readily available online, through the Alzheimer's Association, and at doctor's offices for the asking.  As someone who watched my own grandmother decline over more than 10 years with Alzheimer's, I know how devastating this disease is.  It steals away precious memories, personality, physical and mental capabilities; leaving the person a shell of the wonderful person they once were.  I'm afraid I knew more about the disease as an onlooker of my own grandmother's illness, than the author knew while being a caregiver.  Jana Pryor provides an eye opener, though, to the everyday trials and smiles of living with someone dying with Alzheimer's. To her credit, Jana Pryor does include some statistics and information at the beginning of each chapter, though some of it is repetitive.

I have the utmost admiration for Jana Pryor.  Obviously the relationship between her and her grandmother was a strong one, based on love and respect.  To keep her grandmother in her home and to care for her through the varying stages of Alzheimer's is admirable; though she seeks not praise nor admiration as her purpose in writing this book.  As baby boomers age, more and more are being diagnosed with this disease and more relatives and spouses are struggling to provide care for them.  Doing so is a great strain and takes immense monetary, physical, emotional and mental resources.  Alzheimer's Killing Me Unknowingly testifies of that.

Caregivers should read this book, overlooking its deficits, as a means of support.  To read of others' experiences can buoy one up while helping the reader know what to expect.  This book can offer that.

Rated: 4/5 for value, 2.5/5 for mechanics

Author Information:  The author, Jana Pryor, has a Masters degree in Human Resource Management and currently resides in North Texas. She was Jane’s sole caretaker for over five years, which is much longer than most people can endure prior to admitting an Alzheimer’s patient into a facility. Jana knows first-hand how debilitating Alzheimer’s can be. She believes society should be not just aware of the disease, but also increasingly concerned, especially with baby boomers living longer. It is her desire to become a “voice” for the elderly by showing readers the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s.   http://outskirtspress.com/alzheimers

Book Review: Reflections of a Successful Wallflower by Andrea Michaels

Reflections of a Successful Wallflower

Author:  Andrea Michaels

Copyright:  2010

Publisher:  Outskirts Press, Inc.

Pages: 310

Genre:  Biography/Business

ISBN 978-1-4327-4909-5

Source:  A complimentary copy was provided by Andrea Michaels and Bostick Communications in return for a review.  This in no way influenced my opinion of the book.

Available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

http://www.outskirtspress.com/andreamichaels/

Extraordinary Events web page:  http://www.extraordinaryevents.com/ee_main.html

From the back cover:  Who is Andrea Michaels and What Does She Know That We Don't?

Andrea Michaels is literally one of the backbones of the special events industry.  Launching her business when there was no formalized or defined marketplace, she was and still is a trailblazer, pioneering the way for others to follow.....

Reflections of a Successful Wallflower can only be compared to reading Andrea's diaries.  This first inductee into the industry Hall of Fame shares, openly and candidly, not only the public wunderkind but the inner woman.  Discover the workings of one of the foremost event producers in the world.  You'll laugh; you'll cry; you'll be in disbelief and fascinated at the same time.  She is a storyteller, and her stories and her life are great lessons for everyone.

My thoughts:  Reflections of a Successful Wallflower:  Lessons in Business Lessons in Life by Andrea Michaels is a visit to that wonderland of the special event industry.  The events her company, Extraordinary Events, organized include none other than the grand opening ceremonies of BC Place in Vancouver, Canada; corporate merger events; NASA space shuttle three-day conference and trade show; corporate holiday events; opening of the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas; incentive trips; and even the award show gala for her industry.  Andrea Michaels conjures up images spectacular to the mind including laser shows, pyrotechnic displays, grand staging, performances and so much more that you wish you could be there in person to witness it all.  Not only does she write of these events that her company staged; but she includes challenges, solutions, side notes and lessons learned along the way.  Some lessons are professional, some personal and some both.  Andrea loves what she does and in Reflections of a Successful Wallflower she shares her tips to keeping her cool under stress, like the time their tour bus was run off the road and bandits, high on drugs, robbed the passengers at gun point.  Andrea had the forethought to remove her passport, credit cards, ID, some cash and necessary items before the gunmen boarded the bus and she calmly handed over her purse without harassment.  How many people can keep their cool in a situation like that and have the forethought of mind to make sure she maintained her necessary papers and cards?  She, incidentally, was the only one on the bus to have retained her passport and necessities.

Reflections of a Successful Wallflower has invaluable advice for the event planner, the business person and the average reader alike because most of what she shares can be transferred to our daily lives.  She is inspirational, humble, smart and funny and writes an incredible memoir/guide that will have you laughing and shaking your head in disbelief.

Reflections of a Successful Wallflower is an entertaining read for all; well worth your time for the lessons and the entertaining value therein.

Highly recommended  4/5/5 

About Andrea Michaels

Andrea Michaels, an international meeting and event producer, is the President/Founder of Extraordinary Events and winner of 33 Special Event Gala Awards. She is the first inductee into the Special Event Industry Hall of Fame and a winner of both the SITE Crystal and MPI Global Paragon Awards, among many other recognitions. All of these are for impeccable and innovative meetings and events. Prominent events include the openings of Las Vegas' Venetian Hotel and that city's Town Square, Lumiere Place in St. Louis and G.M. Place in Vancouver, and international road shows for The Hong Kong Tourist Board, as well as a variety of clients globally. Additionally her seminars on Creativity, Sustainability, The Profitability of Doing Business and Anatomy of an Event have earned her international kudos. In a few words, she sets the trends; others follow.

The Faith of Ronald Reagan - Book Review

The Faith of Ronald Reagan

Author:  Mary Beth Brown

Copyright: 2004, 2011

Publisher:  Thomas Nelson Inc.

Pages:  237

Genre:  Biography

(from the back cover) With warmth and insight, this best-selling book by Mary Beth Brown delves into the spiritual journey of America's 40th president and offers profound stories of the provisions God made in Ronald Reagan's life-from first making it as an actor to winning the presidency, from surviving an assassination attempt to eventually changing the face of politics and the world.

Supported by Ronald Reagan's own words and writings plus firsthand interviews with his family, friends, and co-workers, Brown weaves a magnificent story that inspires as it informs.  Reagan's strong devotion to God will encourage believers to enter public service, allowing their faith to motivate their actions, and will draw focus to Christ's matchless sacrifice-forever near and dear to President Reagan's heart."

"We can rekindle the spirit of America, because God intended this land to be free, because we are free to dream, to plan, and to make our dreams come true." ~ Ronald Reagan, 1980

This quote personifies the man, the actor, the leader of the United States.  Born in Tampico, Illinois February 6. 1911, to Nelle Wilson Reagan and John Edward "Jack" Reagan following one of the worst blizzards, Ronald Wilson Reagan was born at home under the care of a local midwife.  The local doctor was out on another call leaving Jack to trudge through drifts of snow a foot or more deep to find help for his wife who was experiencing a difficult labour.  The doctor arrived after the birth and announced "he looks like a fat little Dutchman."  Thus he got his nickname "Dutch".

Ronald was the second born in the family, his older brother's name was Neil.  They grew up in the small town of Dixon during times of a poor economy.  Ronald's father was an Irish Catholic and his mother a "born-again Christian".  From his father he learned the value of honest hard work and from his mother his faith.

An athlete with a dream and a scholarship, Ronald attended college, played football and later became a sportscaster which was the first step in his plan towards an acting career.  In Hollywood his career took off, he married and divorced. 

Years later, as his life turned toward the political aspect of the film industry, Ronald met and married Nancy Davis.  They had two children, Ron Jr. and Patti. He ran for governor of California and later, the president of the United States.  Ronald Reagan felt he was called to serve the people.  It wasn't that he sought power, he saw things that needed changing and, with the God's help, he sought to change his country and the world for the better. 

"He sought to mend America's wounded spirit, to restore the strength of the free world, and to free the slaves of communism."  "His politics had a freshness and optimism that won converts from every class and every nation-and ultimately from the very heart of the evil empire."  (Margaret Thatcher, eulogy)

Reagan and Margaret Thatcher (prime minister of Britain) became good friends as they battled communism, were instrumental in the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin wall.  Gorbachev (president of the Soviet Union) and Reagan worked together to rebuild the Soviet Union from a country of communism to a land of freedom.

"We have been blessed with the opportunity to stand for something-the liberty and freedom and fairness.  And these things are worth fighting for, worth devoting our lives to."  Ronald Reagan, 1985

Reagan's many kindnesses and deeds are touched upon in this book.  Could this man have achieved all that he had alone?  He is the first to have given credit to God for his successes. 

'If we trust him, keep his work, and live lives for his pleasure, he'll give us the power we need-power to fight, to finish the race, and to keep the faith." Ronald Reagan, 1984

I enjoyed reading this biography of one of the most influential men, an accomplished actor and a much beloved president.  Reading this, I discovered the depth of the faith of Ronald Reagan and his strength of character.  He did great good for his fellow men, whether in his own country or abroad.  He knew no prejudice but sought for freedom for all.  I have greater admiration for him, having read this book. 

Rated 3/5.

This is book one for me in the Dewey Decimal Challenge hosted by The Introverted Reader.  So far, with one book read in the 200's for biographies, I am a dilletante!