Man of la Book http://manoflabook.com/wp A Bookish Blog Thu, 17 May 2012 11:28:06 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Thoughts on: Akhmed and the Atomic Matzo Balls by Gary Buslik http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5347 http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5347#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 11:23:00 +0000 Zohar - Man of la Book http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5347 About:
Akhmed and the Atomic Matzo Balls by Gary Buslik is a fictional comedic book. The story spans the globe and includes tyrants, professors and even… conservatives.

  • 370 pages
  • Publisher: Travelers' Tales/Solas House
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1609520696

Book Review: Akhmed and the Atomic Matzo Balls by Gary Buslik

My rating for Akhmed and the Atomic Matzo Balls — 3

Buy this book in paper or in elec­tronic format

Thoughts:
I really don’t know what to think about Akhmed and the Atomic Matzo Balls by Gary Buslik. Some parts I found really funny, others not so much, yet at times it seemed as if Larry David was in my face trying too hard to make me laugh.

This is a wacky novel, as you can tell from the wonderful title; the good news is that it’s wacky on purpose. The plot is over the top and the dialog is mostly funny, some of the jokes were not akin to my humor, but many others were. I like the sarcastic sense of humor, absurd humor sometimes passes me by.

While the characterization is good, there is not one nice, sympathetic or relatable person in the whole book. That’s what the author wanted to do, I believe, and that’s what we got but it made it difficult, for me, to get into the book.

This farce is irreverent, impertinent with absurd caricatures of stereotypical politicians, academics and villains.
And there are even flesh eating termites.

Synopsis:
Akhmed, the President of Iran, teams up with the leaders of Cuba and Venezuela as well as American agents to smuggle radioactive matzo balls into the place with the greatest concentration of Jews … Miami Beach.

Add to the mix a spoiled rich girl, multi-level marketing millionaires, liberals, conservatives, sex, nudity, greed and violence and the three leaders have their work cut out for them.

TLC Book Tour for Akhmed and the Atomic Matzo Balls:

Thursday, April 26th: Book Him Dano!
Tuesday, May 1st: Bibliosue
Thursday, May 10th: Drey’s Library
Thursday, May 17th: Man of La Book
Thursday, May 24th: Lesa’s Book Critiques

Zohar — Man of la Book
Dis­claimer: I got this book for free from TLC Book Tour

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]]> http://manoflabook.com/wp/?feed=rss2&p=5347 1 Giveaway of & Thoughts on: The Secrets of Mary Bowser by Lois Leveen http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5349 http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5349#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 11:23:00 +0000 Zohar - Man of la Book http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5349 Article first published as Book Review: The Secrets of Mary Bowser by Lois Leveen on Blogcritics.

About:
The Secrets of Mary Bowser by Lois Leveen is a historical fiction novel taking place before and during the American Civil War. Very little is known about Mary Bowser, a free slave who went back into Virginia to spy for the Union.

The pub­lisher is giv­ing away one copy of this book— use the form at the end of the post to enter.

  • 496 pages
  • Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0062107909

The Secrets of Mary Bowser by Lois Leveen

My rating for The Secrets of Mary Bowser — 5

Buy this book in paper or in elec­tronic for­mat

Thoughts:
The Secrets of Mary Bowser by Lois Leveen (Website | Twitter | Facebook) is an interesting book about an interesting time. There is very little known about Mary Bowser, a free slave who went back to spy for the Union at Jefferson Davis’ house during the Civil War.

Very little is known about Mary Bowser (even though her name as a spy was Ellen Bond, which didn’t make it into this book), so there are many liberties taken with the character. This could be good or bad and could easily backfire at the author, however I think this time it worked and the author does a fine job not only with the characterization, but also describing the daily lives of free blacks during the era.

The first half of the book takes place before the war starts, the second half, where Bowser goes to work for Varina Davis, wife of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, is fascinating. The other historical characters in the book, such as Elizabeth Van Lew, an ardent abolitionist and Bowser’s former owner who freed her, are also well written and interesting.

Mary Bowser
Picture thought to be of Mary Bowser

Despite the era and material, I didn’t find the story too dark even though there are elements of violence. Ms. Leveen wrote her main characters as uplifting individuals, living hard lives during hard times.

It is difficult to write historical fiction novels, as there are many people (myself included) who will nitpick to no end, however, I do understand that historical fiction is a subgenre of fiction, not history. I would certainly suggest reading the excellent material in the back of the book where Ms. Leveen makes clear what is historically accurate, what is fictional and some more background.

So tell me, do you like to read the author's note before reading the book?

Synopsis:
Based on a true story, Mary has been a slave to the Van Lew family in Richmond, VA. Bet Van Lew, the daughter and abolitionist, frees Mary and sends her to school in Philadelphia.

When a war seems imminent, Mary returns to Virginia, defying the law, to care for her ailing father. Posing as a slave in the Confederate White House, Mary puts her photographic memory to good use.

Buy this book in paper or in elec­tronic for­mat

Give­away

  • Give­away ends: May 23, 2012

  • US/Canada Ship­ping Addresses Only

  • No PO Boxes

  • Win­ners will have 24 hours to write back with their address, oth­er­wise an alter­nate win­ner will be picked

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TLC Book Tour for The Secrets of Mary Bowser:

Tuesday, May 15th: Bookworm’s Dinner
Wednesday, May 16th: Man of La Book
Thursday, May 17th: A Cozy Reader’s Corner
Monday, May 21st: Unabridged Chick
Wednesday, May 23rd: A Chick Who Reads
Thursday, May 24th: Life In Review Friday, May 25th: “That’s Swell!”
Monday, May 28th: Peeking Between the Pages
Tuesday, May 29th: Just Joanna Wednesday,
May 30th: Book Journey

Zohar — Man of la Book
Dis­claimer: I got this book for free from TLC Book Tours

 

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]]> http://manoflabook.com/wp/?feed=rss2&p=5349 11 Tightwad Tuesday — Free or Affordable eBooks — Non Fiction http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5783 http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5783#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 11:23:00 +0000 Zohar - Man of la Book http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5783 Welcome to another edition of Tightwad Tuesday. While looking around for non-fiction books, I saw some really cool free ones and thought that you might like them as well.

Authors: If you'd like  your book to be featured on Tightwad Tuesdays please email me.

For the Kindle:

Thompson's Lucky Star: The Story of a Stalag Survivor [Kindle Edition]
by Tony Thompson, Brendan Gisby

When Corporal George Thompson of The Buffs was walking to freedom from Stalag IVB after the camp's liberation in April 1945, he most probably stopped for a moment, looked up at the sky and thanked his lucky star again. That star had kept him alive through five long years of war, the last eighteen brutal months of which he had spent as a prisoner-of-war.

As he passed through the huge, intimidating gates of the camp for the last time, George carried with him some mementoes from his time in captivity, among them a very small, dog-eared notebook. The notebook was George’s prisoner-of-war diary, which he had begun the day after he was taken prisoner and in which he had made the final entry on the day of his liberation.

Reproducing the actual diary entries and supplementing them with information drawn from published accounts of the progress of the War, THOMPSON'S LUCKY STAR tells the harrowing and courageous story of George’s captivity.

Not Like My Mother:Becoming a sane parent after growing up in a CRAZY family by Irene Tomkinson, MSW

Not Like My Mother:Becoming a sane parent after growing up in a CRAZY family
by MSW Irene Tomkinson

"Not Like My Mother  This book is a gift for anyone who has ever said,

“I am NOT going to raise my kids the way I was raised!!”

If you are trying to be the parent you always wanted and didn’t get, Irene will teach you why it is more effective that you be the parent your children need – not the one you needed. How to separate what belongs to your history and what belongs in your present life is some of the rich, practical advice you will take away from  Not Like My Mother.

In the early distribution of Not Like My Mother readers reported they couldn’t put the book down. It reads like a compelling novel with a human and spiritual insight that makes you feel a part of the conversation.

YOU WILL WANT THIS BOOK FOR ALL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!!!"

Memoirs of an English Governess at the Siamese Court - (The King and I)

Memoirs of an English Governess at the Siamese Court — (The King and I) [Illustrated] [Kindle Edition]
by Anna Harriette Leonowens

The True story of Anna Leonowens from Wales and who she served for six years in the Royal Palace in Bangkok Siam (modern Thailand) This is one of the most famous stories and was made into the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein musical "The King and I" as well as the movie "Anna and the King of Siam" with Jody Foster.

iki's Guardian Angel: True Story of 15 Year old Sex Slave Freed by an Angel

Tiki's Guardian Angel: True Story of 15 Year old Sex Slave Freed by an Angel [Kindle Edition]
by John Pryor

206 riveting pages that you will NEVER forget. Guaranteed to inspire, motivate and encourage you to know that their really are angels in this world and they do watch over us.

Guardian Angel: is the true story of a 15 year old victim of sex slavery who was miraculously freed from her abductor/pimp through her faith and personal courage.

Alone, terrified, in fear for life, abducted from a suburban mall the day before …all she had been able to do is cry …and pray. Pray to the God she'd sung many songs about with her churches youth choir. Pray to a God whom she, admittedly, did not really know …and hope that he would hear her. Pray and hope that he would answer …that he would indeed send her "Guardian Angel" to rescue her as she was praying in desperation. She needed a miracle

Of course Tisha had heard bible stories about angels. They were an interesting concept …great folklore …but were they actually 'real?' She certainly hoped so because she was praying that one would be sent to her. One, or maybe two if need be. All she knew is that her nice, quiet, normal, middle class suburban life had suddenly turned into a horror movie. She hadn't seen it coming.

Sold to a pimp …by a fellow classmate whom she thought she could trust. Sold like property for the price of $10 and some cocaine. Sold to a monster who now threatened to kill not only her but her entire family if she did not do exactly as he ordered.

Now in a strange city where life was much faster and harder than anything she'd ever experienced, this innocent victim was as out of her element as a fish out of water. How would she endure this plight? Forced to satisfy the needs of random strange men who would not care about her young age …would even relish the fact that she was just a kid. Tisha escaped into her own mind where there alone… perhaps she could pray …perhaps God would hear her …perhaps he would send that guardian angel. Perhaps

Just when she was beginning to give up all hope …just moments after the pimp put her out on the mean streets of Oakland California for the first time amidst dozens of prostitutes …a stranger shows up and gestured for her to come to the car.

This is her story.

Autobiography of a Yogi (Reprint of Original 1946 Edition)

Autobiography of a Yogi (Reprint of Original 1946 Edition) [Kindle Edition]
by Paramhansa Yogananda

Designated One of the 100 Most Important Spiritual Books of the 20th century, here is a verbatim reprinting of the 1946 first edition, with all its inherent power intact.Read about real-life saints and masters, how yogis perform miracles, the science of kriya yoga, and much more.

Harriet Tubman - The Moses of Her People

Harriet Tubman — The Moses of Her People [Illustrated] [Kindle Edition]
by Sarah H. Bradford (Author), Oliver Johnson (Author, Foreword), Professor Hopkins (Author, Foreword)

Harriet Tubman was an African-American abolitionist, humanitarian, and Union spy during the U.S. Civil War. After escaping from captivity, she made thirteen missions to rescue over seventy slaves using the network of antislavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. She later helped John Brown recruit men for his raid on Harpers Ferry, and in the post-war era struggled for women's suffrage.

Born into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland, Tubman was beaten and whipped by her various owners as a child. Early in her life, she suffered a traumatic head wound when an irate slave owner threw a heavy metal weight at her, intending to hit another slave. The injury caused disabling seizures, headaches, and powerful visionary and dream activity, and spells of hypersomnia which occurred throughout her entire life. A devout Christian, she ascribed her visions and vivid dreams to premonitions from God.

In 1849, Tubman escaped to Philadelphia, then immediately returned to Maryland to rescue her family. Slowly, one group at a time, she brought relatives with her out of the state, and eventually guided dozens of other slaves to freedom. Traveling by night and in extreme secrecy, Tubman (or "Moses", as she was called) "never lost a passenger". Heavy rewards were offered for many of the people she helped bring away, but no one ever knew it was Harriet Tubman who was helping them. When a far-reaching United States Fugitive Slave Law was passed in 1850, she helped guide fugitives further north into Canada, and helped newly-freed slaves find work.

Happy Reading!

Zohar — Man of la Book

]]> http://manoflabook.com/wp/?feed=rss2&p=5783 0 Love of Reading http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5775 http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5775#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 13:16:48 +0000 Zohar - Man of la Book http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5775 I bought The Puppy Place #22: Bella by Ellen Miles (website) as part of the nook Daily Find, which I check out daily…being an owner of a nook. My daughter, 7, loves dogs and have been begging for one for years.
One day we’ll get one.

The Puppy Place 22 Bella by Ellen Miles

Buy this book in paper or in elec­tronic for­mat
through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account

Combined my daughter's love of dogs, love of reading, price deal and the title of this book which happens to be her nickname, how could I pass it up?

I didn’t and I’m glad I bought it. Even though my daughter had an amazing improvement in her reading during first grade (going from level 1 to chapter books and top of her class in mere four months) she brings home books because she “has to” not want to. Of course we make a big deal about books and her reading, but it seems more like a chore.

Her school is part of the LINKS program; the students must bring a new book every night and read it with the parents. This is not only important for the children, but has the added benefit of forcing the parents to be involved in their child’s school work – a noble agenda indeed.

However, once I revealed my surprise to her, she was flabbergasted and joyful. Not only it is a book about dogs, which bares her nickname, but she can read it on Daddy’s nook AND she can keep it on her nightstand while she sleeps.
We take turns reading. She wakes up and reads a few pages before coming down, then a few pages at night and my wife or I usually read a chapter before bedtime.

But what made her old man happy is that she, my beloved daughter who can easily spend 8 hours in front of the TV, was happy to get a book. In this age of 24/7 video games and cable channels that is truly an accomplishment which makes a parent proud.

Zohar — Man of la Book

]]> http://manoflabook.com/wp/?feed=rss2&p=5775 3 Twitter Roundup for Week Ending 12 May, 2012 http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5770 http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5770#comments Sun, 13 May 2012 11:42:41 +0000 Zohar - Man of la Book http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5770

]]> http://manoflabook.com/wp/?feed=rss2&p=5770 0 Guest Post: Ghost Writing is an Honorable Profession By Karen Cole http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5766 http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5766#comments Sat, 12 May 2012 11:23:34 +0000 Zohar - Man of la Book http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5766

It’s hard sometimes to talk about being a ghost writer, mainly because I’m not allowed to. In a lot of cases, I can’t discuss the work I’ve done, even when it involves a book being on the New York Times best seller list for twenty weeks – because I’m not supposed to have written that book. However, I get a lot of satisfaction from my work, and I make decent money from it as well. So no worries!

The life of a ghost writer can be intensive, but it’s honest. You have to know a lot about your subject matter, but you don’t have to be an expert on absolutely everything – Internet research takes care of that – and it helps to be a grammar, spelling and syntax expert, too. Again, useful programs can help you with spelling and grammar, such as the mistake checker in Word, but you need to know your English (or whatever language you work in) to get the syntax right, in most cases.

If you want to become a ghost writer, I would suggest that you get a degree of some kind in English, preferably a dual degree in English literature and general English, and maybe a degree in business as well. You also will need to get some of your work published, maybe some articles at first as those are fairly easy to publish, and try to get at least one published book out under your own name, too.

I learn from every project I undertake as a ghost writer, every time. I have helped out on self help books that taught me better living strategies, business books that taught me how to conduct my business better, medical books that taught me about my body, brain and their functions, and history books that showed me important events in a brand new light. Ghost writing is a wonderful job, and I get to help out on so many worthwhile and important book and screenplay projects. So I really don’t mind the fact that I can’t mention to others what I’m doing. I very much enjoy doing it!

Lastly, the money helps, but I tend to charge less than most ghost writers for our team’s efforts and for my own work, which nowadays is mostly copy editing and proof reading. I am careful to avoid plagiarism, academic content writing (student papers) and “hate” materials, but other than that I’m willing to take on almost anything. Send us your projects – we are always here for you!

=======================================

GHOST WRITER, INC. - We do affordable professional ghost writing and editing of books, memoirs and screenplays. We also do inexpensive marketing and promotions, as well as publishing and optioning assistance as needed.
Please make sure that GHOST WRITER, INC. links back to http://www.rainbowriting.com/ghostwriter.htm .
]]> http://manoflabook.com/wp/?feed=rss2&p=5766 2 Fun Facts Friday: J. M. Barrie http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5757 http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5757#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 11:23:11 +0000 Zohar - Man of la Book http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5757 Yesterday was the birthday of Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM (9 May 1860 – 19 June 1937) better remembered as author J. M. Barrie who created the beloved Peter Pan.

Fun Facts JM Barrie
1 ) Barrie always wanted to be an author but his family was against it. His conservative Calvinist family wanted him to enter the ministry and used guilt on him by telling that it what his older brother David, who died two days before his 14th birthday in an accident would have done. Barrie agreed to go to the University of Edinburgh but study literature.

2 ) Barrie’s early novels: Auld Licht Idylls (1888), A Window in Thrums (1890), and The Little Minister (1891) came out to unfavorable criticism but popular success.

3 ) Barrie’s The Little White Bird (serialized in the US, published as a single volume in the UK), marks Peter Pan’s first appearance.

4 )  The original title of Barrie’s most enduring work is Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, originally written as a play in 1904 and a novel in 1911.

5 ) Barrie used the name Wendy for the play’s heroine because Margaret Henley, a young girl who he befriended, called him “fwendy” (friendly). Sadly Margaret died at age five of cerebral meningitis.

6 ) George Bernard Shaw called Peter Pan "ostensibly a holiday entertainment for children but really a play for grown-up people" (he was talking about the play).

7 ) Barrie bequeathed the copyright of all Peter Pan works to the Great Ormond Street Hospital, a children’s hospital in London.

8 ) Even thought J.M. Barrie and fellow Scotsman Robert Louis Stevenson corresponded at length, they never met person to person.

9 ) Barrie founded an amateur cricket team called the Allahakbarries thinking that the Arabic “Allah akbar” means “heaven help us” (it actually means “G-d is great”). Among the players one could find at various times, Arthur Conan Doyle, H. G. Wells, Jerome K. Jerome, G. K. Chesterton, A. A. Milne, Walter Raleigh, A. E. W. Mason, E. V. Lucas, Maurice Hewlett, E. W. Hornung, P. G. Wodehouse, Owen Seaman, Bernard Partridge, Augustine Birrell, Paul du Chaillu, and the son of Alfred Tennyson.

10) Barrie also befriend explorer Robert Falcon Scott. During his final hours at his South Pole expedition, Scott wrote to Barrie asking him to take care of his wife and son (Barrie’s godson). The proud author carried the letter on his person for the rest of his life.

Zohar — Man of la Book
Refrences: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._M._Barrie

]]> http://manoflabook.com/wp/?feed=rss2&p=5757 0 Thoughts on: The Man in the Rockefeller Suit by Mark Seal http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5655 http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5655#comments Thu, 10 May 2012 11:23:00 +0000 Zohar - Man of la Book http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5655 Article first published as Book Review: The Man in the Rockefeller Suit: The Astonishing Rise and Spectacular Fall of a Serial Imposter by Mark Seal on Blogcritics.

About:
The Man in the Rockefeller Suit: The Astonishing Rise and Spectacular Fall of a Serial Impostor by Mark Seal is a non-fiction book tracking one of the biggest con artists of our time (that has been caught). Assuming a series of names, one man fooled successful business people and high society for decades spreading huge lies, so preposterous they were believed.

  • 336 pages
  • Publisher: Viking Adult
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0670022748

Book Review: The Man in the Rockefeller Suit The Astonishing Rise and Spectacular Fall of a Serial Impostor by Mark Seal

My rating for The Man in the Rockefeller Suit - 5
Buy this book in paper or in elec­tronic for­mat
through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account

Thoughts:
The Man in the Rockefeller Suit: The Astonishing Rise and Spectacular Fall of a Serial Impostor by Mark Seal is one weird, infuriating book, yet fascinating and difficult to put down. Tracking the journey of German immigrant Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter who arrives in the United States at age 17 the book is filed with the kind of stories that no-one would have believed.
Unless they were true.

Weird because the book is by nature incomplete (Gerhartsreiter is still in jail). Gerhartsreiter passes himself off as an heir to American aristocracy, part of the successful Rockefeller line who calls himself Clark Rockeffeler and manages to convince some of the smartest people in the world of his fake identities (he had several) without any real achievements. If anyone would have bothered to fact check just a few of his outrageous claims many heartaches could have been averted.

It is also infuriating for much of the same reasons. Americans are known for our work ethic (it’s true), and here is some guy, faking an accent, wearing preppy clothes taking credit for stuff he hasn’t done enjoying the fruit of success from trees he never planted, watered or got his hand dirty spreading manure. Generations of Americans becoming financial slaves, buying degrees, learning and killing themselves just to get a step ahead in life, while Mr. Gerhartsreiter / British Royal Christopher Chichester XIII,/ movie producer Crowe / Rockefeller / Captain Chip Smith strolls right in, snags jobs with Wall Street firms, marries a smart, beautiful and successful woman simply spreading lies.

Mr. Seal keeps quoting Hitler’s minister of propaganda Joseph Goebbels: "The bigger the lie, the more it will be believed”. Gerhartsreiter is living proof of that saying.

The author does a fantastic job in his research, I lost track of how many people he interviewed, yet the pace is brisk and the narrative reminded me more of a novel of suspense than a recounting of recent history. Weaving two storylines together, one of the con man pre-Rockefeller era who is linked to disappearance and murder of a married couple; the other, the more famous one, of the kidnapping of his own daughter Reigh.

After reading this book, Gerhartsreiter is as big a mystery as ever. We still have no idea why and how he managed to fool so many smart people (neither does the police). We are constantly told of his swagger, charm and attractiveness yet none of the pictures included force those claims (to his credit, Mr. Seal does attest that the subject didn’t like his picture taken and when it was, he made sure to make a face or hide).
Myself and the rest of my fellow ugly guys in the world still have a chance.
Hooray… I guess?

Synopsis:
Clark Rockefeller has never existed, yet he was the pinnicle of success of a con man. Born in a small village in Germany, Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter came to the United States on a student visa and begen his voyage of trickery.

For 30 years, the man assumed a series of identities, moving up the social ladder and be in a 12 year marriage to a successful businesswoman, a Harvard MBA who believed his lies. However, the one person he couldn’t con, his precious daughter, was his biggest downfall and where the house of cards he so carefully built started to crumble.

Buy this book in paper or FREE in elec­tronic for­mat
through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account
Zohar — Man of la Book
Disclaimer: I got this book for free.
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]]> http://manoflabook.com/wp/?feed=rss2&p=5655 2 Giveaway of & Thoughts on: Private Empire by Steve Coll http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5348 http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5348#comments Wed, 09 May 2012 11:23:00 +0000 Zohar - Man of la Book http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5348 Article first published as Book Review: Private Empire by Steve Coll on Blogcritics.

About:
Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power by Steve Coll is a non-fiction book about the influence ExxonMobil yields over world economy and politics. While the book has many aspects of the company’s agenda, whether it be science or politics, with clarity and zest.

The pub­lisher is giv­ing away one copy of this book— use the form at the end of the post to enter.

  • 704 pages
  • Publisher: The Penguin Press HC
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1594203350

Book Review: Private Empire ExxonMobil and American Power by Steve Coll

My rating for Private Empire — 5

Buy this book in paper or in elec­tronic format.

More book by Steve Coll

Thoughts:
Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power by Steve Coll is a compelling book about one of the biggest, most powerful and influential American companies ever created. One aspect of this book is fascinating; the other is a disturbing to realize the sway a private entity has over the affairs of the union.

Mr. Coll, a Pulitzer Prize winning author, quickly goes through the history of the company, from its inception by John D. Rockefeller as Standard Oil, through its break up by Trust Busters in 1911, the emergence of Exxon and the merger with Mobil Oil. Together with the United States, Exxon grew in power throughout the 20th Century to dominate the world’s oil market and wield significant political power.

The author chose to write around the tenure of CEO Lee Raymond to tell the story. Through Raymond’s eyes the reader understands how decisions are made, governments come and go and the rise of this global private empire.

The chapters I found fascinating, and a bit frightening to be honest, were the ones involving ExxonMobile’s security forces. After an executive Sidney Reso has been kidnapped and killed Mr. Raymond revamped the company from a security perspective. Essentially ExxonMobil became its own state with internal security (filled with ex Secret Service agents), jet fleets, soldiers (working for ExxonMobil or for a foreign government which the company paid) and a new building designed for secrecy in Dallas, TX.

In all its rigidity, ExxonMobil changes with the times. After “investing” $722,000 in political action committee money in 2008 (I call it bribes), the company decided to support a carbon tax once Obama was elected, adjusting its stance to continue its close relationship with Washington’s new administration.

Throughout the book it is told of the company’s unending pursuit for safety (including employees’ private lives) and efficiency in a worldwide context and contest. As CEO Raymond is quoted in saying: "I'm not a U.S. company and I don't make decisions based on what's good for the U.S.".

This book is by no means anti-corporate, it presents the world as ExxonMobil board might have presented them, including their views on world climate, political violence and lobbying efforts.

Synopsis:
The book is composed of 28 chapters, including excellent footnotes and is divided into two parts. Part I is called The End of Easy Oil and part II is called The Risk Cycle. Instead of devoting another whole book (or two) for the complete history of the company, Mr. Coll chose to start with the Exxon Valdez incident in March 1989 which shaped the company as we know it today.

The Exxon Valdez incident was a defining moment for the company and is covered in detail. It is a proper beginning (even though not “the” beginning) because it clearly shows how future CEO Lee Raymond would revamp Exxon’s structure and behavior using the tragedy.

Buy this book in paper or in elec­tronic format.

More book by Steve Coll

Give­away

  • Give­away ends: May 16, 2012

  • US/Canada Ship­ping Addresses Only

  • No PO Boxes

  • Win­ners will have 24 hours to write back with their address, oth­er­wise an alter­nate win­ner will be picked

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TLC Book Tour for Private Empire:

Thursday, May 3rd: Broken Teepee
Friday, May 4th: Just Joanna
Monday, May 7th: Alternative Matters
Tuesday, May 8th: This is what I like
Wednesday, May 9th: Man of La Book
Tuesday, May 15th: Diamond Cut Life
Wednesday, May 16th: Nanxi Liu
Thursday, May 17th: Tom Hull – on the web
Friday, May 18th: Poly Capitalist
Thursday, May 24th: EmSun
TBD: Ted Lehmann’s Bluegrass, Books, and Brainstorms
TBD: Culture Change

Zohar — Man of la Book
Dis­claimer: I got this book for free from TLC Book Tours

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]]> http://manoflabook.com/wp/?feed=rss2&p=5348 1 Thoughts on: Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5729 http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5729#comments Tue, 08 May 2012 11:23:17 +0000 Zohar - Man of la Book http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5729 About:
Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum is the third story in the fictional series taking place in the land of Oz. While certainly not as popular the first story in the series (my thoughts) the rest are very imaginativeas well.

  • 272 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st ptg. edition (May 24, 1989)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0688066321

Book Review: Ozma of Oz by L Frank Baum

My rating for Ozma of Oz — 4

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Thoughts:
Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum is less dark then the previous books, more fairy tale like but all funnier and less annoying. I loved the parts where Ozma’s army, which consisted of many officers but only one solider, was part of. From some reason that struck me as hillerious.

I have to say that the reason I enjoyed Ozma of Oz more than the previous two is because the narrative is more streamlined. There are less side stories and better focus on a single goal which is more tangible than just an idea (“home”).

Also, there is less chauvinism and racism than the previous books, especially book 2 The Mar­velous Land of Oz (my thoughts). The characters, especially the female ones, are no-nonsense and say what they mean straight and to the point.

This is a fun read, short and worth the time spent.

So tell me, what's your favorite Oz story?

Synopsis:
on a vacation from Kansas to Australia, Uncle Henry and his niece Dorothy Gale are caught in a fierce storm which throws Dorothy off the ship. Dorothy finds herself in a crate with Billina, a yellow hen.

As the survivors wash ashore, Dorothy discovers that Billina can talk and guess they are in a”fairy country” but not Oz because of the seashore. Soon they meet Tik-Tok, a mechanical man and go to the Land of Ev. There our travelers meet Ozma, the Tin Woodsman, the Cowardly Lion, The Scarecrow as well as the Hungry Tiger who are there also to rescue the royal family.

Buy this book in paper or FREE in elec­tronic for­mat
through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account

Zohar — Man of la Book
Disclaimer: I bought this book as part of  The Com­plete Wiz­ard of Oz Col­lec­tion

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