Bill Gates : the path to the future

Bill Gates : the path to the future

Author : Gatlin, Jonathan
Imprint : New York : Avon Books, c1999

Review : by Charles
This book is a great book. It is a condensed version of his life... Instead of reading too much into boring details you get the quick fast pace version in a great, easy to read novel. The author has obviously done great research of his subject. Do not listen to these other reviews which are obviously from people who hate Bill Gates. Below you will find my summary and analysis of this book:

Bill Gates is probably one of the smartest and most successful men of our time, maybe of all time. This book is the summary of Bill Gates' path to success and the history of how our society became dependant on computers and of course Microsoft. How did Bill Gates become the richest man ever know? What Challenges did he face? All is revealed about the man behind Microsoft, the company that changed how we live.

Bill Gates is a genius that is probably smarter than anyone you will ever know. Here is the story that will show you his inner workings. Interesting combinations of unique personality characteristics that this man has is what has made him the success he is and is explained to you in this story.

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George Bush : the life of a lone star Yankee

George Bush : the life of a lone star Yankee

Author : Parmet, Herbert S
Imprint : New York, N.Y. : Lisa Drew Book/Scribner, c1997

Review : by Gerrit Ruitinga "gerrit ruitinga"
To me as a non-American it has always been a puzzle why George Bush is generally regarded as mediocre and after reading the thoughtful and very complete biography by mr. Parmet I have not found the answer.

Bush has been a succesful businessman after a distinguisged service in the Air Force during the war. He has served as a Senator, as head of the CIA, as the Ambassador to China in an extremely interesting period in Sino-American relations and, finally, as a Vice-President to a very succesful President. What more can you ask as preparation for the most powerful job on earth? It is true that he failed to get elected twice, but is it not a credit to any man when he overcomes defeat to embark on such an interesting career?

The view which I get from this biography is on a balanced man who understood politics very well and also had the gift of personal integrity unmatched by most of his predecessors and certainly not by his successor.

It is true that he was not the greatest of communicators and PR guys, but there one should not forget that he had a very difficult, if not impossible act to follow. It is to his credit that he did not even try to imitate Reagan, but that he led the country in his own personal style...(more)

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When nothing else matters : Michael Jordan's last comeback

When nothing else matters : Michael Jordan's last comeback

Author : Leahy, Michael
Imprint : New York : Simon & Schuster, 2004


Review : Washington Post reporter Leahy sees the legendary player's sad return to professional basketball as a parable of all that is wrong with an industry that milks players of iconic status. In 2000, the Washington Wizards hired Michael Jordan to be the club's president. Surprise, surprise, writes Leahy: the move was made to capitalize on Jordan's star power; principal owner Abe Pollin hoped to bolster the Wizards' poor performance and, more importantly, to fill seats in the arena. Detailed by the Post to follow this story over the course of a year, the skeptical but evenhanded reporter chronicles Jordan's abortive resurrection and explains what it was all about-essentially, money and entitlement. For the year and a half that Jordan served as a Wizards executive, he was at best an absentee landlord; later, as a player, he displayed the diminishing talents of someone kissing 40: knees in tatters, wrists twisted by tendonitis, loss of cool. Leahy is not out to do a hatchet job, but he won't pretend to be impressed by the emperor's new clothes. He will call Jordan for presumptuousness and uncourtly behavior, for dismissiveness and slighting of fellow players, for bad work habits and general ham-fistedness. He will cut the star a little slack for being a child of the bubble, riding high on his earnings and the absurd media grovelings (degrading evidence of journalists' complicity in making a god out of someone who plays a game), protected to a fare-thee-well. But he will then cut Jordan down to size-a mere six feet, say-for arrogance and "how helpless he seemed to be against the pull of his appetites." The point is that havoc trails upon sport stardom, and Leahy makes it more than well. The self-immolating trajectory of a display of hubris worthy of Aristophanes' contempt, complete with the inevitable fall from grace. (Kirkus Reviews)

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Tiger : a biography of Tiger Woods

Tiger : A Biography of Tiger Woods

Author : Strege, John
Imprint : New York : Broadway Books, c1997
Edition : 1st ed

Review :
What the world is saying about Tiger Woods:

"Certain players, you look at them once and you see something. The first time I saw Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer or Ben Hogan or Sam Snead I saw something special. As soon as I saw Tiger Woods swing, I thought, man, this young guy has got it. 'It' is something indescribable." --Gary Player

"His blissfully sweet swing, mature countenance, and sheer, outrageous ability confirm the arrival, finally, of golf's first black superstar."
--Newsweek

"It is conceivable that in terms of overall impact on the sport--when you figure in media, the dollars on the table for him, his ability to be a role model--that if he succeeds he might be the most important player ever."
--PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem -- Review

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Leonardo da Vinci : a memoir of his childhood

Leonardo da Vinci : a memoir of his childhood

Author : Freud, Sigmund
Imprint : London : Routledge, 2001


(Leonardo da Vinci)
Review : by Anders Rasmussen

This biography is to some extent based on a misinterpretation of language and the conclusions drawn often seem vaguely supported by evidence. However, Freud’s ability to look at the small details and from these build a complete picture is in it self a reason to buy this book. Despite of the small documentation of Leonardo Da Vinci's life Freud is able deduct a detailed picture of Leonardo's psychological development. Reading this book will moreover give the reader an introduction to Freud’s theories which are also very interesting (he basically asserts that all behaviours origin in sexual or aggression motives).

If one seeks only to learn about Leonardo's life and his scientific accomplishments this is perhaps not the book although one do get a shallow overview of his life. On the other hand, if one wants to see the human being in Leonardo Da Vinci and no longer see him as a "superman" then this is the book. After reading this book I have been able to actually relate to Leonardo, and I have even learnt one or two things about myself.

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Autobiography of Charles Darwin

Autobiography of Charles Darwin

This is the autobiography of Mr Charles Darwin (1809-1882). Charles Robert Darwin, the scientist, produced a prolific array of work during his lifetime.

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Steven Spielberg: The Man, His Movies, and Their Meaning

Author : Taylor, Philip M
Imprint : New York : Continuum, 1999
Edition : New expanded, 3rd ed


Review : How could this book be anything less than great, it has the greatest subject matter, STEVEN SPIELBERG!

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Jack : straight from the gut

Jack : straight from the gut

Author : Welch, Jack
Imprint : New York : Warner Business Books, c2001



Review : From Publishers Weekly

It doesn't matter whether you love or hate Jack Welch. Who can resist hearing the man tell his story? This abridged version of his recently published autobiography, featuring Welch himself, is quite entertaining. With his slightly raspy Boston accent, Welch discusses his childhood and his career. When he proclaims something, he gives examples to illustrate his point. For instance, he says his mother was the strongest influence on his life. He then recalls the time he threw a hockey stick across the ice in disgust after losing a game, and his mother stormed into the locker room as some teammates were changing to exclaim loudly, "If you don't know how to lose, you'll never know how to win." When discussing his long career at GE, Welch is equally detailed. While some listeners unfamiliar with the corporation may find some of the discussions tedious, most will be captivated by what appears to be Welch's brutal honesty. He talks about having to lobby for promotions because he didn't "fit the GE mold," and he's open about making some poor business decisions. He's not as forthright as it appears, though. He talks about his beloved wife, Carolyn, who provided a stable home while Welch was rising in GE's ranks, but barely mentions their divorce. Still, this audiobook will be interesting listening for anyone who has followed Neutron Jack's career. Simultaneous release with Warner Books hardcover.

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My Life

My Life

Author : Bill Clinton
Imprint : New York : Vintage Books, 2005
Edition : 1st Vintage Books ed



(cover)

Review : From Amazon.com
An exhaustive, soul-searching memoir, Bill Clinton's My Life is a refreshingly candid look at the former president as a son, brother, teacher, father, husband, and public figure. Clinton painstakingly outlines the history behind his greatest successes and failures, including his dedication to educational and economic reform, his war against a "vast right-wing operation" determined to destroy him, and the "morally indefensible" acts for which he was nearly impeached. My Life is autobiography as therapy--a personal history written by a man trying to face and banish his private demons...(more)

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Living History

Living History

Author : Hillary Rodham
Imprint : New York : Simon &Schuster ; London : Headline, 2003


Review : Amazon.com
As with most books written by politicians while in office (or at least aiming for one), Living History is, first and foremost, safe. There are interesting observations and anecdotes, the writing is engaging, and there is enough inside scoop to appeal to those looking for a bit of gossip, but there are no bombshells here and it is doubtful the book will change many minds about this polarizing figure. This does not mean the work is without merit, however, for Hillary Clinton has much to say about her experience as first lady, which is the primary focus of the book. Those interested in these experiences and her commentary on them will find the book worth reading; those looking for revelations will be disappointed...(more)

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Biblio.com

Biblio.com - booksearch and marketplace

Biblio.com contains lots of information in Biography Books and others
you can search through their webstie for rare books,text books and list of booksellers and they also sell books.

Click here.

or : http://www.biblio.com/catalogs/10/Biography.html

Man of the people : the life of John McCain

Man of the people : the life of John McCain

Author : Alexander, Paul
Imprint : New York : John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2003




(cover)

Review : From Publishers Weekly
Alexander has written lives of Sylvia Plath and James Dean, but he became a political journalist in the 1990s and recently wrote several articles about Republican Senator McCain of Arizona for Rolling Stone. The first two-thirds of this biography retell the stories (third-generation navy, five years as a POW in Hanoi) we've already heard, in McCain's own Faith of My Fathers (1999) and Robert Timberg's The Nightingale's Song (1995) without substantially revising the public understanding of McCain. In fact, Alexander's version occasionally seems politically na‹ve. He deals with McCain's transition from military officer to aspiring congressman, for example, in just a few pages, never questioning the motives for this career change. This lack of political perspective may stem from Alexander's populist adulation of his subject, whom he calls "the one current politician who best articulates the hopes and dreams of the common man." It's no surprise, then, that the blow-by-blow coverage of McCain's run at the White House is sharp, richly detailed journalism. Unfortunately, the story trails off after McCain drops out of the race; there's some material on the campaign finance reform bill, and an interesting rumor that the Democrats tried to lure the senator out of the Republican Party in early 2001, but then there's really nowhere else to go (the book's epilogue was not available for review). Alexander, a fellow at the Hoover Institution and cohost of WABC radio's Batchelor and Alexander, offers an adequate enough account of McCain's life, but it will have a tough time competing against McCain's latest memoir, Worth the Fighting For.

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Obama : from promise to power

Obama : from promise to power

Author : Mendell, David
Imprint: New York : Amistad/HarperCollinsPublishers, 2007

Review : *Starred Review* Since his speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2004, Obama has captured attention as reporters, politicos, and ordinary citizens have wondered if he might be the nation's first black president. Chicago Tribune reporter Mendell argues that although Obama's rise to the national stage might seem unplanned, it is the outcome of a carefully calculated strategy by an ambitious man. Mendell chronicles Obama's personal evolution, from Barry, a biracial adolescent growing up in Hawaii, to Barack, the Harvard law school graduate. Obama's complex background—white midwestern mother and Kenyan father—has been both an asset and a liability to his search for acceptance among African Americans and voters in general as they have had to assess who he is and what he stands for. Mendell tracks Obama's rise through the frustrations of community organizing and the rough-and-tumble world of Chicago politics to the rarefied, if no less brutal, world of the U.S. Senate. Mendell draws on interviews with Obama, his wife, family, friends, aides, and rivals, as well as his own extensive coverage since Obama's days in the Illinois Senate, to offer a nuanced, compelling look at a man of idealism and ambition intent on making history. Bush, Vanessa

From Booklist

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The living Buddha : an interpretive biography

The Living Buddha : An Interpretive Biography

Author : Ikeda Daisaku / Translated by Burton Watson

Publisher : Middleway Press (October 1, 2008)

(cover)

Review : Ikeda's biography of Shakyamuni Buddha made him very real. The reader is taken into the life and times of Shakyamuni, providing a rich history that kept me turning the pages for more. I have read this book twice and each time I enjoy it more than the last. Most important, Ikeda uses language and concepts that Buddhists and non Buddhists alike can readily understand.

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(Ikeda Daisaku)

Scriabin, a biography

Scriabin, A Biography

Author : Bowers Faubion
Imprint : New York : Dover, 1996
Edition : 2nd, rev. ed


(cover)


Review : The book is rich in facts and documents, you find there most if not all the important dates, places, pieces and persons. Scriabin's personal letters bring him very close to the reader - sometimes even uncomfortably close. Young creative persons reading that could lose their motivation to get famous - not everybody wants his or her private letters to be published like this. After reading this book it becomes nearly impossible to be as successful as Scriabin himself in ignoring his human weaknesses.
In this book we find some translated poems of Scriabin, including the "Poem of Ecstasy", describing in poetic language the same spiritual process as his Symphony #4 (Op.54) under the same name. Compared to this great music having many good recordings and easy to find in Internet, the text is almost forgotten by general public - it took some years for me to dig out the text in its original Russian language.
About Scriabin's philosophy and mysticism Bowers gives us the facts and citations with a slightly ironical bystander's smile. He understands Scriabin's seeking for ecstasy and the "I am God" thing that are so easy to confuse with escapism and "mania grandiosa". But he does not share Scriabin's exalted feelings and fails every hope of dedicated fans to serve this God together. Author of the biography is honest enough not to pretend that he has understood every little thing in Scriabin's ideas. He also avoids the primitive freudism that is too often seen in biographies. I recommend this book for every enthusiast of Scriabin who is not afraid of unveiled reality.

By Helle Kaasik

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Tolkien : a biography

Tolkien : A Biography

Author : Humphrey Carpenter
Book Info :# Paperback: 288 pages#
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin (Trade) (15 Nov 2000)# Language English#
ISBN: 0618057021
Short Description : The authorized biography of the creator of Middle-earth. In the decades since his death in September 1973, millions have read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion and become fascinated about the very private man behind the books. Born in South Africa in January 1892, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was orphaned in childhood and brought up in near-poverty. He served in the first World War, surviving the Battle of the Somme, where he lost many of the closest friends he'd ever had. After the war he returned to the academic life, achieving high repute as a scholar and university teacher, eventually becoming Merton Professor of English at Oxford where he was a close friend of C.S. Lewis and the other writers known as The Inklings.Then suddenly his life changed dramatically. One day while grading essay papers he found himself writing 'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit' -- and worldwide renown awaited him. Humphrey Carpenter was given unrestricted access to all Tolkien's papers, and interviewed his friends and family. From these sources he follows the long and painful process of creation that produced The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion and offers a wealth of information about the life and work of the twentieth century's most cherished author

Review by Editorial Reviews from Amazon :

There may be a corner of the world where the name J.R.R. Tolkien is unknown, but you would be hard-pressed to find it. Since their publication, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings have been published in every major language of the world. And though he single-handedly gave a mythology to the English and was beloved by millions, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien remained refreshingly unchanged by his fame and fortune, living out his days simply and modestly among the familiar surroundings of Oxford College. Humphrey Carpenter, who was given unrestricted access to Tolkien's papers, brilliantly puts meat to the bones of the Tolkien legend in J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography, offering a well-rounded portrayal of this quiet, bookish man who always saw himself first and foremost as a philologist, uncovering rather than creating the peoples, languages, and adventures of Middle-Earth.. (more)


(Cover)

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