Revolutionary Characters: What Made the Founders Different

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In this brilliantly illuminating group portrait of the men who came to be known as the Founding Fathers, the incomparable Gordon Wood has written a book that seriously asks, "What made these men great?"—and shows us, among many other things, just how much character did in fact matter. The life of each—Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Franklin, Hamilton, Madison, Paine—is presented individually as well as collectively, but the thread that binds these portraits together is the idea of character as a lived reality. They were members of the first generation in history that was self-consciously self-made—men who understood that the arc of lives, as of nations, is one of moral progress.

• ISBN13: 9780143112082
• Condition: New
• Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Customer Reviews ::

An uncommon light - M. S. Law - Capitol of Procrasti.
Gordon Wood reveals the founders in an uncommon light, attempting to show them as they were, rather than as these monolithic, semi-mythic creations. He does well, and the writing is engaging. My favorite sections were on George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. Certainly worth reading.

The Best Kind of Different: Our Family's Journey with Asperger's Syndrome

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Until the summer of 2007, the word Asperger's, was not a part of Shonda Schilling's vocabulary, but that summer changed everything. By then, her household was in chaos as her son Grant spiraled out of control. His acting out and refusal to listen had grown to epic proportions, but even worse was his apparent inability to relate to the people around him. None of the Schillings' other three kids ever acted like Grant; his behavior wasn't just unruly, it was irrational.

Complicating matters was the fact that Shonda's husband, Curt, was constantly on the road pitching for the Boston Red Sox, so he wasn't always around to see Grant's behavior firsthand. Seemingly everyone Shonda encountered had an opinion—"he's too spoiled," "he needs a good spanking," "he needs more discipline"—but it was a disastrous first attempt at summer camp that told Shonda something was definitely wrong. It was then that a neurologist diagnosed Grant with Asperger's syndrome—a form of high-functioning autism that, in recent years, has been found in children who at first glance appear disruptive and difficult.

Now in The Best Kind of Different, Shonda details every step of her family's journey with Asperger's, offering a parent's perspective on this complicated and increasingly common condition. Looking back on Grant's early years, she describes the signals she missed in his behavior and confronts the guilt that engulfed her after she came to understand just how misguided her parenting had been before the diagnosis. In addition, she talks about the harsh judgment she's faced from people who don't buy into the diagnosis and how she's used passion and information to fight the ignorance of others.

Celebrating Grant's successes and learning from his setbacks, Shonda demonstrates how Asperger's forced her and her husband to reconsider everything they thought they knew about their son and each other, but in the end, it has made their marriage and their family stronger and happier. A tribute to Grant's strength and a candid glimpse into a family coming to terms with its differences, The Best Kind of Different is an intimate portrait of two parents struggling to understand the complex beauty of their son.

• ISBN13: 9780061986833
• Condition: New
• Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

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Crossing the Jordan River

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Jacob Rosen writes in this fascinating and illuminating book about his experiences in both Cairo, Egypt and Amman, Jordan as an Israeli Diplomat. He has learned a great deal about Egyptian and Jordanian societies and also more about the Israeli character. Time and again, Mr. Rosen witnessed how Arabs and Western Cultures simply do not understand each other. The vignettes assembled in this book are based on real events. Mr. Rosen makes each of these stories stand on its own merit. The approach is anthropological, rather than political, and maybe through sharing these stories, this book can explain why and how the Arabs and the Israelis (and perhaps the West) fail to understand one another. They also show that after all is said and done, we are human beings who share the same concerns and inspirations.

Customer Reviews ::

Crossing the Jordan River - Rita Wassink - The Netherlands
Hello Jacob, I loved your book. I understand now that the problems in the Middle East are not so easy to solve. But the world needs people like you, who have understanding for other meanings and believes. Your stories are short but do have a deeper meening and are somethimes very sad. I hope that a new book of you will soon be ready. I will again order it a.s.a.p. at Amazon.com.
best regards and greetings to your family.