This is an amazing book worth giving any Marine or former Marine or any of those many people who are interested in the story of the United States Marines. On top of the navy blue canvas cover features the ornate United States Marine Seal that buldges up in its nooks and crannies and has the feel of a metal that provides this feeling of pride for the Marines and ownership of the history of such a exceptional military institution. However the good stuff is inside with informative information of the Marines from beginning of their formation to what is expected of them in the 21st century and its tied in with a multitude of pictures in which most I never seen before (despite me being military enthusiast) that explains the text perfectly and will wow you.

This book is one of the most impressive I've ever seen. Very well put together with a wealth of easy-to-read information concerning the "World's Finest" United States Marine Corps. Designed with the class and style in which only the Marine Corps is capable of inspiring. (Thank you mom for this Christmas treasure!) Semper Fidelis!

This book is a meticulously compiled, beautifully crafted history of our nation's finest military force. It goes beyond the battles and looks at the minutiae that made Marines what they are - from weapons and recruiting posters, to sea stories and folklore, to the heroism and valor that have been hallmarks of the Marine Corps since 1775. Of the many books on this almost mythical institution that I have read, the best by far is this unique and all encompassing volume by one of the Marine Corps most prominent and loving chroniclers. Heritage is the thread that makes the Marines what they are - the tangible link between the first Sea Soldiers and the current Marines even now serving the flag in dangerous places like Kosovo. For those who hold the Corps sacred, this book should become the Holy Grail of Marine Corps histories.

Franz Lidz's life is like a painting, some parts sad and lonley, sometimes happy and exciting! I have never heard of a book so truly moving. If you read this book Iam sure you will be crying the whole way. Sometimes crying from laufter, sometimes with sadness.

The funny, touching, unflinching memoir was totally eviscerated by Hollywood hacks. The book is full of whimsy and gentle irony; the film trades on sentiment and Rodeo Drive wisdom. The book is a small-scale Dostoyevsky novel in which the awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as it is terrible. The film is a cliched dying-mother tearjerker that panders to its Disney audience. The book brings to life a whole gallery of people; people of bone, flesh and blood all caught in a web of circumstance. It engulfs its characters in dramatic situations and drives them headlong with passionate desperation. In the film, these characters are cartoons who walk through predictable paces and have the most banal of revelations. In the book, their blood is warm, red and their hearts beat on.

Unstrung Heroes is one of the most touching and simutaneously disturbing books I've read in quite a while. In an unforgettable series of memoirs, Lidz succeeds in retelling the astonishing events of his life in an affecting and heartfelt manner. Somehow, through all of this, he keeps you rolling on the floor in laughter.

Child abuse is a subject many people would prefer not to think about. This account of the life of Mary Ellen Wilson will change that way of thinking. This story will open your heart to a little girl who, for much of her childhood had no friends, no hugs, no kisses, no bedtime "I love you" moments. The book will take you from the beginnings of a love story, through death, child abuse, hate, compassion, rescue, and survival. It's a must read for anyone who thinks that one person cannot make a difference in the life of a child. Thank you, Mr. Shelman and Dr. Lazoritz for bringing Mary Ellen into our lives...may the doors of our hearts be opened as a result.

This is a stirring book which holds a reader's attention from the first page until the last. As the true drama unravels, readers learn of the atrocities which were inflicted on an innocent little girl. Readers also learn of the birth of child protection in America as it unfolds through the efforts of a few determined and dedicated individuals. This is a "must read" for anyone with a heart for children and compassion for victims of abuse. Until now, this story was a missing piece of our history, yet it is now available for us to read about and learn from. Lazoritz and Shelman have shed light on this once overlooked part of our history, and they have indeed brought little Mary Ellen Wilson "Out of the Darkness". This is an extremely well written book, and its pages are packed with truth, spirit, and drama. Once read, it is a story you will never forget. Little Mary Ellen Wilson scampers through the pages as her story is told. Readers feel, hear, see, taste, dream, hope and live Mary Ellen's story as the authors reveal her life using words of truth filled with strokes of compassion. While growing up, little Mary Ellen Wilson had no toys to play with or books to read. Her life was a living nightmare. But now, Mary Ellen not only has a book, she has an audience. We must give this child and her book our full attention so that we learn from history's mistakes and strive to protect our children from the evil of child abuse. Lazortiz and Shelman have cause to celebrate in this masterpiece book. Mary Ellen's story will touch many lives through the pages of this book.

"Out of the Darkness" is indeed the perfect title for the long-awaited telling of these events. For the past 50 years, only students and professionals in the child protection field have learned the profound significance of Mary Ellen's story. This, the first book entirely devoted to this landmark case, brings Mary Ellen to life along with all those who helped her survive.

The story opens in May 1864 on a battlefield in Cold Harbor, Virginia, as Thomas Wilson receives word of the birth of his little girl in New York City and dreams of returning soon to his wife, Fanny, and their child. Shortly afterward, however, he dies in battle.

Amid the hustle and bustle of New York City life, Mary Ellen's mother attempts to care for her little girl, but poverty soon forces her to abandon the child. We learn of Mary Ellen's stay in an almshouse for a time before being taken into a foster home where she is beaten, locked in a closet, burned, and permitted no contact with the outside world. She remains in this home for 6 long years.

Shelman and Lavoritz accurately and poignantly describe the New York City of the 1860s and 1870s, allowing the reader to experience the overcrowding and the sounds and smells of the infamous Hell's Kitchen area of NYC where Mary Ellen is finally found and rescued.

The story follows two threads, first told separately, and then woven skillfully together. We learn of Mary Ellen's plight, while at the same time in NYC, Henry Bergh is working to found the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). We are with Bergh as he enforces the new animal protection laws in NYC. He fights to protect them all --from turtles to horses. He is often ridiculed as he charges, "Turtle abuse!" But he persists. Amazingly, in 1874 there was no agency to aid mistreated children. When Etta Wheeler, a dedicated social worker, appeals to Bergh and his animal rights society to take the lead in the child's rescue, he and the ASPCA's talented attorney, Elbridge Gerry, conduct the then famous trial that ultimately brings Mary Ellen freedom and a new home and results in the founding of the New York City Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, still in existence today.

The story culminates in the standing-room-only trial where Mary Ellen's foster mother is charged on several felony counts. The authors effectively recreate the circuslike atmosphere that prevails throughout the trial at which witnesses from all walks of life testify about what they have seen and heard. The transcripts of the trial are complete and authentic.

While most will read this book as a novel, a complete index at the back provides access to the wealth of factual material carefully researched by the authors. An epilogue tells what finally happened to Mary Ellen as an adult. Adding to the authenticity are a number of previously unprinted photographs provided to the authors by relatives of the principals.

An invaluable reference for those interested in the history surrounding child and animal protection, "Out of the Darkness: The Story of Mary Ellen Wilson is also just "a good read."

Having never read a book that talked about a personal experience with Traumatic Brain Injury, I found myself unable to put the book down. My god-daughter recently sustained a head injury from being thrown from an All Terraine Vehicle (ATV) and I found so much of Cathy Crimmins' story right on the mark. This book can be a difficult book to read because of the deeply emotional subject, but is a touching memoir told with a great deal of humor, and most of all... honesty.

Reading this book will touch anyone who has ever known someone who has sustained a TBI. It's also a book that should be shared after reading it. I congratulate the author for sharing her story; one that shares the heartache and explores the mystery of dealing with a loved one who survives a serious head injury. It's a world that I hope my family is spared from ever knowing firsthand.

I guess we never know how we will respond to a life changing event, and Cathy Crimmins shows the human side - the ups and downs with a rare openess. This is not anything like the Harrison Ford movie, Regarding Henry, where he wakes up a sweet guy afer a serious accident. This is what really happens! This is a must read.

This is a wonderful book. I read it in one sitting and found myself moved to tears many times. The book shares the experience of coping with a loved one's severe brain injury and recovery process. It deals with what it's like to be with someone whose personality, whose "self," has been altered and in many ways diminished. The book explores the question: What does it mean to love someone? We have the idea that we love another person, particularly our spouse, based on the totality of who that person is: character, personality, our shared experiences with them, etc. This memoir gives lie to that notion. In reality, loving is the process we go through in being with and caring for another person. I am grateful to Cathy Crimmins for allowing me to be reminded of this truth without having to experience the lesson first-hand.

In her no holds barred book, Where Is The Mango Princess? Cathy Crimmins takes the reader on a candid journey of courage, determination and humor, as she struggles to rebuild her life following a senseless accident which leaves her husband Alan with severe traumatic brain injury. In the weeks and months after the accident, Cathy shares the challenges she and her family face as Alan survives coma, completes rehab,and re-enters the workforce.

Cathy's take charge and 'take no prisoners' attitude as she battles her HMO with a razor sharp wit, is indicative of the conversations many of us have in our heads, but would never dare verbalize. As a traumatic brain injury survivor, I found her story touching, bold and brilliantly executed.

Transformational change addresses the problem of how to deal with change when moving from a mass production oriented business to a customer centered customized production business. One of the truly unique perspectives of this book is that it discusses and details the process of such a change. Many similar books effectively argue the need for change but then provide no direction on how to make the change. Thomas Wentz' book provides detailed discussion and processes for creating that complete transformation of your business

In the past most businesses were based on a mass production focus. Success and management were evaluated on a numbers basis. How much has sales increased? How many items were produced during this period last year? This numbers orientation tends to cause people to work hard to meet the numbers as their primary focus. In this scenario employees typically don't go beyond what is expected of them. There is no motivation to create a unique world-class organization. Add to that the fact that times have changed and customers now require a solution or product that is customized to their specific needs. If you can't provide a customized solution or product then they will simply go to a competitor that can. Is this just another business direction change? Thomas Wentz argues that it is more than just a directional change, it requires a complete transformation of the business from one form to another completely different form.

A nice extra to the book are the numerous "Key points" scattered throughout the text. By summarizing the prior information in just one or two sentences and making it stand out from the text it is easy to quickly read over the key points of the book and refresh your memory on an ongoing basis. An excellent book on business and change that also has some applicability to personal change, it is a recommended read.

This book finally provides the process to address how leaders can transform their company. Many other books defined the need to rethink the "business of the business" but none actually outlined a process. I have not only read the book but also participated in several of Tom's Simulation exercises. With this experiential background, I can honestly express to readers that you will actually understand what Tom is trying to convey only after having experienced the Simulation in conjunction with reading the book. We all have seen managers who were trying to "fix" an organization into a level of performance desired by customers, stockholders, and employees. Given the changes in consumers' demands for customized solutions, organizations that were built within the context of Mass Production cannot be "fixed" into a new existence. Organizations must be transformed and created to compete within the new reality of Mass Customization and the required thinking of a "market of one."

The Simulation allows team members to "feel" the transformational change process and thereby it becomes more meaningful and alive than simply understanding the intellectual issues documented within Transformational Change. In particular, it becomes critical that a collection of individuals become aligned on the outcome the organization is trying to "create"; i. e., the Vision. More importantly, the individual boss can no longer "tell" the organization what the Vision should be. In today's world, team members must collectively create the Vision and enroll in that creation procss. Subsequent to alignment on Vision, then the Structural Framework becomes the documented process for leading the organization through transformation.

If you read this book and participate within a Simulation, you will not believe how you will be equipped to transform your organization and be prepared to deal with the realtiy of Mass Customization. This is a very important book that all leaders should read, and read again.

Written by the Thomas K. Wentz (President of Corporate Performance Systems Inc.), Transformational Change: How To Transform Mass Production Thinking To Meet The Challenge Of Mass Customization is a solid and deftly presented guide for adapting to the new and evolving demands and realities of a globalized marketplace where merely churning out vast quantities of a product is simply not enough to be profitable. Now, more and more, customers want goods and services uniquely tailored to their tastes, and they are willing to pay for it - so much so as to change the shape of international businesses worldwide. Learning how to incorporate customization for maximum consumer satisfaction and profit is a rocky road, but individual chapters of Transformational Change address a range of relevant problems including corporate restructuring, gathering appropriate intelligence, competitive advantages and disadvantages, and a great deal more. Transformational Change is a truly excellent resource and a highly motivational reading for business managers at all corporate levels of responsibility.

Let me start this review by confessing that I am biased. One of my letters from Vietnam is included in the book. I therefore view the book differently from the average reader.

I also got an advance copy of the book a week before the official release date, and have been able to read it.

Andrew Carroll produced this book by reading through almost 50,000 letters and selected roughly 200 that best show what everyday life in the military - and in war - are like from the viewpoint of the average soldier, sailor, marine, and airman.

Andy was able to get these letters by persuading Dear Abby to publish an appeal in her column on Veteran's Day in 1998. The column urged readers to contribute these letters so that the sacrifices of the writers would not be forgotten. The result was a flood of 50,000 letters - some faded, some muddy, some blood-stained, and one pierced by a bullet. One letter was written on Hitler's personal stationary by an American sergeant who worked in Hitler's personal quarters in Germany just after WW II. What could be a better symbol of justice?

The letter writers' views are very different than the views you will get by reading the memoirs of a general or an admiral. When I was in the Army, there was a wonderful comment that explained life in the Infantry:

"The general gets the glory, The family gets the body, and We get another mission."

Your view of the military - and of war - changes depending on your position in this food chain.

Overcoming an enemy machine gun is an interesting technical problem when you are circling a firefight in a helicopter at 1,000 feet. You take a very different view of the problem when you are so close to the machine gun that your body pulses from the shock wave of the muzzle blast.

These letters were written by soldiers while they were in the military. They are describing events that happened that day, the pervious day, or the previous week. Their memories are very fresh. Their views also are very different from the views that someone might have when writing his memoirs thirty years later. In thirty years the everyday pains, problems, and terrors could very well be forgotten or become humorous.

The book groups these letters by war or police action. There are sections for letters from the Civil War, WW I (the war to end wars), WW II, Vietnam War, Desert Storm, and Somolia/Bosnia/Kosovo.

Some things never change. The Civil War letter writers grumble about poor food, tiresome marches, mindless sergeants and incompetent officers. The Vietnam letter writers (myself included) grumbled about the same things.

One anguished letter was from an officer in Vietnam who was torn by his need to hide his opposition to the war for fear of demoralizing his men. At the end of the letter is a brief comment explaining that the officer stepped on a mine and died shortly after writing this letter.

Welcome to life in the military. Welcome to war.

You should read this book if you want to see what life was like and is like in the military and in war.

Let me start this review by confessing that I am biased. One of my letters from Vietnam is included in the book. I therefore view the book differently from the average reader.

I also got an advance copy of the book a week before the official release date, and have been able to read it.

Andrew Carroll produced this book by reading through almost 50,000 letters and selected roughly 200 that best show what everyday life in the military - and in war - are like from the viewpoint of the average soldier, sailor, marine, and airman.

Andy was able to get these letters by persuading Dear Abby to publish an appeal in her column on Veteran's Day in 1998. The column urged readers to contribute these letters so that the sacrifices of the writers would not be forgotten. The result was a flood of 50,000 letters - some faded, some muddy, some blood-stained, and one pierced by a bullet. One letter was written on Hitler's personal stationary by an American sergeant who worked in Hitler's personal quarters in Germany just after WW II. What could be a better symbol of justice?

The letter writers' views are very different than the views you will get by reading the memoirs of a general or an admiral. When I was in the Army, there was a wonderful comment that explained life in the Infantry:

"The general gets the glory, The family gets the body, and We get another mission."

Your view of the military - and of war - changes depending on your position in this food chain.

Overcoming an enemy machine gun is an interesting technical problem when you are circling a firefight in a helicopter at 1,000 feet. You take a very different view of the problem when you are so close to the machine gun that your body pulses from the shock wave of the muzzle blast.

These letters were written by soldiers while they were in the military. They are describing events that happened that day, the pervious day, or the previous week. Their memories are very fresh. Their views also are very different from the views that someone might have when writing his memoirs thirty years later. In thirty years the everyday pains, problems, and terrors could very well be forgotten or become humorous.

The book groups these letters by war or police action. There are sections for letters from the Civil War, WW I (the war to end wars), WW II, Vietnam War, Desert Storm, and Somolia/Bosnia/Kosovo.

Some things never change. The Civil War letter writers grumble about poor food, tiresome marches, mindless sergeants and incompetent officers. The Vietnam letter writers (myself included) grumbled about the same things.

One anguished letter was from an officer in Vietnam who was torn by his need to hide his opposition to the war for fear of demoralizing his men. At the end of the letter is a brief comment explaining that the officer stepped on a mine and died shortly after writing this letter.

Welcome to life in the military. Welcome to war.

You should read this book if you want to see what life was like and is like in the military and in war.

This book, War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars, by Andrew Carroll (Editor) is a touching book. With the recent release of the movie Pearl Harbor, the questions that my generation wants to ask the veterans of war are rising out of the ashes once again. Carroll did an excellent job of putting together a collage of soldier's letters which portrays the true emotions of our freedom fighters. Recently having studied many of the wars included in this book, War Letters pulled everything into one book; from the Civil War all the way through Bosnia/Kosovo. The letters in WWI and WWII seemed more hopeful, and 'the great generation' seemed more patriotic. While the soldiers fighting Vietnam had more of a sense of urgency, kind of 'get this over with already' attitude. A common theme with all the letters was they were writing to loved ones, and would claim they would see them soon. Unfortunately, many of these letters were the 'last letters' to the families, some even written on backs of photographs, on scratch paper, or on Hitler's personal stationary. Also, these letters are written a few hours, days, or weeks after the events happened. The soldier has no opportunity to hear what the media said, or how the nation reacted to such a horrific event. They write with their souls, spilling their guts to their families, and shedding their blood for their nation. Granted, having just completed one year of US History helps me understand these events just that much more, but all in all, this book was everything from terrifying to heart warming.

I spent four years in college reading over a hundred books for my classes, including this one. I am done now, and this is the ONLY book I am even thinking of re-reading. I have never laughed so hard in my life, and learned so much. Durkheim, Marx. Weber, Huff, I have ready some books by the greats of academia, but this is the book that sticks in my mind. Ironically, my first job out of college was working in a factory enviroment driving a forklift!! You never know where life will take you, but in this book you learn about the lives of the people who built that car you are driving through life. I drive a GM vehicle, and this book really opened my eyes!!

I was forced to read this book...against my better wishes, my hellish American History professor assigned this book to our class. As I read the title I remembered thinking: "how in the world is an assembly line job interesting enough to read about?" About the only thing I thought the book had going for it was the foreward by Michael Moore. It looked like I was going have to spend another weekend plodding though a boring book when I could have been spending it at the movies or out with my friends. It turned out to be one of the best weekends of my life. The books was hilarious -- It was real, gritty, sharp and wonderfully written. After reading the introduction, I was hooked: I locked myself in my room, unplugged the telephone and didn't put down the book until I was finished. That was ten minutes ago -- now I am online looking to see if he has written any other books...I was disapointed to see that he hasn't. Ben Hamper -- wherever you are -- I have joined the ranks as your loyal fan. Even though you no longer work for GM, I hope you will find another story out there and tell the world about it.

Unlike the songs of Bruce Springsteen that focus upon the working class of America, Hamper provides one with a glimpse into the life of an American factory worker. This book shows the lived experiences of people that have now become transperent voices in mainstream society. What Hamper does is provide a forum for these voices to be articulated. This book should be a mandatory reading in college classrooms. Specifically, english majors, sociology majors, and communication majors would benefit from the insight and rhetoric displayed through the harsh but real voice of Hamper. More books like this should be read by members of our society both in and out of the academic forums. In sum, I would recommend this book to the masses.

This is the perfect Shelby Foote sampler if the three volume, "The Civil War: A Narrative" seems either too daunting or you haven't the time.
It's the entire "Stars in Their Courses" Chapter and part of "Unvexed to the Sea" from "Fredericksburg to Meridian," the second volume of the trilogy.
Simply put, it's the best and most concise account of the Gettysburg campaign you're ever likely to find. Foote doesn't overwhelm the reader the details, but instead, and with careful literary design, catches the ebb and flow of a great battle as it opens and occurs.
If you've read the trilogy, then you probably don't need this, but it certainly is a lot easier to tote around than the rather ponderous size of the others. Also, if you're quite familiar with Gettysburg, then Foote may not be anything new, but I do think his mastery of the language eclipses most of what's out there (how historians drain the life out of such an exciting subject I'll never know).
If you enjoyed this, I heartily recommend you pick up "Stars in Their Courses" in the audio where Foote reads the book himself. You listen to his voice and I'd hazard a guess that it's like listening to Homer read the Iliad or the Odyssey. Foote's melodious voice is mesmerizing and becomes a performance in itself.

Foote deserves a 21 gun salute.

No one has written about the Civil War with the lyricism and eloquence of Foote. As anyone who has read his delightful three volume history of the Civil War can attest, his novelist background combined with thorough research to produce a classic of American literature and history.

This book is an excerpt from the history focusing on the Gettysburg campaign. As perhaps the most dramatic episode of our national four year drama (and tragedy), this breakout survives its separation from the whole very well.

Foote traces the reasons Davis allowed Lee to march north and the ensuing battle thoroughly. Although not given the breadth of Coddington's description in his classic "Gettysburg: A Study in Command," Foote does his job extremely well over 290 (small sized) pages. This is a factual yet at the same time romantic telling of the great battle of American history.

A student (yes, I'm a history major) of the Civil War, and having grown up believing that the holy land was a certain battlefield in Pennsylvania, I read Shelby Foote's The Stars in Their Courses as part of a research paper. I had gotten the copy for my father that past Christmas. It was well worn by the time I borrowed it in April.
In reading his work on the Gettysburg campaign, as he described the places about the enormous battlefield, I could see myself in those places once again. It was like reading an old journal entry, or seeing a picture of a childhood home; such is the power of Foote's work that it can transport you to the place you are reading about. Both my father and I read this book with great enjoyment, for this was written in a style of prose much more beautiful and approachable than many other writers on the subject.
To this day, Shelby Foote's work remains a staple in the bookcases of the Lacey household, and will remain that way for a long long time.

I might as well have read the back of a baseball card as have read the book, for all the insight into Jackson's personality it gave me. This book simply read like an extended sports column; I suppose that is all well and good if sports columns are all you ever read, but I expect more from a biography than a collection of blow-by-blow accounts of the games Jackson played in. The man, after all, spent 13 of his 62 years playing in the big leagues. There is scant discussion of his later years. Does Frommer suppose that the reader is not interested in how Jackson came to terms with his status as a disgraced former big-league ballplayer? One is left with the impression that Frommer did not even attempt to scratch the surface when dealing with Jackson's later years.

Couple this with Frommer's clumsy writing style, lack of citations, and bizarre style of quotation, and one is left with a book that was not worth the time spent reading it. I was left with no greater insight into Jackson the man than before I first picked up the book.

"He was the greatest ball player ever from South Carolina. His lifetime batting average was .356, topped only by Ty Cobb and Rogers Honrsby.But Shoeless Joe had to leave the game in disgrace, one of the members of the "Black Sox" accused of throwing the 1919 World Series. Author Frommer argues that Jackson got a raw deal and deserves reinstatement and enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. Frommer's book is something of a biography and partly the story of baseball in the first two decades of this century. He sees Jackson as symbolizing the game's more innocent era, and he calls Jackson a 'folk hero, the representative of a collective nostalgic yearning for an agrarian past.'"

"A tremendous account. . . I must refer anyone who has any interest in the Black Sox Scandal to Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball. There is a shiny gold sticker on the jacket of Frommer's book, by the way, announcing that it contains "Never before published -- Joe Jackson's complete Grand Jury Testimony." . . .The testimony is worth reading. Frommer quotes Joe Jackson: "I never said anything about it [the plot to throw the Series] until the night before the Series started. I went to see Mr Comiskey and begged him to take me out of the lineup .... If there was something going on I knew the bench was the safest place, but he wouldn't listen to me...." I would love to fill about ten pages with excerpts from Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball, but will not. Get the book. It's a fascinating and fast read.

I almost don't want to write a review of The Waiting Child because I feel like I could never do the book justice. But I am writing this because I want you to read it. Simply put, this book is a story of the human spirit. In a time where we are constantly reminded of the hatred in this world, we need to hear more about people, especially children, who are motivated by love. Unbelievably, Jaclyn never gave up. Even in the face of almost impossible odds. If you have ever doubted the viability of love changing this world, you will be awed by Jaclyn.
Besides the theme of love and hope, the story of adoption is tremendous. I felt like this was an honest, powerful look at how tough but ultimately, how rewarding, adoption is for a parent and the family. The emotion is openly laid out on the page and you will not be able to forget it.
Having been to China, I can vouch for the accuracy of the description of the country. Although beautiful, many facilities are in bad repair.
Definitely a top ten book on my list.

Cindy Champnella writes on her dedication page, "For Jaclyn....my light, my love, my sorrow, my joy....my child." Thus begins the most beautiful story you will ever read. It's the story of 4 year old Jaclyn, adopted from a Chinese orphanage, and her never-ending determination and yearning to bring home the 2 year old boy she loved and "mothered" there. I have known Cindy for a number of years now, and have known the story of Jaclyn and Lee. Yet reading this incredible story in its entirity was so moving I couldn't put it down. Being an adoptive Mom myself, I was very glad to read Cindy's truthful tale of adoption...tremendous joys coupled with moments of raw grief. This is a must-read for anyone who loves children, and is willing to be inspired by the love of a 4 year old, and inspired by her parents who dared to believe that dreams really can come true.

This is a must read for anyone who is considering international (or domestic) adoption, has already completed an adoption, or who is simply drawn to a powerful story of love, faith, and tenacity. Cindy Champnella begins her moving tale with a tender letter that she writes to her soon to be daughter who is still in China. She ends this letter, "Come, begin the wonderful adventure of your future. I will be right beside you every step of the way. Take my hand." And so Cindy "takes the reader's hand" on a wonderful, sometimes challenging, often emotional journey as she first enfolds her new daughter into her family, and then as they both courageously and tenaciously attempt to save a small boy from the same orphanage. Cindy's multiple trips to China give plenty of fascinating details of the adoption process and insight into the unimaginable life for children growing up in an institution. This is a book as much about the universality of the human spirit as it is about adoption. A gem of a book.