I first learned about Alex Deford in the ABC made-for-tv movie, and was immediately touched. Having always been a fan of Frank Deford's sports writing, I knew this book could be nothing less than sensational. And I was correct.

Alex Deford was a strong little girl that was stricken with a terrible disease, and eventually taken from this earth way too early. In this book, Deford recalls her inspiring story, as well as giving us a look into his own life. He is straightforward and ultimately candid about the trials and pains that young Alex had to endure. Through her remarkable story, we learn a great deal about her, and it forces us to look upon each of our own inner strengths.

The book flows really well, and Deford does an incredible job of mingling his own story into Alex's. I really enjoyed the way he included other children's letters and personal thoughts, and not correcting their spelling was a great touch.

This book was a joy to read. I thank Mr. Deford for opening my eyes to this horrible disease, and just allowing me to get to know Alex Deford and what she was all about. It was a true pleasure, and I urge all of you to please read this wonderful book.

I was 12 or 13 when I first saw the movie "Alex: the life of a child" on T.V., but to this day... I remember her as if she were a part of the family. I remember her father laying her on his lap, tilted towards the floor, tapping her chest and singing "The wheels on the bus go round and round...". Recently, Alex has popped into my head for more than a few reasons. My 4 year old daughter has had chronic bronchial infections since birth. Every doctor that she's seen has diagnosed something different. Today, we were told that she has all of the symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis. In an effort to research data on Cystic Fibrosis, the first title that popped up on my screen read "Alex: The Life of a Child". Tears flooded my eyes as I, again, recalled what that little girl went through. I can only pray that my own daughter's results come back negative. Frank, thank you for sharing your emotional story with the world. Of the few movies that have ever remained a visual memory, yours is on the top of my list.

Alex the Life of a Child is a haeartwarming story of a little girl's battle against cystic fibrosis. Alex was loved and loved more than someone who lived to be a hundred. Her entire being was love. She never worried about herself, but for the people she loved. She was a treasure to her friends and family and to anyone who read her courageous story. Alex lived a life of inspiration and she was a gift from God who died to young, but she is with God and is watching over her parents and her "Chrish," her little brother whom she always called by this name. She is their guardian angel. The most touching passage to me is that when she was ready for an opperation to help clear her lungs, her father layed her down on the operating table, a tear fell down his cheeks and she told them to wait and she wiped that tear off his cheek. She said, "I am so sorry my little daddy." That was the little angel she was, one who could not stand to see her family suffer from her disease and for some time before she knew she was going to die, but she did not want to upset them. She tried with all her might to try to never uspet them, they meant everything to her and she was so terrified for them. She always tried to help them with their grief and at times give them the room when they needed to cry alone. Her father Frank tried to cry alone because he did not want to upset his little baby girl. If Alex saw him cry, he would always whisper something to make her feel better. Then, he would just hold her and cry, his heart was breaking, he had to watch his little daughter slowly die and suffer unthinkable pain. Sometimes she would cry too and she would just hold on to him and she would cry with him. She knew that she would die and it broke her heart and not for herself, but for them, always them. Frank Deford writes a heartwarming story about the love he felt for his daughter and the courage she had facing death. This book will make you smile, make you laugh, and make you cry, but it is more than worth reading it, it touches you unspeakably and gives you courage and faith. Alex was a heroic girl whose story you will never forget and woll touch you forever.

This book has had perhaps the greatest influence on me as of late. I have drank from this book deeply, and read it several times. In fact, when I seek advice, I open up the little blue book and look for something that says about problems. Not only has this book took my basketball skills to a whole nother level, but it has made me a better person all around. I have changed many of my bad habits, and I'm pretty glad I have changed, as many of my friends like my new attitude, etc. For basketball players, this book will get you into it mentally. Before I read this book, I only had the physical talent to play the game, now I feel as if I have a stable mental view and I am in the game mentally. This book teaches you so much, I cannot say enough. Coach Wooden even guides you step by step, pillar by pillar, through the period of success. This book is a must for basketball fans, players, and for the average person. Even if you despise sports, this book contains information on life itself, it's a must for all.

I bought this book while visiting the UCLA campus to attend a mens' basketball game. I received "Practical Modern Basketball" from my high school coach as a gift when I began my teaching and coaching career in 1976. This became my coaching bible for years to come. When I saw this new book, Wooden, I bought it without hesitation, thinking that John Wooden's "Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court" was as much a mystery as it was curiosity relative to my appreciation and utilization of the words of wisdom provided in the book I received as a gift in 1976.

My career in public education has allowed me to seriously reflect on my life as it pertains to personal gratification of preparing for unknown opportunities and being able to rationalize with poise and confidence. I attribute many successes in my life to the Wooden philosophy that I followed in my early years of my career. Wooden's, reflections, is an outstanding assessment of what a man of Mr. Wooden's character achieved through hard work, dedication to his own philosophy, and the love for life and people. I have recommended this book to personnel within my organization,to coaches and friends. It is also a great asset for parents who need direction in how to raise their children, basing all dialoge and communication on respect. I truly respect the real value of this book as an asset to my future and my family and my responsibities as Assistant Superintendent of Schools!

Thanks, Eddie Booth, Winnemucca, NV

I found a new life for myself through exercising and applying some of the philosophies of John Wooden as they are revealed in his book. As an AAU coach for Lower Bucks Baskerball Group in Bucks County Pennsylvania, I wanted to teach my kids how to become successful. I read the entire book and found myself learning how to become successful in my own life: work, marriage, friendship, coaching. I wish I could spend a weekend with coach Wooden so I could learn more. The book changed my life. It's all true, to become successful, you must start with a solid foundation. As a Certified Oracle Database Administrator, I have become more proficient in my professional life as a result of applying the concepts built into JohnW's Pyramid of Success. If ever you wished to aspire to begin anew in life, learn from this man. I've found true peace of mind in knowing that I did the best I could in becoming the best I possibly could become. Having the oppourtunity to work with youngsters is a great oppourtunity to help develop their future. I'm teaching these kids what John Wooden taught his UCLA players during the championship years. It's a great experience knowing that they will benefit from his teaching. I was a very successful athlete when I was young, but I never appreciated what it took to reach the pinnacle of my own personal success. What I found was I had been doing the type of things as covered with in this book all along. The hard part is trying to teach kids how to become successful. You would generally say, you have to work hard. Well, John Wooden knew you had to like to work hard, but also, share your successes with your friends, of which, you remain loyal too and cooperate with. I could go on and on. I've found myself preaching the success terminology to everyone that aspires to become successful. I have three very young children. My son Robert is two years old and he can dribble a basketball while watching the trash truck drive by in front of the house. He's amazing, just like his father, only better. I hope coach Wooden knows that I'm going teach my son everything I possibly can, just like JohnW's father did for the great coach. I'm preparing for my coaching future now by adhereing to many of the great teachings and revelations contained within the pages. Each year I coach, my teams will begin with the Cornerstones of the Foundation of the Pyramid, which leads to success. Then I'll teach them the "Give and Go" and "Pick and Roll" while I teach them about Loyalty and Self-Control, the relationships between Initiative and Alertness and Determination, how to achieve Poise and Confidence, how to have faith and patience, how to reach competitive greatness and ultimately, being successful in life.

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party" is a timely manifesto and historical overview of the ideas that define the Republican Party. As we feel inundated these days with media sound bites and empty symbolism in politics, it is easy to lose sight of the underlying organizing principals on which political parties are formed and how the parties differ from each other. The author agrues that most Republicans misunderstand or are out of touch with the party's founding ideals and therefore are not successful in promoting the party to a wider audience. He takes us through a tour of what began as "The Party of Lincoln", emphasizing individual freedom under the rule of law. The immediate political outcome was the abolition of slavery and its enforcement by war. The tour concludes by demonstrating how those underlying principals have evolved today--namely, an abhorrence of tyranny worldwide and a continuing vigorous effort to decentralize government by bringing it closer to the people.

The author brings to life the personalities, both old and modern, who shaped the Republican Party. Both history book and political essay, "Back to Basics for the Republican Party" weaves together an impressive amount of facts and anecdotes that will make you think about Republican ideals in new and interesting ways. It is a well-written, lively, and lucid contribution that will be of interest to anyone who wants to better understand the Republican Party and its roots. The book is also peppered with witticisms and "zingers" that will make you cheer or shake your head depending on where you stand.

Michael Zak's book, "Back To The Basics For The Republican Party," is a wonderful achievement. "Back To The Basics" is at once a splendid history lesson of our nation and an illuminating dialogue of our political system. Mr. Zak begins with the events and the ideas that gave rise to the Republican Party. Mr. Zak goes on to explain how the fundamental tenets of the party enabled the Republicans to save the Union, rid our country of slavery and lay the foundation for the modern American economy. Mr. Zak then explains how the GOP strayed from its principles, allowing the Democratic Party to gain the advantage. Finally, Mr. Zak provides, through his incisive analysis, the framework by which the Republican Party can regain the political and moral high ground, and lead America to even greater accomplishments. Nonetheless, this book is neither a dry nor pedantic study. It is a thoughful, well-written, compelling and entertaining effort. Most importantly, "Back To The Basics For The Republican Party" is a clarion call for the GOP to return to its roots. I highly recommend this outstanding book.

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party" is a timely manifesto and historical overview of the ideas that define the Republican Party. As we feel inundated these days with media sound bites and empty symbolism in politics, it is easy to lose sight of the underlying organizing principals on which political parties are formed and how the parties differ from each other. The author argues that most Republicans misunderstand or are out of touch with the party's founding ideals and therefore are not successful in promoting the party to a wider audience. He takes us through a tour of what began as "The Party of Lincoln", emphasizing individual freedom under the rule of law. The immediate political outcome was the abolition of slavery and its enforcement by war. The tour concludes by demonstrating how those underlying principals have evolved today--namely, an abhorrence of tyranny worldwide and a continuing vigorous effort to decentralize government by bringing it closer to the people.

The author brings to life the personalities, both old and modern, who shaped the Republican Party. Both history book and political essay, "Back to Basics for the Republican Party" weaves together an impressive amount of facts and anecdotes that will make you think about Republican ideals in new and interesting ways. It is a well-written, lively, and lucid contribution that will be of interest to anyone who wants to better understand the Republican Party and its roots. The book is also peppered with witticisms and "zingers" that will make you cheer or shake your head depending on where you stand.

This book is such an eye opener. A really amazing read that is so hard to put down. I was a dedicated meat eater but since reading this book, I am adopting a vegetarian diet, the arguments that John Robbins puts forward for doing so - personal health, animal welfare and environmental concerns - are so telling it seems stupid not to.
Read this book and if you take in only a portion of his ideas you will be on track to better health and together we can help save the planet. Yes, we really do have that much power with our food choices.

One of the luckiest days of my life was when I happened to surf my way onto this page and order this book. I have to admit I was more than slightly cynical when I read some of the rave reviews posted, but nonetheless I decided to make the judgment for myself. And in the process of reading this incredibly well researched and documented "truth revolution," I found myself utterly flabbergasted with the turn of each page. As a person who has always been literally brought up in food (my father works for a meat company owned by ConAgra), I considered myself an above-average informed food consumer. Plus, I have always had an innate fascination with food, and have spent many years studying and learning about nutrition. I thought I'd read it all...I truly believed this book would offer me no new material, but would have perhaps some kind of interesting perspective. I was worried that it would be some rantings and preaching from Mr. John Robbins, but I couldn't have been MORE WRONG! The TRUTH HURTS, and this book is a truth revolution. This book contains the results of hundreds of scientific studies and findings mixed with the creative/clever, thought-provoking and meaningful voice of Mr. Robbins and his own fascinating personal anecdotes. I think there should be a guarantee on this book that if you don't learn at least 50 new things you get your money back. And 50 is nowhere near the amount that I learned. This book did change my life...it's funny I just never expected that! Only Ayn Rand has had this kind of affect on me and she writes FICTION! Do yourself a huge favor: buy this book. I promise you won't ever regret this one (nor will you lend it to people for fear of not getting it back; you'll just buy it for them as gifts--as I plan to do for all my friends and family). I would personally like to say to John: Thank You for opening my eyes and for changing my life. I am proud to say that today I finished your book, and today I vow to change my eating habits for the rest of my life. I had been sitting on the fence for a while, but I've decided to become a vegan (do you think you could come over to my parents house when I announce it to my dad? Don't worry I plan on getting him a copy of this book.) If you could help convert me, a Texan from a meat loving (and selling) family you could convince anyone! Add another one to the scoreboard....we'll get there someday!

I heard John Robbins interviewed on a radio program On Balance in Phoenix. I immediately went out and bought his book and since that time have bought five addtional copies to give to people I care about. This is the most compelling book I have read about how the decisions we each make about the food we choose to eat will affect our life and our planet. John talks about "eating with a conscience" and I can't imagine anyone who won't think twice about his food choices after reading this book. In addition to being an extraordinary indictment of the meat, dairy and genetic engineering industries, it is also a compassionate and hopeful book. If you care about your health, don't want to be part of widespread cruelty to animals and are genuinely concerned about the environment, read this book and then give it to everyone you love.

Until reading this book, I was convinced that all graduate school guides were written for second graders. The advice contained in most guidebooks is tragically simplistic and usually amounts to plain common sense. And any detailed information (on financial aid, etc.) contained within can be easily found using a good search engine on the internet.

Peters' book is the only guidebook I have ever read that is worth buying. It is geered towards educated, resourceful people contemplating graduate school and actually "tells you something you didn't already know."

I absolutely, positively recommend this book to anyone pursuing, applying for, or even entertaining the possibility of graduate studies. It differs from others I've read in that it is thorough, thoughtful and genuinely useful, whether you think you've got it all figured out or haven't got a clue. The chapter on choosing an advisor (versus a school) is indispensable. Testimonials from admissions committees, advisors and students cover all the bases. A HUGE bonus is the author's firsthand knowledge of grad school in the sciences- and how it differs from the humanities. Advisors, please let your students know this book exists. Students, buy one immediately.

Rob Peters has written a book which is more helpful to college students deciding whether or not to pursue graduate studies than any other resource I've seen. Much of the book focuses on developing organizational strategies and building relationships with professors and other contacts in your field. These tactics are just as helpful at the undergrad level as they will be later, so "Getting What You Came For" is helping me already! The book avoids the vague or trite advice one finds in other sources, and an enjoyable sense of humor (complemented by Peters' cartoons) pervades the book. The chapter on choosing between Ph.D. and Master's programs is quite helpful. Peters emphasizes that grad school is as political as any other working environment - his concrete tips for developing successful networks and interpersonal rapport with your adviser and thesis committee are invaluable. If you are a college student thinking about postgrad work, reading this book is a sine qua non.

I have read many books on the training of Navy SEAL's, and this is by far THE best that I have seen. The level of detail that Dick Couch goes to in describing the process of becoming a SEAL is incredible. Written from both the student's perspective, and the instructor's perspective, it gives you an amazing look at why the training is conducted the way it is. Most books leave you with the impression that surviving Hell Week is the end game. This book takes you through diving phase, as well as land warfare phase . It was amazing to me to learn that even some tough SOB's who made it through Hell Week, and even diving phase, get washed out in third phase as the standards go up. If you are thinking about becoming a SEAL, or just a SEAL enthusiast like me, this book is a must read!

I've read several great books about SEALs and their training, and, as a middle-aged guy in pretty good shape who never served in the military, I wondered, like so many men, if I could have survived BUD/S. No, I couldn't have. I know that now, after reading The Warrior Elite. This book, written from a privileged and intimate viewpoint by a Vietnam-era SEAL, reveals in literally excruciating detail how demanding and relentless the training is. I was not surprised that the flamboyantly macho and musclebound contenders are the first to drop out, or that the quietly determined, average-build guys are the ones who make it.
However, I was surprised at how unforgiving the process is as far as dealing with physical injury. I was stunned that the one guy, who was just a machine, a leader, never tiring, never complaining, always performing as a leader, was let go because of a sinus infection. It seemed an egregious waste of an outstanding soldier due to something completely beyond his control. No one in the Mekong Delta ever got sick? No one in Desert Storm was ever injured or ill? I'm all for rigorous standards but jettisoning this particular guy because of a sinus infection seemed bone-headed and counterproductive.
Anyhow, now I know I wouldn't have made it. The first time I was made to take a dip in the ice slush with my pants full of sand after no sleep at three in the morning I believe I could have easily rung the bell and run for the showers.
An enjoyable book.

Dick Couch, a former SEAL, takes an in depth look at the BUD/S, the training school that future SEALs must go through. I am an avid Navy SEAL fan and have read as much as I can on the subject. This is THE book I would recomend if somebody asked me which ONE book they should read on SEALs. After having learned about what a SEAL must go through to earn his Trident Pin (the official point at which you are a SEAL) I only have more respect for those men.

As a former SEAL, Couch gets an unprecident look at this school. He is the only author I know of who has been allowed to truly document the training from Indoc (the first training session) all they way through their first deployment. You get a close look at the four phases of training and not only do you see WHAT they do, but Couch interviews many of the trainees and reveils what they are thinking and what keeps them going (or not as the case may be) despite being cold, wet, tired, hungry and in pain. What was especially interesting was the section on Hell Week. A period when the trainees must work for five straight days with only about four hours of sleep total. Of the 60 or so trainees who made it to the begining of Hell Week, only 15 or so made it out.

I consider this book a must have for anybody who is a SEAL buff. However, I also believe that it was a wider appeal as a look at the pysche of men who never, ever stop trying no matter how hard the situation.

To anyone who wants to beat the market and improve their success rate by learning and using Technical Analysis this book is a gauranteed way to get started. Its written in simple terms, has excelent examples and offers advice based on time-proven methods. Compared to other similar tomes on this subject it uses no math or formulas but relies on actual charts of stocks. The method teaches how to view price, volume and trend data so that stock picks yield winners 60 to 80% of the time and with gains (for me) 2x to 10x! It also provides lessons on the how to cut losses and how to learn the discipline of selling for maximum profit. This is a book which can (and must) be reread over and over as one gains expertise at Technical Analysis. The methods learned provide logical procedures which eliminate the hype of the stock market and turns the hype into profits. Weinstein's motto of the "Tape Tells All" is the foundation for success because it places stock action as the primary source of information over OPINION.

In the past 6 months, I have bought and read over 15 books on trading and investment (Van Tharp, LeBeau, Nison, Oz, O'Neill, Murphy) and this is by far one of the best books out there. At first, I was reluctant to purchase this book based on the date of publication (Pre 1990). But, as other great trading books, this one is a classic that should be in every library of technical investors/traders at an extremely affordable price.

Key points:
- Very practical, systematic and clear. Excellent communication. You don't get bored reading it.
- Sound trading system.
- Stan's stage analysis is a tremendous help to separate the stock price movement in stages. Very valuable insight.
- His stop loss explanation on both and long are extremely valuable and clear. He explained it in a step-by-step fashion. This alone can save you $$$ by locking-in your profit.
- Other excellent explanation: important chart patterns to be considered (he only selects the best ones), volume analysis, importance of Relative Strength and moving averages. What to buy, When to Buy, When to Sell, How to Short....And he separated those key processes between Traders and Investors. So, you will have a clear understanding of what to do. A step by step explanation on how you can find the A+ stocks using his "Forest to Trees" approach.
- Excellent Quiz & Answers and the end of each chapter that tremendously re-test you understanding of the important concepts.

If you're a beginner or intermediate, this book will certainly give you a huge boost in mastering chart reading as well as execution. Unlike any books that sort of short in explaining one critical area, I find Stan's book very clear and entertaining as well. It opens your eyes on what to look for in a chart.

Highly recommended!

The author's investment philosophy is based on the view that nearly all stocks experience four price stages:accumulation(stage 1), uptrending (stage 2), top area (stage 3), and downtrending (stage 4). Therefore, an investor, he says, has a high probability of success if he or she enters the cycle just before the stock moves to stage 2. Then he explains how to select a stock by simply studying its price/volume chart and how to time your entry. He addresses the issue of fundamental vs technical analysis. He explains that technical analysis is much superior over fundamental analysis because technical analysis incorporates future information that is not available to the average investor on a timely basis.
I found the book very clear and very helpful in selecting winning stocks with less stress. I read several books but this one is the best of them all.

We get some of everything with this one.

It gives us a feel for his personality and speaking style. Italics, underlining, and boldface are used liberally; I could hear his voice as I read.

It gives us a nice collection of anecdotes from various stages of Zappa's career, from his high school years up through the orchestral work with the LSO - even a couple of tales from the 1988 'Best Band You Never Heard'. If you like these, you will wish there were more, though.

It gives us what has to be the best general description of a composer's work ever ('wiggling air molecules, changing over time'). That chapter alone is worth the cost of the book, if you are at all interested in music or art.

We also get the political Zappa, some lyrics, the Zappa home life, and even a bit of What Frank Eats (whatever the kids don't, apparently).

The only thing we don't get (and this is why I wish he'd lived another 30 years) is some detailed analysis of his compositions. We get a couple of places where he is discussing musical theory and practice from a technical perspective (chord progressions that cannot occur in doowop, or why jazz drummers are not normally appropriate in a Zappa band), there is no music printed in the book to help the interested reader follow along. Certainly I can't fault the book for this, but, man, it would have been nice if he'd written one like that.

If you are a student of music, a budding composer, artist, or just think Frank freaks folks out, this is for you.

Working at a library has almost no perks. I shelve the travel section so there isn't much stimulation in the way of brain waves(then again, my job is pretty tedious to begin with). However, one day while wondering through a friend's section I found a gem. I found The Real Frank Zappa Book. When their were breaks in my work, I would grab this book and read it feverously. Even with my increasing respect and love for Zappa's work, I still found this a great book. It packs a sharp wit, biting comentary, and overal, is just a good quick read.

The book covers Zappa's origin, his early musical influences, the tough times of M.O.I.(Mothers of Invention), insight as to his musical creation process, and even a indepth look into his battle with the well-known PMRC. The great thing is even with all this retrospect, the man never loses his sense of humor. Sometimes slapstick, sometimes satire, always truthful.

Anyone interested in the man that was Zappa, I highly recommend this book. Those who are interested in becoming a musician, I also recomend this book(his musical insight is very inspiring). In fact, I recomend this book to all. Its just a shame he died before his time. Zappa was a true inovator of music. There will never be another Frank Zappa.

By way of dissing Zappa's famous appearance before Congress to argue against warning labels on records, my favorite conservative columnist Don Feder derisively refers to Frank Zappa as a "rock creature" and makes fun of him for naming his daughter Moon Unit. (You'll find these remarks in _A Jewish Conservative Looks at Pagan America_. Feder is usually better than this.)

But the fact is that Zappa was a genuine homegrown American original, a musical genius, and a thoroughly subversive Enemy Of The State. And whatever one thinksof their names, the rest of us should have children like Zappa's. (They're all grown up now, of course, but Moon was a highly poised young lady even at the age of thirteen. I don't remember seeing any of Feder's kids on talk shows when _they_ were teenagers.)

Love or hate his music; agree or disagree that his sometimes-acerbic social commentary often went over the line into sheer pornography. If you want to meet the man himself, this book is the only one you need to read.

It's all in his own words, as told to Peter Occhiogrosso. The style will be recognizable to anyone who has ever read the liner notes on a Zappa album. And the content is part autobiography, part correction of underground-rock-grapevine misconceptions, part almost-libertarian political activism, part musing on the nature of musical composition.

A handful of highlights, chosen from among many: He proposes that music could be digitally downloaded, an idea whose time apparently hadn't come when Zappa first thought of it. The chapter on his "pornography trial" in the UK is hilarious, not least because it includes selections from the actual transcripts. And if you want to know _why_ his kids turned out so well-spoken and mature at such early ages, check out his advice on childrearing.

By the way, Zappa did not do drugs, no matter how many well-meaning imbeciles tell you otherwise. On the contrary, he was one of a handful of anti-drug crusaders in the music industry, and one of an even smaller handful who wasn't a recovering addict himself. Reality is better than drugs anyway, and Zappa knew it.

His untimely death from prostate cancer left a gaping hole; he was irreplaceable. But thank goodness for this book.

"Democracy in America", published in two parts (the first in 1835, the second in 1840), is the great work of Alexis de Tocqueville, a young, aristocratic Frenchman, who traveled through most of the Eastern, Southern, and Midwestern United States during a 9 month period in 1832. Tocqueville had originally set out to study the U.S. prison system but what he saw inspired him to write about much, much more.

The foresight he had for such a young man is really impressive to read 160 years later. What he saw in the morals, work ethic and government structure of the United States led him to accurately predict many of the ways in which the U.S. would lead and has led the world. At the same time Tocqueville was not oblivious to many of the ills in the America he saw. He very wisely writes of the cancer that the institution of slavery was to not only all black Americans, but to the white, Southern farmers and workers as well.

I hate having to give these books "stars" for ratings because in many cases it takes away from the ultimate importance and classic status of a book like this one. Tocqueville does tend to jump around and venture off into different topics that don't fit with the rest of their chapter, which could be attributed to his youth. Also, a few of his predictions, naturally, were way off. A native Texan, I had a good laugh at his view that "the province of Texas is still part of the Mexican dominions, but it will soon contain no Mexicans." But overall Tocqueville's view of America was honest, accurate, and the perfect explanation of why, on a daily basis, people continue to risk their lives to gain the freedom that only the United States of America offers.

De Tocqueville was an amazing man who posessed amazing insight into the workings (and not-workings) of American society. One only laments the fact that he was not a middle caste American politician arguing amongst great minds during the Constitutional conventions. Then again, we are equally lucky of the fact that he was a curious Frenchman of the leisure class who happened to be passing through. This is what gives de Tocqueville the ability to refrain from emotionalism and give us an outsiders view of what makes America good, bad and just plain different.

See, de tocqueville recognizes, as did our founders, that liberty and democracy are key ingredients to a healthy society. On the other hand, he points out that too much freedom or democracy lead to lazy, public-opinion driven conformity, over-emphasis on materialism and restlessness. Another contradiction de tocqueville points out is that although self-government is generally a good idea, there are times when an all powerful aristocracy is just more efficient. He can see all sides.
The best part then is that de Tocqueville doesn't come to any final conclusion. He just observes and reports on America's inner workings as seen by an aristocratic Frenchman.

A few reccomendations to the de tocqueville virgins. First, as this is the unabridged, it may be advised to read the first book, pause to read something else, then read the second book. I read it straight through and found that not only would I have benefited from reflection, but much of the second book is a rehash the first. Second, keep in mind during the second book that the word 'democracy' is also de tocqueville's word for 'capitalism'. The word 'capitalism' would be introduced only years later by one Karl Marx. So when de tocqueville says that democracy increases industriousness, what the reader should hear is that capitalism increases industriousness. This in itself is a brilliant observation by de tocqueville. Democracy and capitalism really are the same thing, different scale. The producer, like the political candidate, cater to the consumer or the voter. Both systems allow the individual to choose the goods and services he wants and reject those he doesn't. This is why one may also want to read 'Wealth of Nations' with this book.

The only other thing I can tell the reader before he or she embarks on a fascinating reading adventure is to keep in mind why de tocqueville wrote the book. He intended it to be read by the french who were not familiar with or had misconceptions about America. Of course, it provides contemporary America with an amazing historical survey. Like the introductory exclamation to MTV's 'Diary' show says, "You think you know, but you have no idea".

The specific edition I am reviewing is the Heffner addition which is a 300 page abridgement. I also own an unabridged edition but I have only read Heffner cover to cover. What is amazing about de Toqueville is how uncanny many of his observations are over a century and a half later. He accurately predicted in 1844 that the world's two great powers would be the United States and Russia. He aptly pointed out that Americans are a people who join associations and he is so right 156 years later. Although there are both religious extremists on both ends, ie fundamentalists and atheists, he was dead on that, as a whole, we are a religious society but that our religious views are moderate. De Toqueville shows how American characteristics evolved from democracy as opposed to the highly class structered societies of Europe. From de Tocqueville, it could have been predicted that pop culture, such as rock music etc, would develop in America because the lack of an aristocracy causes a less cultured taste in the arts. In a thousand and one different ways, I found myself marveling at how dead on de Toqueville was. Most controversially, those who argue that we have lost our liberties to a welfare state might well find support in de Toqueville. Here, 100 years before the New Deal, he forsaw that a strong central government would take away our liberties but in a manner much more benign than in a totalitarian government. There are certain liberties that Americans would willingly sacrifice for the common good. Critics of 20th century liberalism in the US might well point to this as an uncanny observation. By reading "Democracy in America," the reader understands what makes Americans tick. De Toquville was an astute observer of who we are as a people and should be read by all educated Americans.

I want to note that there are several editions of this great work and in deciding which to buy, be aware that each has a different translator. I feel Heffner's translation is slightly stilted but, he did such a wonderful job in editing this abridgement that it, nontheless, deserves 5 stars.