Triumph Reviews

Having read Joel Rothschild's new book HOPE, I highly recommend it to everyone. It is a wonderful book, and such a shining example of one man's strength, courage, spirit, and hope.
I experienced many emotions while reading HOPE, and thru Joel's personal undertakings, his outlook on life, and his ability to explain and teach life's lessons, I know I have profited immensely.
Joel shows us that life is a gift, and thru his unconditional love, teaches us that life always has a purpose and that every second counts.
I don't know of anyone who wouldn't profit from reading HOPE!

Hope, by Joel Rothschild is one of the, if not THE, most inspirational, life affirming books I have ever read. The unbelievable story of this man's life, his struggles and triumphs, has positively changed my outlook on life. This little book has opened my eyes, and has enabled me to put my own life into perspective. Joel's story, told honestly, with much heart and hope, is something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. It has touched me deeply and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone and everyone.

Hope is an inspiration to all! No matter what a persons present or past life situation, from the terminally ill, to those suffering through deep loss, to those of us who are blessed to be healthy. (As am I.) Joel has opened up his life and struggles to us to show that it is indeed possible to triumph over whatever life has to offer, transforming perceived diversities into tools for tremendous personnel growth. If you are as blessed as I am, to be in great health and have a great life, Hope will most assuredly fill you with gratitude for the blessings bestowed upon you. A wonderful book. Thank you Joel!

I Say a Prayer for Me is part autobiographical, part self help, and one hundred percent inspirational. Stanice Anderson has shared more than just her life story, but also her personal testimony. She shared her experiences with drug addiction and the lifestyle that goes along with it, as well as her strained relationship with her parents and child. The story chronicles her spiritual journey from addict to the strong Christian that she is today. The book goes far beyond the mere description of events by delving into the emotions related to the decisions she made. Each chapter of the book covers an important emotional lesson, Anderson uses her own life to illustrate a problem and then uses Biblical text to shed light on the lesson she learned. The chapters conclude with a scripture reading and a prayer.

I highly recommend this book because of the variety of subject matter it covers including, relationships with God, parents, children, friends, spouses, and coworkers. Indeed, it has something for everyone. While the format of the book was confusing at times because the experiences were not always presented chronologically, it was still a pleasure to read. Stanice Anderson has truly been blessed and her candor and willingness to share her testimony will be an inspiration for anyone who reads this book.

I just wanted to say thank you to Stanice Anderson for such an awesome book. I purchased the book because the title "I Say A Prayer for Me" caught my attention. Her frankness and honesty of where she came from, what she been through and how she survived by God's mercy and grace was inspiring. I took my time reading this book to absorb the full impact of how God worked through her life. I appreciated the prayers and scriptures at the end of each chapter, it helped to undersatnd and know that God is just a prayer away. Thank you again for writing a great book. I have told several friends about this book for them to also read.

I started reading this book and I wondered if the author knew me personally. This is a book that told my life story and I felt so connected to the author because I knew that I was not alone in this world, that there was another person who had gone through the same things in life as I had. Ms. Anderson is a fantastic author, sharing all the struggles that she went through when she was in active use of alcohol and drugs. Being a recovering alcoholic and addict myself, it was awesome reading about another afro-american female who has suffered in that vicious world of addiction. I want to thank Ms. Anderson for sharing all the pain she has felt in the past and the joy that she has today. I also want to thank my Higher Power for giving her the ability, courage and the strength to share her life with me. I Say a Prayer for Me is a book that gives hope and encouragement to someone that is struggling with trying to change his or her life. I Say a Prayer for Me is a book that gives you hope and faith and let's you know that by having faith and trust in your Higher Power (for me is my God, Lord and Savior Jesus Christ) all things are possible through prayer and faith. This book should be read by all, not those of us who have struggled with addictions, but anyone who struggles with everyday pressures for living life today in this troubled world. Ms. Anderson, keep writing and thank God for you.
Cynthia Walker

Hoop Dreams is a book everyone can relate to. Whether it be for the fact that it is for athletes or just for people who like real stories about people struggling for success. I personally liked the book because you got to know the kids and where they came from, not just about their basketball lives. You know it is a great movie when in the credits for He Got Game they have both the kids, one is one the brooklyn bridge and the other is in the gardens. Great book. I recommend it to all who love to read.

For two inner city kids from the west side of Chicago this is a chance of a lifetime. They get to get out of Chicago's west side for at least ten hours every weekday, to go to St. Josephs to play basketball. The book was excellent and I would rate it 5 stars. I could not put it down. It not only takes you through thier basketball lives, but through thier real lives. I liked it so much, because it was real, true to life, nothing in that book was fake, it was all real. I like reading books about athletics, but Hoop Dreams put each of them in, athletics and real life writing, which was a great combonation together. For these two young men, it was a struggle to try to fullfill thier own hoop dreams. Even with all of the adversity in thier life, they stuck with it thtrough thick and thin, and that was really enjoyable to read about. I would reccomend this book to any teenager who loves basketball. I would not reccomend this book to anyone younger than thirteen, because it does have some foul language in it. To anyone who has not read Hoop Dreams yet, go out and read it, it is one for the ages!

The book Hoop Dreams is a prime example of kids across the nation that love to play the game of basketball. Everyone wants to go to the NBA. The odds are 7,600 to 1 that a high school basketball player will reach the NBA. Hoop Dreams narrates the lives of Arthur Agee and William Gate's remarkable careers. It tells you their journeys from the playgrounds of their childhood to their high school competitions and college recruitment. If you're a real ball player you will love that. Hoop Dreams also made an impact on me because it talked about Arthur and William's families and relationships in a way I can relate to in my life. I recommend this book because it gives you a dream and a goal that you can achieve in life. If you don't read this book you just might not be a real ball player. It brought me passion and inspiration that lifted me up and made me want to continue on playing basketball and being successful.

Superlative investigative reporting, coupled with a riveting narrative, makes for a compelling and remarkable book that keeps the reader turning its pages. The author deftly chronicles the amazing journey of Geronimo Pratt, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and Black Panther Party leader, who, in 1970, fell victim to a political power struggle and was incarcerated for a murder that he simply did not commit.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office, all affirmatively conspired to bring about this miscarriage of justice through a shameful and colossal abuse of power. Make no bones about it. The author weaves a most convincing indictment of the culpability of these agencies in this matter. It is a shameful episode within the criminal justice system.

Were it not for the concerted efforts of his dedicated legal team, spearheaded by attorneys Stuart Hanlon and Johnnie Cochran, Geronimo Pratt would most likely still be waiting for justice. They stayed the course with him the entire time. It was through their dogged determination that Geromino Pratt's twenty seven year odyssey through the criminal justice system finally came to an end. It was a journey that few would care to make.

This book is a testament to one man's faith in himself and in the truth that ultimately set him free. It is also a testament to the skill of the author in penning such a spellbinding tour de force.

Last Man Standing a book that chronicles the life of Geronimo Pratt is truly a literay masterpiece. The author (Jack Olsen) did an excellent job of taking the reader into the depths of the American justice system. Olsens depiction of the Geronimo Pratt case may allow you to put any remaining thoughts of the O.J trial to rest. Witnessing the pain and sacrifice experienced by Geronimo and his attorneys is truly astonishing. How a man could experience such cruel and unusual punishment and harbor no ill feeling toward those who orchestrated his demise is a testiment to the true character of a man who refused to allow the system to crush his spirit. Last man standing is a book that will keep you up late at night telling yourself that you will read just one more chapter.

Geronimo Pratt had one of the most honorable and incredible lives I have ever heard of. This book documents his entire life, from is Morgan City childhood to his unjust incarceration for the murder of Caroline Olsen. I literally had trouble putting this book down. It is a great read for anyone interested in the judicial system, the FBI's COINTELPRO, the Black Panther Party, and racism in general. READ THIS BOOK!!!

While Lloyd Wright's book is obviously written by a male (because he is one) and includes some "side trips," Triumph Over Hepatitis C is an accessible story. And Lloyd's triumph over Hepatitis C is something that I want to identify with.
After the first nine weeks on his program, my ALT dropped from 49 to 9. My viral load, which had been running consistently at approximately 1,500,000, dropped over half.
I'll take the road trips with Lloyd. I'll take the male perspective. And I'll happily and gratefully take my new hep c scores along with it.
Plus -- the only side effect I've encountered from using the holistic treatment Lloyd used -- a combination of glandular and immune system booster along with liver regenerators -- was an awesome amount of energy and vitality from the first week on.
Melody Beattie, Author, "Co-Dependent No More"

CATCH 22 RIDES AGAIN!

By Robin Hemingway

Normally books on Alternative Medicine are boringly written, although they profess to tell you something that is good for you and your body. This book, however, after the obligatory forewords, begins like a Hunter S. Thompson ('Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas') tract of frightening dimensions and slowly, slowly levels out into a Dr. Feelgood text that anyone who has ever experienced the pain & suffering of Hepatitis 'C' sufferers at close range (if not one themselves), can benefit from.

Wright relates how a severe accident & the blood transfusions thereafter resulted in him contracting the deadly Hepatitis 'C' - His list of the illnesses & maladies to follow, kicking in like falling dominoes, reads like a 'Who's Who' of Nightmare. His accident (read the book for details), which occurred in Malibu in 1979, was the beginning of a trip into the Black Hole of incompetent doctors and well-meaning nurses who didn't know themselves what they were looking for that would make him well again. Tested for Hepatitis 'C' in July 1991 (the conclusive tests to determine the existence of Hepatitis 'C' in a person's body were only achieved in September of 1991!), his results were negative. Still trying to rid himself of a baffling sickness, in 1994 he made regular weekly visits to a blood bank where his blood was sucked out and supposedly discarded as toxic waste. Murphy's Law kicked in, and this discarded blood mistakenly appeared one day on a shelf with donation blood and was randomly tested. The blood bank sent him a form letter two months(!) later, saying they could no longer accept his blood for donations (!) because he had Hepatitis 'C!'

Lloyd Wright has changed his food consumption and lifestyle considerably since 1994. The result has been his saving himself from almost-certain death. In his book he lists the elements (Milk Thistle, Live Cell Therapy, Cats Claws, Dandelion Root, Aloe Vera, Licorice Root, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Reishi Mushrooms, etc.) which saved his life, and warns against items which could take (Hospitals - The 8th leading cause of Death in America!) your life.
Pushing the pocket bigger, Lloyd Wright has been invited to speak at the Annual Cancer Conference to present his views on Alternative Medicine, his results and present several of his 'clients', who will also be in attendance. Wright's findings are sure to open up some previously closed eyes, ears and minds.
END

I was devastated when I heard the news I had Hepatitis C. If you're reading this review, you are probably going through the same thing. It's quite a shock.

Please don't hesitate to get this book. I bought others, but this one is working. He tells you what to take and how much. He also gets into detail regarding the supplements.

Lloyd somehow maintains a sense of humor throughout which helps immensely. Under the stress of hearing you have Hepatits C, humor is welcomed and needed. What he went through will amaze you that he is alive today. I'm sure he has angels watching over him to bring this protocol to all of us in need.

Run from your MD if he wants to treat you with drugs. I've been to 2 Natreopaths, a Nutritionist, and four Gastro MD's. My advice is: buy this book and use it. It works.

I have had the pleasure of hearing Willie Jolley speak live. He is so dynamic that I thought it was very unlikely to convey that poower within the confines of written words. However, Willie's energy jumps of the pages and grabs you. You have to read this book.

Willie Jolley blows my mind! What charisma and insight he shares in this and his other book! I found myself smiling, crying, feeling encouraged. Reading his writing is like having a long, friendly supportive letter, sprinkled with some excellent advice. I'm a HUGE Willie Jolley fan now, and I own both his books. They're terrific - and so clear and inspiring they will help anyone who reads them.

This is Willie Jolley's second bestselling book. It's loaded with fascinating stories of people who have had to endure and come back from some major problems in their lives. Some of them are from the rich and famous, and some of them are from ordinary people who wouldn't give up. He discovered they all had a similar pattern for turning their setbacks into comebacks - he calls it the VDAD formula (Vision, Decision, Action, Determination)

In each chapter of the book, Willie covers 9 steps that will guide readers through the process of turning their own setbacks into comebacks.
1. Perspective - How do you see it?
2. Recognize it's life - Don't take it personally
3. Focus on the Goal - If the dream is big enough the problem don't matter
4. Make decisions - You've had a setback, now what are you going to do about it?
5. Don't panic! - Decide to stay calm, stay collected and stay positive.
6. Take action - persistent, determined action
7. Take responsibility - Face it, trace it, erase it, and replace it.
8. Have faith! You are blessed and highly favored.
9. Rember it's all good! - Be thankful, have an attitude of gratitude.

I interviewed Willie Jolley on "The Inside Success Show" and loved every minute. He is a high energy and fascinating person. His book is just as real and inspirational as he is in person.

Here's some other things you'll learn from the book:

** How Willie Jollie got fired at the top of his jazz career!
** Why you look at your setbacks as a gift of life
** What is 'VDAD', the real secret behind a turnaround.
** How you can do more, be more, and achieve more
** The 9-point guide to creating a powerful comeback
** How to dominate your life with FAITH rather than FEAR.
** And much, much more ..

If you want to be ready for your next setback or if you need help coming out of the one your in now, then I highly recommend you listen to this interview and read his book.

Randy (Dr. Proactive) Gilbert
Author of "AmazonBestSellerSecrets.com" and "Success Bound"

Is worth fighting for as Matthew Farrell and Meredith Bancroft prove in this blissful book by Judith McNaught. This book will keep you riveted from the first! You'll experience so many emotions and such intense feelings -- love, hate, grief, joy, sadness, anger and frustration -- that when you're finished you'll feel like you've just stepped off an emotional roller coaster that left you wanting more. Remember to have a box of Kleenex handy when you begin -- you'll need them! Matthew and Meredith are some of the very best characters I've ever had the privilege to read about. They're true-to-life, three dimensional and so real that their emotions jump from the pages and weave themselves around you making the story come to life vividly. Matthew is the absolute definition of a romantic hero. Though hurt long ago by his true love he realizes he still wants her and does everything in his power to prove to her that they belong together. The way he stoically stands by his resolve to have Meredith for his own is beautiful. Though she feels betrayed by Matt, something inexplicably draws Meredith to him every time they meet. Watching Meredith burst free from the confines of her life that say she should not be with Matt is wonderful. The love between these two is explosive and oh-so-passionate! They have a deep and abiding love that even time and sordid lies could not kill. Ms. McNaught has a keen talent to make you experience her work and feel as if you've stepped into the story. Her secondary characters are just as fleshed out as her main characters and become quite real themselves. Meredith's father is a hard, bitter and selfish man who makes everyone's life miserable. I actually wanted to climb into the book and choke a fictional character! I really loved the way that Ms. McNaught showed the growth of her characters. Each character reshapes and expands throughout the book giving the reader a deeper insight into their personalities while keeping the characters genuine. By the end of the book Meredith's father even changes into someone half-way likable. I appreciated the look at Meredith's youth that gave insight into the things that shaped her as a woman and I also adored the look into the future of our couple. The plot was also outstanding -- I became engrossed in the business world that Ms. McNaught so realistically created. I can't say enough good things about this book! My first by Judith McNaught that left me wanting to rush to the nearest bookstore and snatch up all her work. Don't be daunted by the length, this book will fly by and before you know it you'll be at the end. Don't forget to search up _Perfect_ by Ms. McNaught, I hear Meredith and Matt are mentioned in that book as well. Please don't hesitate to buy this book it's one of the best I've ever read.

I must confess I love all of her books. When I read "Paradies" & "Perfect" I became slave of love. I fell in love with all the characters. I just wish one of these stories will made into a TV movie for lifetime. If anyone out there has not read any of her book with eyes close I strongly recommend these two books then you'll let me in your review. you will laugh, cry then there will be time you want to kill them all then you turn the page and you just fall in love over and over again. in paradise my favorite scene is the meeting between Meridith and Matt at his place she went to tell him the truth about the baby. I cried and cried along with them. I read that scence so many time the pages of the book just disappear on me. if you're going on vacation stop by a book store take Matt, Mer & Zack, Julie with you believe me you won't regret it. I thought "whitney my lovve" was it until I read these 2. judith keep up the good work and if you could write a little more often it will help. some of us are suffering waiting for the next novel. I felt she takes an eternity after "Remember When" came out until "Night Whispers". but you're my # 1 author. Love always your fan

How I wish that every romance novel I read could be as captivating as Judith McNaught's novels all seem to be. It's such a disappointment to actually finish the book and be unable to read more about characters you've grown to love.

Of course in this case, Matt and Meredith appear in the sequel to Paradise called Perfect. So I felt a bit better when I finished Paradise knowing that I would read more about them.

Rarely am I so drawn in and mesmorized by fictional characters. These people became real to me and I honestly felt as though I was right there with them... feeling what they felt... and thoroughly falling in love with Matt myself. Oh my God... he is the ultimate man. Why on earth can't men like that really exist in the real world??

I melted when he finally realized the things he had believed all those years were lies because he so sweetly softened and became determined to keep Meredith as his own. He truly believed they were meant for each other... soulmates. Judith writes so beautifully that I believed it too! I rooted for them from page one through to the end.

The only problem I had with this novel and it is a small one... is that the first bit of the book had about 2 chapters that were only about their businesses and nothing else. Long paragraphs that stretched on forever droning on about their conference meetings and such. I do understand it may have been benificial to the plot... but it was slow reading for me at that point. Thankfully... the story picked up after those 2 chapters and I was captivated and engrossed from there on in.

Don't miss this book or the one after it... Perfect. They are keepers!!

Most people would say this is an ordinary teen life,I would have to disagree.I'm 17 years old and can say I've never smoked,drunk,or did any kind of drugs.In the book thats exactly what she was doing.Even though it is easier for a minor to get drugs or maybe even a beer now and days,I sill can't see myself doing that to my body.It is true most of the teens in the world are probably doing these things,but I still wouldn't call it ordinary.Cause what is that telling teens that don't smoke or drank till they don't know where they are.That an order to be ordinary you have to get high if so I hope I want have to find out.Now Ican't reject the fact that their are kids like this in the world.It's just that I don't know any but if I did I would recommend this book.It show someone (a teen) turning their life around from an "ordinary" teens life to a "ordinary" teens life.

This book is my favorite book of all times!! I read this and thought, "wow" that's my life!!! I was like amazed to think that someone would actully write a book so truthful!!!!! I loved it!! It was the truth ... I would recomen this book to anyone who ever said "Why"!! NO girl desevres to live like this and maybe reading this book can help people relize that people go through this all the time!!

this is one of the best books i have read latly, it has helped me find out who i am, and help me realize that i dont need to kill myself trying to prove myself to other people, this has helped me in many ways and i strongly recommend this book to any girl who is also trying to find out who they truly are in this world of lost souls......if you sad for no reason at all....read the book, you will be glad you did, trust me.....i did

Reporters have been known, now and then, to play fast and loose with the facts to entertain their readers or elevate themselves. This phenomenon is not limited to our own age. For proof, look no further than Lowell Thomas' fanciful volume, With Lawrence in Arabia. In 1917, Thomas was a 25-year-old part-time instructor at Princeton, a "fledgling showman from Ohio who had knocked about North America in search of fame, fortune and adventure," according to historian David Fromkin (A Peace to End All Peace). Thomas then raised enough money to travel to Britain and the Middle East front as a World War I cameraman. With his coverage began the Lawrence of Arabia myth.

Eight copies of Seven Pillars of Wisdom were published by Oxford in 1922 (six still exist). The first limited edition was followed in 1926 with the private publication of 211 copies of the book. In 1935 another limited run was published. But the same year, Seven Pillars was reprinted at least four more times. Now, there have probably been dozens, if not hundreds of printings.

This work assured T. E. Lawrence a place in history as 'Lawrence of Arabia'. It is a military history, colorful epic and lyrical exploration of Lawrence's mind.

Nevertheless, it is largely fiction. Fromkin writes that when poet and scholar Robert Graves proposed to describe the liberation of Damascus in a biography of Lawrence, the subject himself warned Graves, "I was on thin ice when I wrote the Damascus chapter...."

A onetime junior officer in the Cairo Arab Bureau, Lawrence admitted that Seven Pillars of Wisdom included a false tale of Arab bravery to aggrandize the followers of Sharif Hussein of Mecca and his son Feisal. Indeed, as early as 1818, reputable newsmen reported that the Australian Light Horse division liberated Damascus from Ottoman control, not Feisal's Arab troops, who marched in afterwards, for show.

By 1921, Fromkin writes, Winston Churchill was in charge of Britain's Arab policy in Mesopotamia and tapped John Evelyn Shuckburgh to head a new Middle East department and Foreign Office man Hubert Winthrop Young to assist him. They arranged transport and supplies for Feisal's Arab army, earning hearty endorsement from Churchill's Masterson Smith committee, which simultaneously took grave exception to T.E. Lawrence as a proposed Arab affairs adviser. The committee considered Lawrence "not the kind of man fit to easily fit into any official machine."

Fromkin reports that Lawrence was frequently insubordinate, went over his superiors and in 1920 publicly disparaged Britain's Arab policy in the London Sunday Times as being "worse than the Turkish system." He also accused Britain of killing "a yearly average of 100 Arabs to maintain peace." This was of course untrue.

Efraim and Inari Karsh write, in Empires of the Sand, that Lawrence's Damascus victory was "less heroic" than he pretended. Feisal was "engaged in an unabashed exercise in duplicity and none knew this better than Lawrence, who whole heartedly endorsed this illicit adventure and kept most of its contours hidden from his own superiors." Yet Lawrence basked in the limelight Thomas created in London, attending at least five of the showman journalist's lectures.

As an unfortunate result of Lawrence's subterfuge, he had a large hand in shaping the modern Middle East.

Bad enough, we suffer to this day the consequences of Lawrence's fabrications.

Worse, a new generation of readers seems to accept as gospel the Lawrence of Arabia myth that stemmed from Lowell Thomas' hype and Lawrence's own Seven Pillars of Wisdom. While few seem to know it, this was long ago debunked. Those who want to know what really happened should at minimum also consult Fromkin's A Peace to End All Peace and the Karsh's Empires of the Sand. Alyssa A. Lappen

This is the book upon which the fabulous film "Lawrence of Arabia" was supposedly based. I expected the book to be the same story, only with more depth and more meat to it. Instead, I discovered two things: the film is only loosely based upon the book; the book is more of a journal than a novel.

Film versus Book: In several instances, the film takes two to five different people and condenses them into one character. More accurately, a character in the film represents one real person, but engages in the activities of two to five different people, whereas the book tries to fairly attribute actions to the right person, creating a much larger cast. This does three things: the film's characters become larger-than-life (which fits an epic film well), this makes the film's story move faster and be somewhat more straightforward than the book's, and this levels the playing field (by condensing the other characters, they are more comparable to Lawrence's character in the film, whilst the book's non-central characters are always in Lawrence's shadow).

Journal versus Novel: The film's story moves linearly and, despite the film's length, the story moves quickly. Only necessary details are shown. In the book, Lawrence gives an account of his daily activities, with sidebar accounts of what happens elsewhere that affects him, creating a very detailed and somewhat disjointed narrative. In my opinion, the story drowns in its own details.

Overall: The film is actually a distillation of this book, and not a cinematic rendering of the same story. If a reader wants to understand the Middle East, from the perspective of an Englishman with sympathy for and understanding of the Arabs, this is an excellent book. If the reader wants an adventure saga, comparable to the glorious "Lawrence of Arabia", look elsewhere or risk disillusionment.

T.E. Lawrence narrates with passion and in his peculiar style the years he spent in the Middle East, first as archeologist before WWI then as "free agent" of the British government in its fight against Turkey and Germany during WWI. Lawrence knew from the beginning of the Arab campaign that he was a "fraud" because of the duplicity of the French and British. Lawrence rightly perceived that if the Arabs won the war against Turkey and its German ally, the powerbrokers of that time would steal from the Arabs the fruit of their victory. Promises of self-government afterwards would be dead paper. After the end of the hostilities, Lawrence skillfully advised King Feisal and his delegation to get as many of the spoils of war as possible from the victors at the Conference of Paris. After the conference, the French could largely be blamed for undermining the regime of King Feisal in Damascus and pushing him to ultimately leave for Baghdad. The contemporary Middle East could have been very different from what it is now. History has the annoying habit of repeating itself over time because of the widely shared inability of mankind to learn from past mistakes.

Despite Lawrence's disclaimer in his introduction, his "Seven Pillars of Wisdom A Triumph" offers valuable lessons to a contemporary audience to better understand the enduring complexity of the Middle East. Whoever has had the chance to journey through the Middle East can vividly remember at least some locations that Lawrence describes. The Middle East is one of the cradles of the Western civilization. Its cultural heritage is almost unmatched. The ancient law of hospitality is not an urban legend, but remains a reality of which Semitic people can be proud. Lawrence understood very well that condescending attitude towards Semitic people could only backfire. Treating its inhabitants with respect and understanding earned him their enduring trust. For those who have not had the opportunity to crisscross the region, Lawrence's narration provides a rare opportunity to gain valuable insights into the minds of Semitic nations. For example:

Lawrence observed that Semitic people were not inclined to compromise, pursing the logic of their respective incompatible opinions to absurd ends, without perceiving the incongruity (pg. 38). Does it not sound familiar for example in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict today?

British forces won battle after battle against the Turks in Iraq until they reached Ctesiphon, where they met pugnacious enemy troops, and were abruptly checked. They fell back, dazed. Until the end of WWI, the British in Iraq remained an occupying force, with the local people passively neutral or sullenly against them (pg. 59-60, 636). Does that assessment not sound similar to the experience of the Coalition forces in Iraq today? Working tirelessly by both indirect influence and education rather than by forceful direction is key to avoid becoming or remaining a target practice.

Extreme patience was another lesson to Lawrence of what native leadership meant (pg. 122). Lawrence felt that Semitic people were looking for a stranger to lead them, one whose supremacy should be based on an idea: illogical, undeniable: which instinct might accept and reason find no rational basis to reject or approve (pg. 234). Would this not ring true to the ears of the architects of the road map to peace? External will power exercised on all sides with the same strength is necessary to get out of the current impasse in the Middle Eastern peace process.

The dream of both Lawrence and King Feisal is not dead. One day, the Middle East will be united in an Islamic Economic Community, precursor of an Islamic Union that has Islam, democracy and economic liberalism as its three founding pillars. There is no need for an old-fashioned caliphate. The capital of the future Islamic Economic Community could be, for example, in Amman or Dubai to avoid unhealthy rivalries between the larger and more powerful Semitic nations. Israel and the would-be Islamic Economic Community could be linked peacefully after the relationship existing between the European Union and The European Free Trade Association.

In this book, Mike Useem describes nine situations in which leadership emerges. The situations outlined are very diverse, including a mountainclimbing expedition, a pharmaceutical company's decision, a firefighter's dillemma, and a Central American emerging democracy's negotiation with terrorism, to name a few. Roughly half of the stories are cases of success, half are failures, which makes it interesting exploration of both sides of the coin.

Overall, the stories are very interesting per se, and worth the read. Some of these are classics of management and ethics, such as the Merck Riverblindness case. At the end of each story, Useem tries to do an analysis of what the leader did right or wrong. In this section, I did in fact disagree with some of Useem's conclusions, and what bothered me was the fact that I felt like the author did not leave enough space for alternative views. For example, he argues that Roy Vagelos of Merck was a great leader because he guided his company to do the right thing and spend all the money on the disease though it would not recoup costs. I would argue that he did recoup, by the free publicity, which Useem helps extend, but Useem never mentions the possibility of it being worth it.

I did like the book and would recommend it, especially the stories, which are told in a very fast paced and easy to read manner. However, not so sure about the analysis.

This book by Michael Useem was the first book I tackled in my MBA class on current managegemt theory. It fullfilled my need to research leadership, and captivated my subconscious mind as well. Everyday that has since passed has presented many opportunities for recall from one of the nine impactful stories on leadership.

This book teaches one how to be prepared to be a leader when the opportunity presents itself. The subject of vision, a necessary tool for individual and corporate leadership, is so completely incorporated in the first story of Roy Vagelos and Merck that the reader will never find the topic of vision as a pie-in-the-sky theoretical corporate gimmick without deep-seated attachment to core values again.

The book arrived on time, and in great condition. And they also included another book for free with the order!