Fools Rush In : Steve Case, Jerry Levin, and the Unmaking of AOL Time Warner

Average customer rating:

A Must Have !

Can You Tell a Book by Its Cover?

Eye opener for small investors

Great for reflection

Overpriced and overhyped

Fools Rush In : Steve Case, Jerry Levin, and the Unmaking of AOL Time Warner

Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

Stealing Time: Steve Case, Jerry Levin, and the Collapse of AOL Time Warner

Applied Mergers and Acquisitions (Wiley Finance)

There Must Be a Pony in Here Somewhere: The AOL Time Warner Debacle and the Quest for the Digital Future

Master of the Game: Steve Ross and the Creation of Time Warner

aol.com: How Steve Case Beat Bill Gates, Nailed the Netheads, and Made Millions in the War for the Web

ASIN: B0002TP1J4

Product Description

Hardcover: 368 pages Publisher: HarperBusiness (January 1, 2004) ISBN: 0060540346 Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches Fools Rush In is the definitive account of one of the greatest fiascos in the history of corporate America. In a narrative fraught with drama, Nina Munk reveals the overweening ambition and moral posturing that brought down the Deal of the Century. With painstaking reporting and the remarkable eye for detail she's known for, Munk lays out, step by step, the anatomy of a debacle. Irreverent, witty, and iconoclastic, she sees through it all brilliantly. "As in all great Greek tragedies, you knew the plot before it played out," one perceptive insider told Munk on the subject of the AOL Time Warner deal; "you knew who'd be sacrificed at the altar." Here's what we discover in Fools Rush In: In their single-minded quest for power, Steve Case and Jerry Levin were at each other's throats even before the deal was announced. Bob Pittman was regarded! as a "windup CEO" by Case, and viewed as a hustler by just about everyone at Time Warner. Ted Turner underestimated Jerry Levin's ruthlessness badly. And Levin himself, convinced he was creating a great legacy comparable to that of Time Inc.'s founder, Henry Luce, refused to acknowledge the obvious: that, with a remarkable sense of timing, Steve Case had used grossly inflated Internet paper to buy Time Warner.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Have !.......2006-01-10

You don't have to be interested in AOL, Time Warner or their merger to read this book! This is a classic tale in American history of what happens when everyone thinks they are the only one with an idea and forgets that to make a company work, there must, under no uncertain terms be Teamwork. Any company already in existence, any company about to be formed, any company about to merge, any company thinking about merging, any business person, any person entering a business field ... oh forget it - anyone on the face of the earth should read this book and their knowledge of America and its business practices would vastly improve their ability to navigate through it.

Can You Tell a Book by Its Cover?.......2005-02-22

Having read Stealing Time by Alec Klein, I was sure that I didn't want to read another book about the AOL-Time Warner fiasco. But then I happened to see the cover of this book at the library and couldn't resist its delightful cover. And I'm glad that the cover drew me in.

Ms. Munk has written a delightful story of the world's worst large merger that features lots of texture about the key players (especially Gerry Levin) and is written in a simple, effective style. Her book has more balance than the Klein book which emphasizes the sales and accounting legerdemain at AOL.

One of the book's most engaging qualities is that it is filled with powerful and interesting quotes from the participants and the observers.

I have had the opportunity to observe Time Warner in the past as a consultant, and I was struck that Ms. Munk did well in capturing the management style of the company and its reclusive CEO, Mr. Levin.

I would have rated the book higher except that this report still leaves the central mystery of AOL-Time Warner unexplained . . . why didn't anyone at Time Warner or its advisors figure out that AOL's profit success was based on a three-card Monte game before the deal was announced? Either people were bought off or they were monumentally stupid. Getting to the bottom of that mystery will have to await yet another book on this subject, I'm afraid. Ms. Munk puts it down to Mr. Levin's "big-picture, don't-bother-me-with-the-details" mentality.

If you want smooth, easy reading that gets most of the facts right, this book is a good choice. I particularly commend this book to students who are learning about how to make (and more importantly, not to make) acquisitions. If you mainly want to know about the AOL shenanigans, I suggest Stealing Time instead.

Eye opener for small investors.......2004-12-08

Munk's book reads like a fast paced novel and is easy enough to understand. It has not received the publicity of books like 'Good to Great' although in many ways it provides fundamental information on how big business is really conducted- for the benefit of pushy and powerful owners, managers and special interests.

Read this book to get real insight into how compliant board members and clueless senior management can wreck your 401K account. If an insider like Ted Turner could lose $ 8 billion in a three year period, where does it leave Joe Blow who plans to retire on his stock market investments?

Munk's book surprised even a cynic like myself- how could 2 persons deceive and mislead so many professionals and investors and evaporate $ 200 billion in less than 3 years? If this story does not provoke actionable investigations into the effectivness of oversight and toothlessnes of the legal system (to protect investors), I am not sure what will. In this regard, it is a very valuable read.

Great for reflection.......2004-11-05

I really liked this book. As a former participant of the crazy ways of carrying out business during the Internet hype, I think Nina Munk captured the essence of what drove so many people to act irrationally. She is objective, thorough and able to take the reader through a smooth ride across the AOL story.

Overpriced and overhyped.......2004-05-22

This is an article masquerading as a book. When the price drops to the price of a newsstand magazine, as the towering remainder pile suggests it will any day now, pick up a copy. Until then, read the Vanity Fair excerpt.

Fools Rush In: Steve Case, Jerry Levin, and the Unmaking of AOL Time Warner

Average customer rating:

Fools Rush In: Steve Case, Jerry Levin, and the Unmaking of AOL Time Warner
Nina Munk
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEV3AS

Book Description

Inside U is an incredibly moving, engrossing, and almost-mythological tale of how one man endured the highest of highs and the lowest of lows throughout his extraordinary life.

Born into Japanese-occupied Korea, young Byong Yu was diagnosed as developmentally retarded. Convinced that he would become a burden to his family, doctors told his parents to put him in a corner of the room and let him die. Consequently, survival was an instinct that he honed at a very early age.

Byong was known to the village as "Ugly Boy," yet he refused to give up. His destiny led him to a wise and gifted martial-arts master who agreed to accept him as a student. In the years that followed, Byong used the profound wisdom instilled in him by his master to triumph through the Korean War, years of poverty, and homelessness.

After emigrating to the United States, Byong struggled to live the American dream, but a tragedy that drove him to the brink of suicide almost shattered his spirit once and for all. However, in the long and arduous process of rebuilding his life, he managed to become a martial-arts legend—one who now trains some of Hollywood's elite.

This is Byong Yu's story, but even more important, it's a guidebook to discovering your true path—whatever that may be—and conquering any obstacle that stands in your way. As Master Yu says, "I have triumphed over countless obstacles that I have faced in my lifetime. Yet through it all, I have managed to fulfill my destiny and come to intimately discover who and what I am. And if I can do it, so can you!"

Customer Reviews:

A Good Autobiography.......2006-04-28

Byong Yu is a name martial arts historians will recognize from the late 1960's and 70's--he was a well respected competitor in American point and contact karate tournaments. Here Yu tells his life's story from his birth in Japan-occupied Korea, growing up with a childhood disability that hindered his coordination (he didn't speak until age 5) and nearly got him abandoned by his mother. He describes how he learned focus, found a taekwondo teacher, joined the South Korean Army at age 15 to fight North Korea, trained as a medic, lost a brother in the Korean War, and returned home to teach taekwondo in Sin Kil Dong, a village outside Seoul.

Byong Yu describes some of the politics of taekwondo in Korea, and is honest about some of the problems associated with martial arts and the individual. He is continually examining his own tendancy towards violence and the authoritarian model of the martial arts teacher, writing:

"By the time I reached the age of 20, such worship turned out to be a double edged sword. With more than 5,000 students under my control, I was a powerful person in the Seoul martial arts community. Because so many people were treating me as if I were an ancient emperor, I began to act like a dictator. My martial arts had become unbalanced due to youth and pride." (page 47)

Yu relates his abusive nature, describing an incident where his Master Ko sent him to a rural village to test six students of the teacher there. Disgusted at the size of the humble school in the back of the local market, Yu used his position as a highly ranked teacher to heap physical abuse on the students, destroy a 50-lb sack of rice by kicking through it, and also kicking out a post holding up part of the market's roof. When he returned and tried to justify his rudeness to Master Ko, he was sent on a teaching "Mission" to another rural village, where he is told to establish a school.

While the hardships Yu describes going through trying to gain students in this little town convey an important lesson, I had difficulty believing that he as a stranger could move in to a "...communal farming village where everyone paid a lot of attention to the singing birds and blossoming flowers" and get a people who were "...totally opposed to violence..." where he knew absolutely no-one, to study a pugalistic discipline. Yu is describing a traditional Korean Rural village where everyone knows each other and the families have been there for hundreds of years. Even more incredible in this setting is Yu's claim that at the end of the chapter that he had over 60 students including the Elderly (!). Small wonder he does not refer to this "village" by name. (page 52-55)

On the other hand, Yu's description coming to America to start a new life (starting with Chapter 6) has the ring of truth. In Korea, he is a respected martial arts Champion and a Graduate of Korea University. He decides to travel to the U.S. to teach taekwondo. Yu describes the shame and confusion he felt not knowing enough English to do basic things, how after his arrival in the United States, through his own lack of understanding he fast became homeless and penniless. Particularely interesting was his initial perception of America as a sort of paradise, and the dawning realization that it would take a lot of effort to survive. His story really could be that of a lot of immigrants who put their hearts into learning the language, going to school, and working--making themselves part of America. Once settled and enrolled at UC Berkely, Yu keeps up a hectic schedule of going to school, teaching taekwondo, and then working as a dishwasher at Denny's. Sleep is precious an rare, and like many students (now as then), he survives mainly on a stately diet of Top Ramen.

Another particularely interesting account is his association with Taekwondo teacher Kang Myung-kyu of Sacramento, who is referred to as "Master K". Kang is Yu's senior and was one of his teachers in Korea. Evidently, it was customary for established "Masters" to use newcomers such as Yu as virtual slave labor. Kang lavishes $300.00 dinners on the sons of friends back in Korea, and pays his 6 Korean instructors $5.00 -- FIVE DOLLARS! a month. The account of Yu's confrontation with and departure from Kang on pages 83-85 is rare in print and a must-read. Such things are generally hidden among Korean Immigrants.

Byong Yu's story is worth reading. Although I didn't care for the "self-help" applications in the second part of the book, they do include personal anecdotes. For the life of me I can't figure out why on earth this book was marketed as "self-help". My biggest complaint is that in trying to get this autobiography to fit into the self-help mold, and including all of the student testemonies on the cover, it seems the volume has something of an identity crisis. Yu's honest autobiography is enough of a sell without having to repackage and gussy up this volume. It also would have been nice to see pictures of Master Ko, or training in the "early days" in Korea in the photo section and fewer celebrity buddy shots. I bought this book because I wan interested in reading about the experiences of a Korean Immigrant and martial artist, not because he had his picture taken with Steven Segal or Chuck Norris.

Great man - Great Master - Great book.......2004-10-26

I am lucky enough to have Master Yu as my master. So my review is biased. But all I can say is that he is the real deal. He still trains with his black belts and we have trouble keeping up with him most of the time.

In his book he is brave enough to show how though he is a 9th Degree Grand Master he can have foibles and weaknesses like all the rest of us - but still grow and become a better person despite his weaknesses. He doesn't pretend to be a guru or Buddha. He has had life struggles like every average person.

Just today Master Yu got this e-mail from this person who read his book (I will exclude their name so that they may remain anonymous)...

Master Yu,
I just finished reading your book and was completely inspired by your story. I am a 25 year old recovering alcoholic in my first month of sobriety and it has been extremely tough. Your story has really motivated me to continue on my path of becoming a better, stronger person. I have also been inspired to take up Tae Kwan Do. I really believe that it will strengthen me on my path to sobriety. Thank you so much for your time. You really have no idea how much your book has meant to me. Take care.
Sincerely,
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx

Master Yu just smiles when he gets a note or e-mail like this.

ignore the biased reviews.......2004-07-20

If you want to read a great story then buy this book. The way the author's life story is told is wonderful. However, as a supposed "self-help" book I have several problems with it. The author is amazingly gifted at gaining pity for himself. But, the inconsistency of his stories as he repeats them throughout the book (and he repeats things often) seems to prove that he is exaggerating or fabricating much of it. He suggests that his lessons learned in life can help the reader to become a better person, but after reading the book twice, I realized that this is coming from the mind of an extremely twisted and viscious individual. Yes, it is entertaining. But is it something that will inspire me to become a better person? I think not. He admits to brutally murdering his master's pet monkey because the monkey stole a rice cake from him. He shows little remorse for this act. In fact, I think he mainly wrote this book just to air out some of the guilt he has built up in his long and mistake-filled life. He then explains how he murdered a man who challenged him. He seems to brag about how he "just can't control his anger when he tastes his own blood"... he brags about being called the "killer korean"... then he says that the reader must develop the softer "yin" side of their personality. This book is chock full of ambiguities, hypocrisies and warped perspectives. Go ahead and read it, you won't believe how many contradictions glare out at you. As far as entertainment goes, this is a good read, worthy of 5 stars. But since it is marketed as a self-help book by a person who supposedly had such a hard life, I only give it 2 stars. He claims to be a role-model. I wouldn't want my children emulating him. The book is entertaining but, like many books, written primarily for the reason of grinding an axe. The added bonus is, unlike many books, he uses this public format to try to relieve the guilt of a truly erroneous life. Too bad Bill Clinton didn't take this approach when writing his book, wow... everyone would have loved to read a book like that! It's funny, one of the many contradictions included in this book is how the author condemns Americans for such shallow aspirations like winning trophies or being associated with famous stars. And there he is, right in this book, a photo of him smiling from ear to ear with all his trophies, so proud, and all sorts of photos of him proudly smiling with celebrities like Steven Seagal and Chuck Norris. Actually, all his trophies don't impress me much. And, to be honest, Steven Seagal and Chuck Norris do not look so happy to be photographed with "the korean killer". Sad thing is, the author has no idea of just how poor of an "example" he really is. He tells you about how great he is and how much he has done for his art, funny that I never heard of him before reading this book. Now I just hope I can forget about him.

A Psychological Perspective.......2003-09-18

As a psychologist, I like to find books for my patients that will inspire and educate them. Grandmaster Yu's book serves all of us well. He shows us that we can overcome great psychological shortcomings. That we can heal ourselves. This is valuable, he gives us all hope. And we discover some survival secrets of martial artists, which provide the smarts and encouragement necessary to get into the game of life and win.

a great man.......2003-09-15

I have been lucky in that Grand master Yu has tested me for every rank of my Tae kwon do yong do won belts i hope to be tested for my black next, for the last ten years i have often heard him speak to us.
all his talks where nothing short of moving
and i am honest when i say this man almost has a sixth sense when it comes to reading your soul
i have never been able to hide my weaknesses from him
a truely moving man

Book Description

The historic film remake of the TV classic Lost in Space is a star-studded, spectacular, featuring Gary Oldman, William Hurt, Matt LeBlanc, Mimi Rogers and Heather Graham.But the undisputed star of the movie is the gigantic interstellar shipt itself--the Jupiter 2. A publishing first, this unique, authorized Lost in Space Blueprint brings you the ultimate insider's look at the Robinsons' magnificent warp-drive starship.

See the Jupiter 2 as the director, the writers and the artists conceived it!
See the ship as the animators, the digital enhancers, the VR wizards and the model makers created it!
See the ship as the actors and the crew experienced it!

Boot up your imagination, fold these richly designed full-length blueprints and come aboard the Jupiter 2!

Customer Reviews:

Awesome, Cool, Sweet..........2002-01-03

But a little less then I was expecting.. No mistake, I love this blueprint, because I am a HUGE techno-stuff fan and I love all sci-fi technology books, but the descriptions on the book do not really describe it. Here is a straightforeward descrption to help anyone who might want to buy it!
It is: 2 big blueprints, actutally 1 that has been seperated into 2 sheets, with about half being taken up by a HUGE side view of the Jupiter 2. It also has a smaller cross section, a plan of the bridge, lots of details of the hyperdirve, and a pront view. It also includes a paragraph of specfications. This is all awesome and cool, and thats why I give it 4 stars. However I take off a star for false advertising! No 360 degree views, or 3-D rotations! At least in my copy! However, it does have CAD Detail and X-Ray Cutaways (or at least 1)!
If you are a fan, I would buy this!
Thanks,
Nick M

Book Description

The Rough Guide to Conspiracy Theories is the definitive guide to the world''s most controversial conspiracies. From phoney crucifictions to fake moon landings, and from stolen elections to manufactured viruses, there''s always another story lurking behind the ''official version''. This guide questions whether Princess Diana''s death was an accident? What really happened on 9/11? Why did Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrate on entry? Some theories are sobering, some troubling , others simply crazy, The Rough Guide to Conspiracy Theories sorts the myths from the realities.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent but more on Jim Keith please!.......2006-07-22

Conspiracies really can not be honed down by professional writers who are not paranoid. But if you have to go for a sensible overview of why conspiracies are the defining modicum for reality then this Rough Guide is a great start.

Too bad they didn't mention that after Jim Keith cranked out about 5 conspiracy exposes in a 4 year period both he and his publisher, Ron Bonds, died mysteriously just a couple years later -- around 2000.

This vital "conspiracy" information has been left out of several of the latest fancy, "well-balanced" conspiracy books. Sorry but unless you're paranoid then you're probably not making too much of a dent in the Man.

Compulsive reading.......2005-10-14

I bought this book as something I could dip into but found I couldn't put it down!

It was full of conspiracy theories I'd never heard of as well as fascinating insights into the classics, like JFK and the Dead Sea scrolls. The authors seemed open-minded and realistic in equal measure - just the right balance. Established theories and crackpot conspiracies were all analysed with the same even-handed logic. Excellent stuff.

Book Description

Random House UltraHard Crossword Omnibus is puzzledom's best value for the demanding crossword fan -- two hundred fifty super-tough themeless puzzles edited by the world record-holder for solving a New York Times crossword (2 minutes, 14 seconds)!

Customer Reviews:

Not so tough..........2001-07-12

Pencil with an eraser not required. Most are ten minute puzzles typical of the morning paper. There is one exception in my view: Watch out for any puzzle by Eric Albert - his are really hard. I think it wasn't until the third (maybe fourth; have to check how many of his puzzles are included) before I got into his way of thinking but still had two clues I couldn't get. This book has 250 puzzles, so can be a good book for the doctors office where you know you'll be waiting and need a lot of puzzles to go through.

Average customer rating:

Extremely good reference guide

a must have for all business students

Selected as "the" text for government all-source analysts

Excellent coverage of management analysis tools

Outstanding one stop source for techniques and "how to"

Strategic and Competitive Analysis: Methods and Techniques for Analyzing Business Competition
Craig S. Fleisher , and Babette Bensoussan
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Strategy & Competition | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Decision-Making & Problem Solving | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Leadership | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Management Science | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Systems & Planning | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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Early Warning: Using Competitive Intelligence to Anticipate Market Shifts, Control Risk, and Create Powerful Strategies

Business and Competitive Analysis: Effective Application of New and Classic Methods

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The Secret Language of Competitive Intelligence: How to See Through and Stay Ahead of Business Disruptions, Distortions, Rumors, and Smoke Screens

Proven Strategies in Competitive Intelligence: Lessons from the Trenches

ASIN: 0130888524

Customer Reviews:

Extremely good reference guide.......2005-08-04

I first came across this book whilst doing my MBA at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. The subject was Competitive Analysis and Babette Bensoussan was a guest lecturer. Working in Strategic Projects in a large Australian company, I found this book extremely useful in selecting strategic models to use for my analysis. The explanations of the models and how they work are accurate and precise and enables the reader to apply the model efficiently and effectively.

a must have for all business students.......2005-07-18

I just had the pleassure of having one of the authors (babette bensoussan) as a lecturer at bond university.
This book is THE reference for startegic analytical tools.
it is not one of the usual useless academic books - it is a practical usefull resource for most if not all strategy areas.

Selected as "the" text for government all-source analysts.......2004-01-14

Rather than outline the wonderful aspects of this book, which other reviewers have done so ably, I will just say that I rank the authors up there with Ben Gilad (Israel), Mats Bjore (Sweden), and Jan Herring, Dick Klavens/Brad Ashton, and Leonard Fuld (USA), and we have made this book "the" text for the annual government all-source analysis training that centers on Open Source Intelligence (OSINT).

This book, in combination with Ben Gilad's "Early Warning", the Leonard Fuld's "New Competitor Intelligence", Dick Klavens and Brad Ashton's "Keeping Abreast of Science & Technology", and Mats Bjore forthcoming book, are the essential five books for any business intelligence professional or anyone seeking to understand best in class business intelligence.

Excellent coverage of management analysis tools.......2003-07-23

This book fills a niche that should have been done by somebody a long time ago. It includes most of the popular analysis techniques that a management consultant would normally use, and provides a common process description for employing the method. It makes an excellent complement to Porter's series of books and can be nicely combined with more conceptual treatments in the strategy field. I have already bought several copies for my office colleagues as it will be useful for them in their consulting work as well. I can see why it has gotten many good reviews and I'd concur with these. It is worth having this one on your book shelf although, like me, you may find yourself pulling it off the shelf to refer to on a frequent basis.

Outstanding one stop source for techniques and "how to".......2003-03-25

It is rare to find a text that pulls together the many quite different techniques that can be used to analyze a business and the competitive environment in which it operates. This book does that, and more!

The authors have addressed their personal needs as much as the needs of those who will use the benefits of their labours. Now, when asked about a technique or asked for a recommendation as to how to attack an issue, one can turn to this one text and extract the most appropriate tool(s) and make sensible assessments of which of the various analytical tools is most appropriate.

The authors have gone one better - and I suspect that more than one MBA student will appreciate their efforts - they have included a very useful and quite comprehensive outline of financial analytical tools that add to the more "marketing" oriented techniques detailed in the core of the text. The various financial ratios are now at your fingertips. The financial analysis can be woven into the market and environmental competitive analysis.

Oh to have had access to this at an earlier stage of my career.

One of those indispensable tools. A "must have" in the office.

Average customer rating:
Strategic and Competitive Analysis: Methods and Techniques for Analyzing Business Competition
Craig S.; Bensoussan, Babette Fleisher
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OI3TYW

Average customer rating:

Thank You Ms. McBryde-Johnson...

a brisk ride into disability rights

A Provocatively Tilted Perspective

An Entertaining and Provocative Memoir

Voice of Disability Rights

Too Late to Die Young: Nearly True Tales from a Life
Harriet McBryde Johnson
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0312425716
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Book Description

This highly unconventional memoir opens with a lyrical meditation on death and ends with a bold and unsentimental sermon on pleasure. Due to a congenital neuromuscular disease, Harriet McBryde Johnson has never been able to walk, dress, or bathe without assistance. Whether in the streets of Havana, on the floor of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, or in an auditorium at Princeton debating philosopher Peter Singer, Harriet McBryde Johnson debunks and defies the many stereotypes surrounding the disabled.

Customer Reviews:

Thank You Ms. McBryde-Johnson..........2007-04-29

As a child, Harriet McBryde Johnson never thought she would live a long life. At least that is what the telethons on television kept saying. However, she has. Yet, this is not a "triumph over disability" story. It is a story of a woman who is living her life fully. From a law student schooling the University of South Carolina on the subject of civil liberties to experiencing a disability-themed conference in Cuba, the reader is taken on a journey in which he or she just might view disability in a different way by the end of the book.

This book was really powerful for me. I was born with Cerebral Palsy. However, it has not been until the last couple of years that I started feeling comfortable with myself as a person with a disability. I read this book as part of a class I took this semester and I'm very glad I did. Stories like these remind me that disability is not a negative and that we are worthy of full, rich lives.

a brisk ride into disability rights.......2005-08-26

The chapters in this book are arranged chronologically, but each is a discrete story. The episodes varied enough so that I was never bored: Ms. Johnson protested telethons, resisted a search of her dorm by the Secret Service, ran for office, served as a delegate at the Democratic National Convention, visited Cuba for an international conference on people with disabilities, argued in a jury trial, and more.

Her views on disability as a civil rights issue aren't presented in a didactic way; they become clear to the reader as she confronts her opponents. I liked being privy to the details of her experience, even though she presents herself as nearly always right. While I read I was thinking that she came off as SO sure of herself that I would find her overbearing and a little obnoxious in person. However, she acknowledges the thorniness, and clearly isn't out to be the reader's best friend.

Other than that note, I felt myself in good hands. I have a better understanding of what it's like to need and live with a personal assistant. I was familiar with the basics of disability rights, but the book got into nuances I hadn't considered-- the pressures and trade-offs in Cuba, where genuine intentions for equality butt up against severe economic limits, for example. And it reinforced ideas that non-disabled people glide over: most of us will be disabled sometime. Disabled people aren't necessarily more "terminal" or "suffering" than the rest of us, because frankly everyone suffers and dies. And if that sounds depressing, don't worry: some of the stories in this book were so funny I had to read bits out loud to my spouse.

This is a four- instead of a five-star review because I didn't feel I quite got a fair view of the author's opponents; it was just a little too one-sided, although that enhanced some of the humor. But the book was still well-written and fascinating. Definitely worth reading.

A Provocatively Tilted Perspective .......2005-08-16

This new book by Harriet McBryde Johnson, a civil rights attorney in Charleston, SC and disability activist, is a must read! Her book, Too Late to Die Young, provides insight into aspects of her life and career, but the author states upfront that "This book doesn't have a tidy message." Ms. Johnson is a gifted writer with a provocatively tilted perspective that is worth hearing. She accurately describes herself as a story teller in the great tradition of southern story tellers. I knew her stories were worth reading when, early on in the book, in describing a German doctor's bedside overnight care, she wrote "Now I remember how he kept vigil at my bedside so my parents could sleep and then fell sleep himself. As I listened to his deep, barrel-chested rumble, I imagined he was snoring in German." Later in the book, Harriet, after having noted that her normal viewpoint of most people is at crotch level (due to her posture), described her first impression of someone she met: "It's love at first sight - at my first sight of his shoes." Wonderful!

This easy to read book (a mere 258 pages) includes the bulk of the text of Unspeakable Conversations, a 2003 New York Times Magazine article she wrote that described her conversations with Princeton Professor Peter Singer about his beliefs that the severely disabled, in some circumstances, can justifiably be killed. Interestingly, she is conflicted about the accommodating and courteous man versus his "evil" ideas. She acknowledges that she stands outside the radical mainstream simply for having engaged Mr. Singer in a conversation. Sundry other topics this self-described "crip" covers are her personal crusade against telethons, her atheism, her battles with the Secret Service, caustically amusing anecdotes from the 1996 Democratic Convention in Chicago, a trip to Cuba, and battles with a New York Times photographer who wants to shoot her nude ("nekkid" in her parlance) and does -- but not for publication, and many more amusing and unsettling stories.

If you want to read a sweet story about a courageous and noble fight against disability that profiles an individual who overcomes great obstacles to achieve self-fulfillment, this IT NOT the book to read. Johnson`s book isn't about her disability (adamantly so)...but the fact that she is disabled inescapably colors her stories in powerful ways. You won't necessarily fall in love with Harriet, her politics, or all of her causes, but I think you will love her passion for what she believes, what she does, who she is, and why she does what she does. Ms. McBryde is a new and profound voice (at least to me) that is worth listening to.

An Entertaining and Provocative Memoir.......2005-08-03

While I disagree with a fundamental premise argued in the book, I do recommend it for many reasons. First of all, the author can write! She has filled the book with interesting and unusual experiences, described them with wit as well as passion, and she challenges people like me on some basic assumptions and conclusions. I do hope readers of this book will follow up with Peter Singer's Writings on an Ethical Life (referred to in Harriet Johnson's book) in order to hear Singer's opinions in his own words.

Voice of Disability Rights.......2005-04-22

This has been a good year for disability rights in terms of publications. First, Mary Johnson published Make Them Go Away and now we have Harriet McByde Johnson's much anticipated Too Late to Die Young. Read together these texts provide a powerful one two punch for the disability rights movement in an era which has seen the courts gut the Americans with Disability Act. Both authors have been champions and leaders of the disability rights movement and each are gifted writers.

Harriet McBryde Johnson is a gifted story teller--although I wanted to savor the text and make it last I was too spoiled to do so. I read the book cover to cover the day I received it. Now, I am going back to re-read each and every chapter. Each story told resonates at some level regardless of the subject matter. What truly struck me the most was that my life is not so different, that I am not so unsual, and that the bigotry and discrimination I encounter on a daily basis is no different from what other disabled people face. I am not the only one that is subjected to unwanted attention and grossly inappropriate comments. I am not the only one that found Christopher Reeve comments about disability offensive. I am not the only one who is treated poorly when I travel on an airline. In short, discrimination against the disabled is rampant and it is heartening to know others are experiencing and fighting against this. To know that I have two gifted authors on the side of equal rights lets me not only feel better about myself a feel less alone but know the future, in spite of the courts, will be better than the past.

Too Late to Die Young: Nearly True Tales from a Life

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Too Late to Die Young: Nearly True Tales from a Life
Harriet McBryde Johnson
Manufacturer: Henry Holt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NUFQK6

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Too Late to Die Young : Nearly True Tales from a Life
Harriet Mcbryde Johnson
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTF5RA

Book Description

George Bush's "Axis of Evil" was the expression of a new rhetoric of morality in world affairs, mirroring the ideology of the president and his neoconservative policy advisors. In its fight against evil, the U.S. has economically and politically broken the Soviet Union, waged war against Afghanistan, toppled the Taliban regime, confronted Al-Qaeda, and threatened Syria, Iran, and Northern Korea. But what is this notion of "evil," which has become part of the language of international politics? What are its historical origins and its moral, political, and legal foundations? Is the fight against evil merely a new form of imperialism?

In this powerful new book, Stephen Chan tackles the notion of evil in international relations and warns against its potency as a tool for policy makers. The war of ideas is closely examined and its practical and political implications---from Francis Fukuyama's The End of History and the Last Man to Samuel Huntington's The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order to Robert Kagan's Of Paradise and Power---are given close critical attention.

The greatest danger in combating what is broadly defined as evil, Chan concludes, lies in a failure to grasp its nuanced nature in favor of attempts to vanquish it with unprecedented might.

Customer Reviews:

Out of Evil by Stephen Chan.......2006-03-26

Background

1. Title and Subject. The book `' Out of Evil `' deals with post Cold-War international politics, in which the world stands divided between the notions of `Good' and `Evil' based on different perceptions.
Author

2. Stephen Chan is a professor of international relations and dean of law and social studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. The schools' mission is to understand and research the history, culture, language, religion, law, politics and economic problems of African, Middle Eastern and Far Eastern countries. The book "Robert Mugabe" a life of power and violence has also been written by Stephen Chan.
Thesis

3. The writer suggests that instead of waging the "War on Evil" ,the understanding of what is being termed as `Evil' is required in getting the world out of the notion of `Evil' ; with a caution, that USA wishes to imperialise the world by exploiting the so called `War on Evil' (War on Terror)'.

Contents

4. The book consists of three parts, titled as `The War on Evil', `A Short History of the Axis of Evil' and `Out of Evil'. All the three parts consist of two chapters each.
(a) War on Evil (Part-I). First chapter describes that the concept of `Good' and `Evil' had always existed in the West. During
Cold-War, the West was `Good' and USSR was `Evil'. After disintegration of USSR, Islam was termed as the new `Evil'. The second chapter discusses as to how the new `Evil' was given flesh and location by USA, and Afghanistan was attack in the name of `War on Terror'. It is also cautions that USA wants to control the Third World through concepts of core (West) and periphery (Third World) in which the core controls the periphery.
(b) A Short History of Axis of Evil (Part-II). The author gives an account of the glory which Baghdad, Basra and Ur enjoyed in the past. It follows history of Iraq, rise of Sadam Hussain, first and second Gulf Wars and USA's application of doctrine of `Shock and Awe' in first and second Gulf Wars. In the second chapter, the writer discusses the threat of Syria, Iran and North Korea i.e.the `Axis of Evil'.

(c) Out of Evil (Part-III). The author expresses that West is `Good' and the rest of the world is `Evil'; only because now power justifies the `Good' instead the `Good' justifying the use of power. He warns that though both Europe and USA were victors of the Clod-WAR but now USA wants to sideline Europeans. USA is acquiring power, to decide what is good; then use doctrine of "shock and Awe' to imperialize the world. Hence the history is repeating once again. The writer also warns USA to analyse the causes of 9/11 attacks and her deficiencies to check these attacks which were being planned in USA itself. He warns that USA can face other such attacks and even mass scale war by the third world as the history would repeat itself yet again. He also underlines that to get out of the notion of `Evil', not war but understanding of the so called new `Evil' is required.
Evaluation
5. The book aptly covers the following aspects: -
(a) The notions of `Good' and `Evil' as conceived by different actors.
(b) The branding of Islam as `Evil' in post Cold-War scenario.
(c) American policy to give physical form to the notion of `Evil' in the shape of Al-Qaeda, Osama-bin Laden and the attack on Afghanistan.
(d) USA's contentions to extend the war on `Axis of Evil' i.e Iraq, Iran and North Korea.
(e) The concerns that USA is out to imperialise the world by exploiting the `War on Terror'.
6. The book is also justified in cautioning USA to refrain from imposing war on others because it needs to understand the so called `Evil'.
7. The book is based on historical and ethical reasoning and not on self-seeking economic interests of the powerful nations and hence may not affect the policies of USA.
8. The book is not for a common reader and the readership is limited to those having an in depth research on religion, history and international politics.

Book Description

Concern over the present state of the world—its tensions and disparities--fosters in many people the uneasy combination of two sensations: urgency and powerlessness. We feel that something must be done before it is too late, but we have little idea of what we as individuals, or as families, or as groups of friends, can possibly do to stem the tide.

This book explores the choices we have. It considers the options for civil society, and for the individual within today’s political culture. It offers a strong critique of the prevailing model of modernity in developed countries, a model which is being exported and imposed on the rest of the world.

The solution lies in our own hands. We need to rethink the choices we make on a day-to-day basis: the ways we use our time, the family lives we live, the sorts of goods and services we consume, the quality of democracy we are able to exercise. The individual, the local, and the global are inextricably intertwined, in positive as well as in negative ways. Passivity and indifference at the individual level contribute greatly to collective dismay at the condition of the world.

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