Of Permanent Value: The Story of Warren Buffett/More in '04, California Edition

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The best book about Warren Buffett (including his Berkshire days)

Awesome Buffett anecdotes

Not what I expected, but...

A one volume encyclopedia of Warren Buffett

The TOTAL Warren Buffett for the Serious Fan

Of Permanent Value: The Story of Warren Buffett/More in '04, California Edition
Andrew Kilpatrick
Manufacturer: Andy Kilpatrick Publishing Empire (AKPE)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Business | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Buffett, Warren | ( B ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0964190559

Book Description

This biography of investor Warren Buffett tells how he forged Berkshire Hathaway into a $100 billion company. The book uncovers almost all the Buffett legacy in 1,500 pages and 750 photos. It's called the California Edition because of:

1. Buffett's backing of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the California eletion.
2. The tracing of a group of Stanford Business School students who heard Buffett speak there decades ago. Their remarkable careers are followed in light of Buffett. One student turned over word-for-word notes from a talk Buffett gave there in 1978.
3. A rare interview with Harry Bottle, 84, of California, who was Buffett's early Mr. Fix-it.

Customer Reviews:

The best book about Warren Buffett (including his Berkshire days).......2006-10-06

First, I want to mention two constructive feedback about this book. One is that this book is probably only suitable for Warren Buffett fanatics/fans. For general investors interested about Berkshire Hathaway or how Warren Buffett invest, this is probably not the best book to read (as it has so much more info. i.e. more than 1000 pages). Second is that I have read this book more than once and I still don't know how the book is organized (the chapters aren't following chronological order, alphabetical nor topical order), therefore it is quite confusing to read as you progress from one chapter to another. Only after you read enough chapter (or completed the book) then you can put it all in the big picture in your head (from Warren's childhood till his current Berkshire days). Nonetheless, kudos to Andrew Kilpatrick for putting this book together. Moreover, once you know the limitation, this book is easily considered the best book about Warren Buffett in my opinion.

Now about the content of the book. You will learn a lot about Warren Buffett and his life, and not only investing topic (investing decisions that he made throughout his career) but his life principles, family, and business in general as well. You will learn about his first job delivering papers when he was 13 (he filed income tax and deducted the bike as business cost), and how he build his first business (pinball machine business), created Buffett partnership, break it up (liquidate), acquire berkshire mills, creating Berkshire Hathaway as investment vehicle, and many other great investment decision/story that he made (Geico, See's Candies, Dairy Queen, General Re, Coca Cola, Salomon, Washington Post, Gillette etc)

Buffett concrete rules for investing are:
1. Never lose money
2. Never forget rule #1

I know it's easier said (what he say above about to never lose money) than done based on my 10 years of invesitng experience , but then again I'm no Warren Buffett.

In my opinion, here are the 5 strategy/skills that Warren Buffett uses (Mr. Buffett, please correct me if I'm wrong):
1. Intrinsic Value
2. Margin of Safety
3. Temperament (discipline and understanding Mr.Market)
4. Circle of Competence (knowing what your circle of competence)
5. Common Sense (which I think is the most important factor and encapsulate everything about Warren Buffett.)

You will learn that Warren is very good with numbers (calculating in his head) and memorizing so many facts and numbers. You will also learn that Warren is a man with a very good sense of humor.

There are so many things/chapters that I like on this book. Let me try to mention two of my favorite sections.

One is when Warren need to make a decision who would run Salomon ($150B institution with 8000 employees) within 2 days during their first crisis. There are 12 top-level managers that he interviewed. "This was the most important hire of my life", said Warren to the Columbia business students. The chapter explain his thought process of this candidate selection in detail. Warren mentioned that the good news (for the students and the candidate) is that he didn't ask what their grades were (laughter). Warren also said, "Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence and energy. and if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you. if you think about it, it's true, if you hire somebody without integrity, you want them to be dumb and lazy" (laughter). And he conclude the topic with this statement which I think is very powerful: "Pick the kind of person to work for you that you want to marry your son or daughter. You won't go wrong". By the way, he picked Deryck Maughan by the way for his integrity.

Another chapter that I really like is how Warren put the audience (of more than 2000 people) through Business School in an electrifying two minutes (The chapter about "Generics"). See how Warren answer the question of "Will developments in the generic brand area hurt coca-cola?" which is a very important questions. I'll try not to spill too much and take the joy of reading this chapter yourself but he basically explains in a nutshell (with all the details and numbers) how business and competition works (and using several other example like Gilette, Marlboro, Sam Cola etc) and how he convinced the audience (and me as a reader) that coca cola is considered immune to generics. He explains how one can save $500 for smoking generic brand (vs Marlboro) which is a lot of money. While a man will probably will only save $11 per year by not using Gilette Sensor and probably leave band-aids on his face and an uncomfotable experience for opting for generics/lower quality blades. And for coca cola, the net profit margin is only 1 cents per serving (can) while a lot of the ingredients cost (such as the aluminium close to 6 cents a can, sugar 1.3 ounce per can or 1.75 cents etc) the same regardless for coke or other cola company.

I'll stop here before it's getting too long. In summary, If you are a Warren Buffett fans, then this book is for you. If you are uncertain, you can get other books first (potentially less thick book), like "Warren Buffet Way" or maybe "Buffettology", and if you like them (Warren) or want to know more about Warren then get this book. I personally don't like it in the beginning but as time goes by (and after I re-read the book/chapters), I changed my mind, this book is a masterpiece.

As a Berkshire shareholder, I want to encourage all berkshire shareholders (and potential/future shareholders) to read this book to know more about the person in charge of your berkshire investment. I also want to encourage all shareholders to go to the annual shareholder meeting while Mr. Buffett is still in charge.

Last but not least, if I have to sum this book up in a word or two, I would use the word "WISDOM" to describe this book, though I have a strong feeling that Warren will disagree with me and think that the more suitable phrase is "COMMON SENSE"

Awesome Buffett anecdotes.......2004-09-04

Warren Buffett, the American Icon, is captured beautifully in these 1500some pages. The book is a haphazard collection of notes, annecdotes, rumors and stories of the Oracle himself. It contains much of the traditional folk wisdom of the man, as well as much of the lore you probably haven't heard yet. At 1500 pages, there's something for everyone.

The book is a must for any member of the cult of Warren.

Not what I expected, but..........2004-05-30

I bought an earlier edition of this book thinking it would be a regular biography of Warren Buffett. Instead, it's a strange, very lengthy collection of information about him. The writer rambles and digresses a LOT. But it's not a bad book, for what it is, and you can pick up some investing info amid all the trivia. Just don't expect an ordinary biography.

A one volume encyclopedia of Warren Buffett.......2004-01-14

There are a lot of books vying for your money that bear Warren Buffett's name. Only one of those books bears his endorsement - Of Permanent Value.

If you are building a Buffett library, I recommend starting with his own words in the form of Buffett's annual letters to shareholders, many of which are available on the Berkshire Hathaway website for free. Next you need get Of Permanent Value. Think of OPV as a one volume encyclopedia about everything Buffett.

Like a good encyclopedia, you never know what you'll find in Of Permanent Value - profiles of the people and companies that Buffett invests in/with and equally important, the people and companies who invest in/with Buffett. Vital investment information, with good humor and Buffett trivia mixed in. Reading OPV is a little like opening a treasure chest - you never quite know what you'll find inside!

I have owned every edition in OPV - Mr. Kilpatrick does an amazing updating the book so that its important to get the latest editions to remain current. I usually buy a few copies because OPV is literally so big that its difficult to carry from place to place. So, I just keep a copy at home, a copy at the office, and a copy at my in laws.

By the way - every single one of those other Buffett books you see on Amazon all cite Kilpatrick as a source. Start your Buffett book buying here. You aren't serious about Buffett or investing if you don't own it.

The TOTAL Warren Buffett for the Serious Fan.......2003-12-31

This is the biggest and the best of Andrew Kilpatrick's several books about billionaire investor Warren Buffett, not only because it's a well-organized volume of chapters that can be read in order, or individually standing alone.

There are hundreds and hundreds of photos of Buffett through his life, his family, his friends, his fans, key Berkshire managers and even historic documents that you won't find anywhere else.

This is a book you will be proud to own, and it will be a valuable resource of financial facts and figures and stories about Buffett's life and legacy.

Andrew Kilpatrick has written the encyclopedia of Warren Buffett. It also happens to be visually appealing and entertaining.

Book Description

Forwards are the hockey players to watch. They set up plays, score goals, and make it happen on the ice. But only a handful of forwards become stars-the amazing forwards. Meet today's heroes like Gretzky, Messier, and Lemieux, and such legends as Hull, Howe, and Esposito. Get the stories behind these ice warriors who thrill fans and astound players with their aggressive courage.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book for Someone who wants to hear the truth.......2000-04-05

I read this book about a year ago and its a great book. I never thought that I would learn about being on the Ice and yet having fun at the same time. Great book for any child that wants to be a hockey player

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Hockey's Young Superstars
Jeff Rud
Manufacturer: Raincoast Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Reference & Nonfiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books

Hockey | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Hockey | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1551926377

Book Description

Every young hockey fan will want a copy of this book, which gives the lowdown on the best up-and-coming players in the sport today. The stars come from a variety of different teams and backgrounds, including Canada, the United States, Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia. Each in-depth profile contains details on the player's strengths and weaknesses on the ice, achievements and statistics, and how he made it to the NHL. In addition to interviews with the players themselves, the chapters are rounded out with input from coaches, teammates, and broadcasters. Profiled players include Tomas Kaberle of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Eric Brewer of the Edmonton Oilers, Marco Sturm of the San Jose Sharks, Joe Thornton of the Boston Bruins, Derek Morris of the Colorado Avalanche, Brad Richards of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Marian Gaborik of the Minnesota Wild, Dany Heatley of the Atlanta Thrashers, Marian Hossa of the Ottawa Senators, and Simon Gagne of the Philadelphia Flyers.

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Hockey's Young Superstars
Eric Dwyer
Manufacturer: Polestar Calendars
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

English (British) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

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General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0919591922

The New Breed: Hockey's Hot Young Superstars

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The New Breed: Hockey's Hot Young Superstars
Stan Fischler
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Hockey | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0688016960

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Canned Goods As Caviar: American Film Comedy of the 1930s
Gerald Weales
Manufacturer: Univ of Chicago Pr (T)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0226876640

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Canned Goods As Caviar: American Film Comedy of the 1930s
Gerald Weales
Manufacturer: Univ of Chicago Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTM0HS

Book Description

Tristan Taormino has dished out sex advice to Howard Stern, Dick Clark, and the Playboy Advisor. Now the best-selling author of The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women collects 70 hand-picked reports on everything from lap dancing to group masturbation to lesbian pornography. In these essays, Taormino combines explicit passions with an outspoken sexual candor that shocks and amuses readers. Taormino, an award-winning adult film star, is the author of “Pucker Up,” a column that appears weekly in The Village Voice.

Customer Reviews:

How can you not like this woman?.......2006-04-03

First of all she's a babe. Has this cool tat down the side of her leg. Performs anilingus on another chick and gets f____d in the a__ herself in vol.1 of her "Ultimate Guide To..." video. So there's that. But she's also smart and savvy, having several things going on as an author, columnist. This is a woman with real talent.

BOOOOORING!!!.......2006-03-10

I was really dissapointed, better buy Playboy or Penthouse and read their letters, plus you have the Pictures!!! I drop it after 5 pages.

awesome, smart, steamy.......2006-01-11

Tristan is liberated, liberal, hot n' steamy... she blows the lid of taboos like BDSM, anal sex, fisting, pansexuality, gender constructions, etc. SO worth reading.

Looking for a quickie?.......2005-10-14

I adore this book. I adore Tristan. All in all, this made for a perfect read for me, and I would recommend this to anyone looking to delve into the socio-political aspects of sex/gender in America without getting overly academic. Each of the concise little essays are very well written and entertaining, but at the same time teaching the reader about any range of experiences and encounters she has had. Her real-life experience seems nearly limitless and each of the 69 essays has a wonderfully little sexy nugget to offer to the world. HIGHLY recommended.

"My name is Tristan with a T"........2005-02-01

What's it like to be Tristan Taormino? Read `True Lust' and you'll have a better perspective of who she is and what it's like to be a Perky Sex Diva for an entire generation. All the essays and commentary are relatively short but each one tells a story of sexual growth and exploration. Topics range from getting a lap dance to group sex. She even talks about transgender and what it's like to be a bisexual woman.

Yes, the book is provocative but encompasses an honesty that communicates the importance of exploring ones own sexual identity as caring adults and yes acting responsibly. With in `True Lust' you'll laugh, you'll be aroused, and also find yourself mindful of an alternative culture of women and men. Written very well I enjoyed the upbeat and thoughtful views depicted in this book.

Of course, this isn't a book for everyone. You do need to possess a little curiosity, a little open mindedness to accept that there are others in the world who like things that are extremely spicy in bed, out of bed, and lifesyle in general.

This book certainly does hold many adventures in sex, porn, and possibly perversion.

girldiver:)

Book Description

During two short seasons at the track, Ruffian was hailed as the greatest thoroughbred filly of all time. Unbeaten in her first ten starts, she shattered one record after another, dazzling crowds with both her beauty and her brilliant speed. Then tragedy struck on the afternoon of July 6, 1975. Ruffian broke down–on the lead–in the middle of a match race at Belmont Park. Later that night she had to be destroyed.

Ruffian: Burning from the Start is the story of this exceptional filly, a horse so dominating, so powerful, that writer Walter Farley once suggested she was more like the fictional legend, the Black Stallion, than any colt he had ever seen. Beginning with her earliest days in Kentucky, the book follows Ruffian at every stage of her career and through the agony of her final hours– venturing behind the scenes of the racing world and exploring the politics and personalities that came together to shape this extraordinary filly’s fate.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent writing about one of the great race horses ever! .......2007-06-10

Anyone who ever watched this filly race knew what a special sight it was, to see her pulling away from the others, compelled to race. She had an excellent trainer but I happen to believe she also had an instinctive drive to use every bit of power and heart she had. This book chronicles it all, from start to finish and it'll capture the heart of both horse lovers and anyone who simply likes to read a good book. Ruffian

Ruffian review.......2007-05-06

A moving, heartbreaking, wonderful book. If you love horses you must read it. You will cry and you will care. There are a lot of books on Ruffian but this is the indispensable one

the greatest.......2007-02-25

When Ruffian came along, it was not to a real horse I could compare her to, but one of fiction,the-one-of-a-kind(I thought at the time) who would-could-never have a counterpart in real life. But Ruffian was The Black, come to life as a female. I knew when I first saw her run that she was a horse whose genes had transcended that dream- the dream of that black horse who refused to be beaten. When her body failed her I had no words for the grief I felt. To this day when I see horses that others would call "great", all I can think is these people have no real idea as to what greatness is. yes, Secretariat was great, but Ruffian had a fire within her that made people believe in her greatness, that made her passing more than just a tragedy-it left her fans heartbroken for all time. She was not given the chance to prove what she could do, but the ones she left behind knew she could have never been beaten. Such is the legacy of true greatess.

One of a Kind.......2007-01-10

This is a fascinating and heart-wrenching story about a phenominal horse. I am amazed at the heart exhibited by some of these animals, and also saddened by the price they pay for their owner's entertainment. What a tragic end to an astounding life. This is my second copy as I loaned my first and never got it back. I share this story with all my horse-loving friends, and will retain it in my library to be re-read over the years.

A Tribute To A Champion.......2006-12-29

Though ESPN has a movie scheduled for 2007 on the life of Ruffian, I urge any person with even a casual interest in the sport to read this book.

Ruffian was arguably the greatest Thoroughbred filly ever and was undefeated in her 10 lifetime races. She won five races at age two and captured the filly "Triple Crown" at the age of three. She set or equaled a new stakes record in every one of the eight stakes races she won. She raced at distances from sprinting - 5.5 furlongs - to 1.5 miles. Ruffian had an average winning margin of more than eight lengths.

On July 6, 1975, in a "battle of the sexes" match-race with Kentucky Derby champion Foolish Pleasure - and viewed by a television audience of 18 million, with more than 31,000 fans at Belmont Park - Ruffian broke down. Though attempts were made to save her life through radical surgerical procedures, she had to be euthanized.

It is said that the decline of the Thoroughbred industry as a major sport began when Ruffian suffered the brutal injury.

The book covers every angle of the raising, training and racing of this special filly. It is written for those who aren't familiar with the nuances of the industry. And the section on the match race and attempts to save her life are absolutely moving, no matter how many times it is read.

It is a tragic story, there is no doubt. But it is also a story about an athlete who had the heart of a champion. And it must be said yet again - even more than 30 years later - the match-race should have never taken place.

Ruffian, Burning from the Start : Follows Ruffian at Every Stage of Her Career As Well As the Agony of Her Final Hours

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Ruffian, Burning from the Start : Follows Ruffian at Every Stage of Her Career As Well As the Agony of Her Final Hours

Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ICKT6U

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Ruffian: Burning From the Start
Jane Schwartz
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVBA36

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Ruffian: Burning from the Start
Jane Schwartz
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NQM5W2

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Ron Zemke does it again...

Knock Your Socks Off Service Recovery (Knock Your Socks Off Series)
Ron Zemke , and Chip R. Bell
Manufacturer: AMACOM/American Management Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Customer Service | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Service | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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Look Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
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Knock Your Socks Off Answers: Solving Customer Nightmares & Soothing Nightmare Customers (Knock Your Socks Off Series)

Coaching Knock Your Socks Off Service

Managing Knock Your Socks Off Service (Knock Your Socks Off Series)

Sustaining Knock Your Socks Off Service (Knock Your Socks Off Series)

Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service (Knock Your Socks Off Series)

ASIN: 081447084X

Book Description

Cancelled flights, damaged goods, botched bills, locked-up software--these are the service screw-ups that leave customers angry, disgusted...and determined to never buy from you again!

But these mad-as-hell customers can be wooed back through skillful, planned "service recovery." And, surprisingly, customers who experience world-class Knock Your Socks Off service recovery become your most loyal customers--and are a source of continuing business for years to come.

Building on the popular, breezy approach of the Knock Your Socks Off Service series, the authors provide managers with an upbeat primer on creating a first-class recovery system. Enlivened by John Bush's witty illustrations, the book explains:

* The economics of recovery--what it costs when you lose customers, and how little it can cost to win them back * The processes, policies, and technology a company must have to ensure an effective, real-time recovery system * The manager's role in sustaining an outstanding recovery system--through training, coaching, empowering, supporting, inspiring, and rewarding great service providers.

Customer Reviews:

Ron Zemke does it again..........2000-10-04

I have been in the hotel business for 11 years and this has given myself and my staff a new attitude toward our guests--the people that pay our salaries.

I read the entire book in a day off, highlited like crazy and was psyched to go back and share many of the ideas with my staff!

Kudos...I really enjoyed it :)

Customer Reviews:

Radiant.......2000-10-01

In "A Passion for Life", theologian Joan Chittister and artist and iconographer, Robert Lentz, combine to illustrate and describe the lives of twenty-one major figures of the last two millennia.

These choices are not conventional, and though some of them may are familiar, others are obscure. Many of these icons were not Catholic, some not Christian. All, however, were profoundly influential, and served to transform their societies and those following them: whether through martyrdom, like Oscar Romero, or from the walls of her cell, like Julian of Norwich. Both Lentz's beautiful illustrations and Chittister's essays provide inspiration and food for contemplation and thought. A wonderful collection.

Average customer rating:

Didn't read it

beautiful portrait of my savior...

Desire of the Everlasting Hills: The World Before and After Jesus

Magical

The Gospel according to Cahill

Desire of the Everlasting Hills: The World Before and After Jesus (Hinges of History)
Thomas Cahill
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Early Civilization | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
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Christology | Theology | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels (Hinges of History)

Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter (Hinges of History)

How the Irish Saved Civilization (Hinges of History)

Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science, and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe

Jesus' Little Instruction Book

ASIN: 0385483724
Release Date: 2001-02-13

Amazon.com

Desire of the Everlasting Hills is another present from the pen of Thomas Cahill, author of How the Irish Saved Civilization and The Gifts of the Jews. In this third volume of the bestselling Hinges of History series, he knits together history, politics, sociology, and faith with contemporary insights that yield remarkable results.

After painting with broad brush strokes an entertaining picture of the Greek, Jewish, and Roman world, Cahill focuses on Jesus. With illuminating deductions and clever speculation, Jesus is seen though the eyes of his biographers in their Gospel accounts. Each of these authors' lives is reconstructed in such a way that the richness of their writing and their subject matter is wonderfully enhanced.

The section on Paul, detailing how his life and letters shaped the early church, should be required reading for every student of the Bible. From his beginnings in the cosmopolitan city known as Tarsus through his calling, like the patriarchs and prophets before him, he becomes "the perfect vehicle for this moment in the development of the Jesus Movement." His mix of Greek reasoning with rabbinical training casts the stories of the early church into a thoughtful theology. He is seen here as the earliest egalitarian who not only impacted the early church but all of western civilization.

Cahill challenges many traditional religious ideas while also taking on some of the more radical contemporary interpreters of biblical literature. As with the other volumes in this series, the marginal notes are filled with a wealth of interesting information. Combining his own fresh translation of many New Testament highlights with respect and humor, Thomas Cahill's book is for the believer and nonbeliever alike. --Tracy Danz

Book Description

From the bestselling author of How the Irish Saved Civilization and The Gifts of the Jews, his most compelling historical narrative yet.

How did an obscure rabbi from a backwater of the Roman Empire come to be the central figure in Western Civilization? Did his influence in fact change the world? These are the questions Thomas Cahill addresses in his subtle and engaging investigation into the life and times of Jesus.

Cahill shows us Jesus from his birth to his execution through the eyes of those who knew him and in the context of his time—a time when the Jews were struggling to maintain their beliefs under overlords who imposed their worldview on their subjects. Here is Jesus the loving friend, itinerate preacher, and quiet revolutionary, whose words and actions inspired his followers to journey throughout the Roman world and speak the truth he instilled—in the face of the greatest defeat: Jesus' crucifixion as a common criminal. Daring, provocative, and stunningly original, Cahill's interpretation will both delight and surprise.

Download Description

In Desire of the Everlasting Hills, Thomas Cahill takes up his most daring and provocative subject yet: Jesus of Nazareth, the central figure of Western civilization.

Customer Reviews:

Didn't read it.......2007-05-13

Though I might read this but as it turned out, I didn't...it is still around here somewhere....

beautiful portrait of my savior... .......2007-04-19

I loved this book because it challenged the picture I had of Jesus in my head but didn't challenge my beliefs of Jesus. It added a deepening and understanding of the divinity of Jesus. I love Cahill's books and not just because I'm Irish and we saved western civilization.

Desire of the Everlasting Hills: The World Before and After Jesus .......2007-03-09

This book is not up to the quality of How the Irish Saved Civilization. Too much of his writing is merely quoting sources. Actually it is rather boring.

Magical.......2007-01-05

I have read all of Mr. Cahill's books and consider this to be the finest. He answers and ambitious question -- "Did Jesus Matter?" By comparing the expectations of the civilized world before and after Jesus in a wonderfully entertaining fashion, he provides fresh insights and makes a compelling case. Whether you are a Christian or not, you can appreciate this captivating perspective and Mr. Cahill's lively writing.

The Gospel according to Cahill.......2006-12-08

Thomas Cahill's "Desire of the Everlasting Hills" is an engaging but somewhat disappointing work. In short, Cahill's discussion of the "world before" Jesus is more carefully considered than that of the "world after," with the author's treatment of the person of Jesus himself being an equivocation. Was Jesus merely human or was he both human and divine? I wouldn't have minded a clear argument for either position, but Cahill's narrative seems to hedge between the two. "Desire" sees Jesus as a radical visionary, to be sure, but does not have the courage to either affirm or deny the element of transcendence in the Gospel accounts. Ultimately, though hints of possible transcendence abound, the person of Jesus is reduced to what nearly everyone can affirm (that Jesus was a "great moral teacher"), and when I finished the middle chapters of the book I found myself asking "is that all?" It is true that during Cahill's later discussion of the "world after" Jesus, Paul is described as someone who unquestionably viewed Jesus as divine, but here Cahill fails to make a definitive connection between Paul's theology and the historical figure of Jesus. And the further the book proceeds into the "world after," the more selective Cahill's scholarly sources become, a selection seeming to support a mostly negative bias regarding the institutional Church. This is especially apparent in his discussion of John's Gospel, which is impugned as being anti-Semitic, and is posited to be the primary inspiration for later anti-Semitism in the history of Christianity.

Still, there is much to admire in this work. As I have said, I found the book to be engaging. Even when I disagreed or became frustrated with him, I never doubted the author's sincerity; Cahill seems to have a genuine desire to understand the impact Jesus has had on history. The discussion of the "world before" Jesus was excellent; I especially appreciated the way the description of Alexander the Great set the reader up for the inevitable contrast with the description of Jesus later in the book. And though I did not agree with many of the author's conclusions concerning the synoptic Gospels or the Pauline epistles, I was surprised to find such a thought-provoking and positive treatment of these topics. I recommend this book to those who are familiar with the New Testament from scholarly and/or devotional reading, and who are at least somewhat familiar with the history of Christianity; others might find it to be confusing or even misleading.

Desire of the Everlasting Hills: The World Before and After Jesus

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Desire of the Everlasting Hills: The World Before and After Jesus
Thomas Cahill
Manufacturer: LION PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OLJ2KE

DESIRE OF THE EVERLASTING HILLS: THE WORLD BEFORE AND AFTER JESUS.(Review) (book review): An article from: First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life

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DESIRE OF THE EVERLASTING HILLS: THE WORLD BEFORE AND AFTER JESUS.(Review) (book review): An article from: First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life
Francis Martin
Manufacturer: Institute on Religion and Public Life
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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This digital document is an article from First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life, published by Institute on Religion and Public Life on April 1, 2000. The length of the article is 1261 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: DESIRE OF THE EVERLASTING HILLS: THE WORLD BEFORE AND AFTER JESUS.(Review) (book review)
Author: Francis Martin
Publication: First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 2000
Publisher: Institute on Religion and Public Life
Page: 63

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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DESIRE OF THE EVERLASTING HILLS : THE WORLD BEFORE AND AFTER JESUS
THOMAS/ WALTHER, LUANN (EDT) CAHILL
Manufacturer: RANDOM HOUSE
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KUORBI

Average customer rating:

Desire of the Everlasting Hills, the world before and after Jesus

Manufacturer: Nan A. Talese
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000EEU03E

Product Description

The world before and after Jesus

Book Description

The question of whether democratization is an elite-led process from above or a popular triumph from below continues to be an area of contention among political scientists. Examining the experiences of countries that have provided the main empirical base for recent theorizing, namely, Western Europe and South America, this book delineates a more complex and varied set of patterns. The volume explores democratization through a comparative analysis that examines the role of labor in relation to elite strategies in both contemporary and historical perspectives.

Book Description

Wildfires are an awe-inspiring natural phenomenon that

have shaped North AmericaÂ's landscapes since the dawn

of time. They are a force that we cannot really control,

and thus understanding, appreciating, and learning to

live with wildfire is ultimately our wisest public policy.

With more than 150 dramatic photographs, Wildfire: A

Century of Failed Forest Policy covers the topic of wildfire

from ecological, economic, and social/political perspectives

while also documenting how past forest policies

have hindered natural processes, creating a tinderbox of

problems that we are faced with today.

More than 25 leading thinkers in the field of fire ecology

provide in-depth analyses, critiques, and compelling

solutions for how we live with fire in our society. Using

examples such as the epic Yellowstone fires of 1988, the

ever-present southern California fires, and the

NorthwestÂ's Biscuit Fire of 2002, the book examines the

ecology of these landscapes and the policies and practices

that affected them and continue to affect them, such

as fire suppression, prescribed burns, salvage logging,

and land-use planning. Overall, the book aims to promote

the restoration of fire to the landscape and to

encourage its natural behavior so it can resume its role as

a major ecological process.

Customer Reviews:

Sustainable Ecosystems and Fire.......2007-04-05

Contrary to Smokey T. Bear, fire is an integral part of healthy ecosystems. The biggest problem with wildland fire is suppression, not burning. After a century of aggressive fire suppression and the myth of Smokey T. Bear, we now see clearly that fire is integral just as soils, sun, wind, water, insects, snow, ice and other natural processes. Put an increment borerer into a tree and you can read the fire history of an ecosystem back up to 3,000 years.

Core into soils, meadows and adjacent streams and you can often retrace almost 10,000 years of fire history in the sediments, buried logs and stumps. Learn the behavior of wildland fire in the presence of sun, upslope wind, rain, snow, clouds, humidity, katabtic winds and air temperature and you begin to catch a glimpse of how we have artificially imposed politics, wishful thinking and pseudoscience on wildland ecosystems.

Media and politicians speak of "catastrophic" and "charred" ecosystems, but fail to speak of the catastrophe of sprawling urban development imposed upon fire-maintained vegetation and soils. We live in wood houses with wood shake roofs and wonder why our houses burn when the surrounding air super heats.

We have made many mistakes with fire. The first mistake is labeling wildland ecosystems uninhabited "wilderness". As Kat Andersen reminds us in "Before The Wilderness," this was never wilderness, people have always lived here AND used fire as a tool to maintain healthy ecosystems for more than 10,000 years.

It was the European invasion that labeled fire as "bad" and Disney and Bambi who drove the message home. It is only through the dedicated work of scientists and wildland managers in places like Sequoia-Kings Canyon, Yosemite and Yellowstone Natl Parks since 1970 that we have begun to understand the basic role of fire. The Leopold Commission in the early 1950s clearly identified the potential for large fires from all the biomass that was and continues to build up.

There is still a large residue who label fire as "bad," and don't understand the role of fire in healthy, resilant, durable ecosystems. Air Quality districts now impose their mandates on when to burn. This book is a must for the public, resource managers and urban residents.

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