So Far and Yet So Near: Stories of Americans Abroad

Average customer rating:

Like an Out of Body experience - Well worth your time and $

A Delightful Glimpse of the World thourgh American Eyes

A must-read before moving abroad

So Far and Yet So Near

So Far and Yet So Near: Stories of Americans Abroad

Manufacturer: American Citizens Abroad
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 2839901099

Customer Reviews:

Like an Out of Body experience - Well worth your time and $.......2006-04-05

If you ever wondered what is was like living in a country that you fell in to, this one is for you. Every day is a contradiction to most every thing that you thought you knew and used as a basis for sane exsistance. Goes to show that there are other universes out there. They are called any thing but the U.S.A. The questions is "where do you call home"?.

A Delightful Glimpse of the World thourgh American Eyes.......2006-04-02

Americans are not not noted for being multi-cultural or anything but monolingual, but this book provides a glimplse into the lives of some 40 Americans who are exceptions to this rule. It is a collection of first-person stories of persons from big cities, small towns and farms who went abroad for a viriety of reasons, learned different languages, immersed themselves in different cultures and have shattered the stereotype of the typical American. Some lived abroad for relatively short periods of time while others have spent most of thier lives in another country. But they all have one thing in common: They are proud to be true 100% Americans and effective ambassadors of their native country.

A must-read before moving abroad.......2006-03-26

"So Far Yet So Near" is a well-organized anthology of tales by Americans living/having lived abroad. It makes great bedtime reading, as the 40+ contributions are generally only 3-4 pages each and often real dream-fodder. Contributors vary from those who barely dipped their toes in the living abroad experience to those who are irreversibly emerged in it. I was struck by the number of writers originally from the Midwest, and by how many people fell into international living by chance rather than by design. There is almost universal agreement that the "cultural baggage" of an American upbringing - e.g. the "can-do" approach to problems - remains with one for life, often enriching other cultures exposed to it. The remark about each American abroad serving as an informal ambassador could not be more true. The wide spectrum of experiences described and the frank discussion of adaptation problems and guilt trips make this required reading for anyone considering making the leap.

So Far and Yet So Near.......2006-03-11

This volume comprises stories from many countries in all parts of the world. Its authors are all Americans who live or have lived abroad for lengthy periods. Some of the contributions are stories in the narrow sense, i.e. they recount an episode or experience, are anecdotal. These can be hilarious, such as the description of an unforgettable train trip in China, or wistful or sad, like the account of losing a son while living in Greece. The stories of importing an American birdfeeder into Italy and of encountering a naked man in Penn Station on a return trip from disaster zones in Africa are memorable, worth the price of the volume on their own. Other contributions are more like life stories--how the writer came to live abroad, how it differed from expectations, what was involved in adapting. All of them illuminate in some way the various dimensions of the overseas experience: the uprooting, the joy of discovering the new, the divided loyalties, the new perspective on home, the process of adaptation, the affective ties to home, the reverse culture shock on returning. Readers who have never lived abroad will find this an eye-opener. All those who do or who may live abroad will benefit greatly from sharing this compilation of experiences, especially at this time,when non-Americans view the U.S. and its citizens more critically than before.

Average customer rating:

Very Interesting

A Woman who Cared...

I'm mad at Ms. Ropes. She should have written more!

Civil War Nurse: The Diary and Letters of Hannah Ropes
Hannah Ropes
Manufacturer: University of Tennessee Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
General | Civil War | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Letters of a Civil War Nurse: Cornelia Hancock, 1863-1865

A Woman Doctor's Civil War: Esther Hill Hawks' Diary (Women's Diaries and Letters of the Nineteenth-Century South)

Kate: The Journal of a Confederate Nurse

Women at the Front: Hospital Workers in Civil War America

In Hospital and Camp: The Civil War Through the Eyes of Its Doctors and Nurses

ASIN: 0870497901

Customer Reviews:

Very Interesting.......2005-03-03

A young woman treads the hallways of the Union hospital with a mission to serve the young men that are fighting in the bloodiest war seen on this fair land of ours. While her son is out fighting the battle, her battle is at the hospital attempting to provide better care for the soldiers.

Excellent content, I just wasn't too crazy about the format that it was wrote in.

A Woman who Cared..........2002-02-19

Hannah Ropes kept a diary for only one year during the time she served as a nurse in the Civil War. She actually supervised Louisa Mae Alcott and was responsible for many of the reforms in the hospital where she worked. She was a well-spoken woman who was also not afraid to stand up to her male supervisors. She cared very much for, "her boys" as she called the patients she worked over day and night. She is one of those women who has not been given credit and has not been well-known until recently. Her untimely death ended a daring career as a feminist and take-charge Civil War Nurse. This is fascinating and inspirational reading.

I'm mad at Ms. Ropes. She should have written more!.......1997-07-28

Hannah Ropes was a feminist of her day. Yet she believed a wounded soldier needed a motherly woman's touch. These letters are a great gift and the editing job on the book is superb. Ropes worked herself to death in Union hospitals in Washington D.C. The Union lost a good nurse and history lost a terrific writer. (In fact Ropes was a writer before the war.) She battled anyone who got in the way of good health care including going all the way to and old friend, the Secretary of War to roust out a thief in the hospital system. She poignantly describes the wounded wrecks who passed her way and the efforts made by those who cared are poignantly described as well. Ropes writing abilities were great. They are aided markedly by the brief biography of her which serves as introduction to the book. Through it, we come to know the iron will of the woman which was so beneficial to her as a nurse but which she herself down-played. For any who value "first person history" this book is a gem!

CIVIL WAR NURSE: The Diary and Letters of Hannah Ropes

Average customer rating:

CIVIL WAR NURSE: The Diary and Letters of Hannah Ropes
John R. (ed., With Intro. & Commentary) Brumgardt
Manufacturer: The University of Tennessee Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000M0W272

Book Description

Congress For Dummies helps you sort out what Congress does on a daily basis and what it all means to you, the citizen. It shows you how to get organized, make your voice heard, and influence legislation that might affect you. Full of helpful resources such as contact information for House and Senate offices, and smart, straightforward explanations of the legislative process, this book is everything you need to understand Congress and get involved in your government.

Whether you just want to know how government works, or you want to get involved to change your country, this simple guide covers all the ins and outs of Congress. It’s a nonpartisan look at Congress that includes forewords by Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. Inside you’ll find easy explanations and helpful tips on how to:

Get involved in the democratic process
Influence legislation that’s important to you
Understa nd Congress and the media
Contact your senators and representatives
Check out Congress in action, in person
Deal with congressional staff

Expert author David Silverberg — Managing Editor and a columnist at the Washington weekly The Hill — takes the mystery out of getting something done in Congress, introducing you to the players and explaining everything from legislation and lobbying to caucuses and coalitions. Written with the citizen advocate in mind, this helpful guide gives regular people the tools and knowledge they need to achieve their aims. Inside, you’ll discover:

How the three branches of government work together
How to register your opinion with your elected officials
How the legislative process works — from idea to law
How debates, conferences, and vetoes work
How budgeting and appropriations work
How to get the most effect from your political contributions
How the lobbying process works
How to advocate for legislation
How to deal with congressional staffers
How to make use of congressional services

Getting something done in the messy confusion of democracy and bureaucracy is no easy task. Full of the kind of information and knowledge that Washington insiders take for granted, Congress For Dummies levels the playing field so that regular people — just like you — can make a difference, too.

Customer Reviews:

Congress For Dummies.......2007-08-20

I received this book in a timely manner, it is well written, and gave me the information I hoped.

Help for the budding lobbyist.......2003-05-02

This is a clearly written introduction to how the legislature works, right down to how to get around the different Congressional buildings. OK, so it's not exactly a graduate poli-sci text but Silverberg is the Editor of The Hill, so he's certainly got the credentials to put this book out. Sure wish we'd had this book *before* we'd done our first legislative visit!!

Very good book.......2002-12-12

This was a Dummies book that didn't look down on me. It had a lot of info on it that was pretty cool. It sure helped me on my AP Government test. Also considering I'm interested in Government, it had a lot of useful ideas to help me write bill proposals and other things to Congress.

I also liked the foreward. Senator Daschle, we ned a lot more people in office like you.

Buy this book. It has good things that help you.

THE BEST CONGRESS BOOK EVER.......2002-12-11

If there was ever a book for congress that you had to buy, this is it. In fact, if this was the only book you had to buy, buy this book before any other. It is the Bible of budgets, the Torah of truth, and the Koran of Congress.

This book has it all. It has information for the experienced legislator as well as useful information for any layman. It helpes me every time I have proposed any idea for a bill to my congressman, and has told me who my congressman even was (Tom Wolfe, a very withdrawn, yet supposedly experienced man).

It gives information vital for everyone to know, as well as extrememly interesting facts (there has been two extremely brutal fights in congress). There is also information for which I never had any idea about but am interested about now, such as information, as well as the origin, of jerrymandering.

Amazon.com

If you don't know the difference between a lob wedge and a lemon wedge, check out Golf for Dummies, by CBS commentator Gary McCord, one of the game's most colorful--and knowledgeable--characters. It's a wonderful, often hilarious, never boring introduction to the game. Don't let the foreword by Kevin Costner or the afterword by Hootie and the Blowfish confuse the issue; this is a terrifically sound, easy-to-follow primer. McCord's potato-chip drill--yes, potato-chip drill--will revolutionize your swing, and your thinking, with overtones that could spill directly into off-the-course existence, as well.

Book Description

Tee Up with this Fun and Easy Guide to a Better Golf Game! Hear how to:

Keep your cool on the course by knowing the rules -- and the etiquette -- of golf

Get a grip, a stance, and a swing that will really work for you

Correct your slice, blast out of a bunker, and two-putt on every green

Choose an instructor, buy the right gear, and keep yourself from getting thrown out of the country club

Learn the importance of warming-up -- first your mind, then your body!

Download Description

The bestselling golf primer nearly 750,000 copies sold in previous editions now revised with 20 percent new and updated content There are 26.2 million golfers in the U.S., but despite the recent proliferation of high-performance balls, drivers, and putters, the average golf score remains at about 100, the same as it has for years. With his matchless teaching skills and great sense of humor, Gary McCord has helped countless new golfers and old duffers beat this trend and shave strokes off their games. Illustrated throughout with instructional photos, Golf For Dummies is packed with tips, tricks, and techniques to help people master golf basics, correct faults, and boost distance and accuracy. And now his bestselling guide is even better. McCord has thoroughly revised the book with new tips on how to adjust grips, stances, and swings as well as improved workouts to help players stay in shape for the game. There are new pointers from top players, expanded advice on the short game, an evaluation of the latest golf gear, a rundown of great new courses, an overview of today's best golf resources and Web sites, and an updated look at golf's greatest moments and players. For any player who wants a better score and more fun on the links, this guide can't be beat! Gary McCord (Scottsdale, AZ) is a CBS TV golf analyst, a PGA Senior Tour champion, a golf instructor to many celebrities, and a consultant to more than 20 players on the PGA Tour. He is also the cofounder of the Kostis/McCord Learning Center at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, and the star of the popular Golf For Dummies tutorial DVD.

Customer Reviews:

Worth it.......2007-10-11

Read this book in conjunction with the golf book for dummies on etiquette. Both worth the read, though you cannot learn to play golf with either book. It will however, get you into the culture, become aware of how to approach the game and avoid many pitfalls.

Excellent overall intro to Golf !.......2007-09-07

Gary McCord is one of my all time favourite golf commentators and he did not disappoint with this book !
His legendary sense of humour shines throughout the pages and he manages to cover an impressive amount of valuable information on all aspects of the game.

I bought the book for my boyfriend who is showing interest in golf (I personally have played for 20 years).

We both found the book excellent and Highly recommend it !!

SO not what I thought I was ordering.......2007-08-29

When i received this book in the mail I thought it was a joke - I was sure I had ordered the actual Golf for Dummies - clearly the online presentation was not clear on what the product really is, since I have seen several reviews making the same claim - on the up-side, the tool I got with the kit has been very handy.

Worst Purchase online ever.......2007-08-08

Don't buy this kit. It is worthless. You will just end up returning it. This is a shipping company's dream. Believe me there is no "book" involved; it is a pamphlet. The other items included are throw-aways.

I had to give it one star to pass the review edits, but it really deserves a negative rating. I wish I would have read the reviews on this purchase. I will on all items in the future.

Was expecting More!.......2007-08-03

I was expecting a book with step by step instructions on how to play golf for someone that has not played before. Instead, a mini-pamphlet is included with a golf tool. Not too helpful for someone new to the sport!

Sarbanes-Oxley For Dummies (For Dummies (Lifestyles Paperback))

Average customer rating:

Soxcess!
It's All There
Great for non-financial executives
Publisher should read "Printing for Dummies"
SOX for Dummies

Sarbanes-Oxley For Dummies (For Dummies (Lifestyles Paperback))
Jill Gilbert, JD, CPA Welytok
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Administrative Law | Law | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0470223138

Book Description

Up-to-date information on the Sarbanes-Oxley Act legislation

Sarbanes-Oxley For Dummies, Second Edition includes 25 percent new content, with coverage of not only the new and revised laws, but also compliance strategies for changed and unchanged guidelines, including expanded coverage of the most challenging aspects of SOX, objective guidance for deciding if staying public or going private is right for a company, privatization guidelines for companies that choose to privatize, and tips on managing financial impacts and benefits in the initial compliance year and beyond. It also provides an implementation framework for firms struggling for compliance and explains key provisions in the legislation. In addition, this straight-to-the-point guide presents a summary of best practices, smart business policies, and invaluable compliance checklists.

Jill Gilbert Welytok JD, CPA, (Milwaukee, WI) is an attorney and head of her firm's SOX division. She is the author of Nonprofit Law and Governance For Dummies (978-0-470-08789-3).

Download Description

A simple guide to the complex new accounting rules under Sarbanes-Oxley Accountants, lawyers, business owners, and corporate managers of all kinds are currently dealing with the biggest change in corporate governance since the 1930s. As full implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act gets under way-bringing large changes in corporate accounting and disclosure-managers everywhere need a plain-English guide that explains the legislation simply and practically. Sarbanes-Oxley For Dummies provides an implementation framework for firms as they struggle to come into compliance; explains key provisions in the legislation; and identifies specific actions needed to achieve compliance. In addition, this straight-to-the-point guide presents a summary of best practices, smart business policies, and invaluable compliance checklists. Jill Gilbert, JD, CPA (Milwaukee, WI), is an accountant, a former tax consultant, and an attorney who runs her firm's Sarbanes-Oxley consulting division. She is also the author of two For Dummies technology titles.

Customer Reviews:

Soxcess!.......2007-08-25

The provisions for Sarbanes-Oxley compliance are only mandatory for
public companies that file a Form 10-K with the SEC - however, more and
more companies are being encouraged {pressured?} to voluntarily
comply with SOX - a good example of which is the United States Postal
Service. Why is this? Because in a free market capitalistic society,
there exists a need to bolster investor confidence in the reliability of
publicly reported financial information. No one wants another Enron.

This book does a great job of laying out - soup to nuts - the SOX
landscape and its key provisions. Everything from the AICPA checklist to
WorldCom misconduct, and everything in between (Arthur Andersen
[remember them?], COBIT, COSO, Enron, Kenneth Lay [departed], and Sox
Sections a plenty - presenting an excellent and at times compelling
picture of Sox, how we got here, and where we're going.

SOX was enacted July 30, 2002 - so if you feel the need to rapidly
graduate off the "SOX dummies list" [their title, not mine], then by
all means get this book!, and be a Soxcess!

It's All There.......2007-08-03

Great book. Simple and complete. Sox is explained in easy to understand language. I recommend.

Great for non-financial executives.......2007-06-08

I am a CFO of a public company as well as a partner in a CPA firm. The book was very informative but for me it was 75% stuff I already knew. The software chapter was heplful but seemed biased. The book has several minor technical errors but nothing that would really mislead a novice. I bought 5 more copies to give to my controller, board chairman and a division president, as well as to two clients. My six year old son gets a real kick out of the title and exclaims "Sarbanes Oxley for Dummies!" every time he sees it on my night table (could he be a budding SOX consultant??).

Publisher should read "Printing for Dummies".......2007-06-08

The introduction was good ... then about 30 or 40 pages into the book, the subject suddenly changed to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Yes, somehow the printer put about 40 pages from a different book into this one! Amazon easily accepted the return. But from now on, I will need to touch a "(Fill in the Blank) for Dummies" book before I buy it.

SOX for Dummies.......2007-02-13

This book is great.....very easy read, interesting and informative. It gives you a background on how the stockmarket got started and all the insight since the great depression and the crash through to the scandals of today. It too bad that history does repeat it self.

Twenty years of Congress, from Lincoln to Garfield, 1861-1881: A succinct and impartial history of national legislation upon the great questions arising from secession and the Civil War

Average customer rating:

Twenty years of Congress, from Lincoln to Garfield, 1861-1881: A succinct and impartial history of national legislation upon the great questions arising from secession and the Civil War
James Gillespie Blaine
Manufacturer: The Henry Bill Pub. Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Booksellers & Bookselling | Books & Reading | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0008ACT1A

Anthropomorphic Dummies and Crash Instrumentation Sensors (S P (Society of Automotive Engineers))

Average customer rating:

Anthropomorphic Dummies and Crash Instrumentation Sensors (S P (Society of Automotive Engineers))
Society of Automotive Engineers
Manufacturer: Society of Automotive Engineers Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Automotive | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1560919736

Book Description

These attractive guides identify the birds most likely to be seen in the backyards, streets and parks of the Motor City. The books introduce the fascinating and popular pastime of birdwatching and include advice on building feeders and birdhouses. Color illustrations help you identify birds quickly while the text provides interesting information about each bird. These books are easy-to-use references for the urban birdwatcher.

Birds of the Detroit-Windsor area;: A ten-year survey, (Cranbrook Institute of Science. Bulletin)

Average customer rating:

Birds of the Detroit-Windsor area;: A ten-year survey, (Cranbrook Institute of Science. Bulletin)
Alice H Kelley
Manufacturer: Cranbrook Institute of Science
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Birds of the of the Detroit-Windsor Area A Ten - Year Survey

Average customer rating:

Birds of the of the Detroit-Windsor Area A Ten - Year Survey
Alice, Douglas Middleton, Walter Nickell and The Detroit Audubon Society bird Survey Committee Kelley
Manufacturer: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan: Cranbrook Institute of Science (1963)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ROBQ5W

A field list of birds of the Detroit-Windsor region

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A field list of birds of the Detroit-Windsor region
Ralph A O'Reilly
Manufacturer: Cranbrook Institute of Science
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007EGJOU

Average customer rating:

The Household of the Detroit Free Press

Manufacturer: The Detroit Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000FCQKES

Changes in the bird-life of the Detroit-Windsor area, 1955-1965, (Cranbrook Institute of Science. Bulletin)

Average customer rating:

Changes in the bird-life of the Detroit-Windsor area, 1955-1965, (Cranbrook Institute of Science. Bulletin)
Alice H Kelley
Manufacturer: Cranbrook Institute of Science
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006BOERS

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