Messenger: The Legacy of Mattie J. T. Stepanek and Heartsongs (Thorndike Press Large Print Nonfiction Series)

Messenger: The Legacy of Mattie J. T. Stepanek and Heartsongs (Thorndike Press Large Print Nonfiction Series) Review

I recently had the pleasure of discussing this book, and Jeni's son Mattie's first book, Journey Through Heartsongs on a TV segment I do on books that matter. I felt both needed to be featured to get the full impact of the story Jeni tells of her remarkable son's life. At first I found it difficult to read Messenger because I kept getting caught up in the 'seeing' the hospital scenes. Then I realized that was because the book was so well written. I relaxed into it, and was able to take away so much. Most of all this book sets the stage for why Jeni -- a mother who did not lose one child but all four of her children -- is devoting her life to carrying on the work Mattie started. Jeni is trying to teach teens to be global peacemakers just like Mattie. She is taking up where his work left off. Focusing the legacy of his work on the eternal age group of his peers seems to be pure inspiration. In 14 years, Mattie succeed in living with a termainal disease and found a way to touch the world with a message of meaning and hope. He succeed in setting and achieving goals even as his body fought to take him out of the game. He succeed in creating so much love that this message is being kept alive not just in a book but as a program of compassion in action. Messenger allows you to understand just how impossible all Mattie did really was -- and yet allows you to understand just how heJourney Through Heartsongs did it. Thank you, Jeni for a great book. Peace, Andrea T. Goeglein, [...]

Messenger: The Legacy of Mattie J. T. Stepanek and Heartsongs (Thorndike Press Large Print Nonfiction Series) Feature

• ISBN13: 9781410421814
• Condition: New
• Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Messenger: The Legacy of Mattie J. T. Stepanek and Heartsongs (Thorndike Press Large Print Nonfiction Series) Overview

The moving tribute to the young man Oprah Winfrey called "an inspiration"-told by the woman who raised him.

Mattie Stepanek's Heartsongs books were a phenomenon. Not only did they hit the bestseller lists, but the books-and Mattie himself- were a source of inspiration to many, and brought him major recognition. Jimmy Carter described young Mattie Stepanek as "the most remarkable person I have ever known."

In Messenger, Jeni Stepanek shares the inspiring story of her son's life. Mattie was born with a rare disorder called Dysautonomic Mitochondrial Myopathy, and Jeni was advised to institutionalize him. Instead, she nurtured a child who transformed his hardships into a worldwide message of peace and hope. Though Mattie suffered through his disease, his mother's disabilities, and the loss of his three older siblings, he never abandoned his positive spirit. His Heartsong- the word he used to describe a person's inner self-spread a philosophy that peace begins with an attitude and can spread to the entire world.

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The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King - A Nonfiction Thriller

The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King - A Nonfiction Thriller Review

Prior to reading this book I had never read any of James Patterson's books. I found it fast-paced and delightful to read. As a history teacher I could appreciate the possibility of events enclosed in the the ending. There were actually three different stories going on at the same time, but all were related which made it even more enjoyable. I am glad I tried the book out and am looking forward to reading more of his books.

The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King - A Nonfiction Thriller Feature

• ISBN13: 9780316034043
• Condition: New
• Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King - A Nonfiction Thriller Overview

A secret buried for centuries

Thrust onto Egypt's most powerful throne at the age of nine, King Tut's reign was fiercely debated from the outset. Behind the palace's veil of prosperity, bitter rivalries and jealousy flourished among the Boy King's most trusted advisors, and after only nine years, King Tut suddenly perished, his name purged from Egyptian history. To this day, his death remains shrouded in controversy.

The keys to an unsolved mystery

Enchanted by the ruler's tragic story and hoping to unlock the answers to the 3,000 year-old mystery, Howard Carter made it his life's mission to uncover the pharaoh's hidden tomb. He began his search in 1907, but encountered countless setbacks and dead-ends before he finally, uncovered the long-lost crypt.

The clues point to murder

Now, in The Murder of King Tut, James Patterson and Martin Dugard dig through stacks of evidence--X-rays, Carter's files, forensic clues, and stories told through the ages--to arrive at their own account of King Tut's life and death. The result is an exhilarating true crime tale of intrigue, passion, and betrayal that casts fresh light on the oldest mystery of all.

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From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava (Thorndike Press Large Print Nonfiction Series)

From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava (Thorndike Press Large Print Nonfiction Series) Review

A heartwarming look at wartime humanity

"From Baghdad, With Love" is the story of U.S. Marine Jay Kopelman and his struggle to rescue a five-week-old stray puppy named "Lava" from the wartorn streets of Fallujah, Iraq. The story is nothing short of heartwarming, especially if you're a dog person like myself. Kopelman is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Hawaiin First Battalion, Third Marines who call themselves the "Lava Dogs.". In addition to the rescue of the young pup Kopelman does an excellent job of providing brief descriptions of the war and how it affects those in and around it. Even though he's still on active active duty, Kopelman provides an eeriely realistic and accurate view of the turmoils of war faced on a daily basis. Lava, who was most likely left behind when people fled the city upon the invasion/liberation is found in a compound used to house U.S. Marines. Even though General Order 1-A very strongly prohibits pets or mascots, Kopelman decides Lava's life is worth saving.

"General Order 1-A is taken pretty seriously by the military. No pets allowed. That's because they've invested a lot of time and money into trashing your moral clarity, and they don't want anything like compassion messing things up. Your job is to shoot the enemy, period, and if anything close to compassion rears its ugly head, you better shoot that down, too, or you're in some deep, scary s**t."

Here are my thoughts on this simple yet brilliantly touching story;


Pros

+ Deeply moving story. The author, a marine, presents his true feelings of love for the puppy Lava. It was very refreshing to see this human side of emotion during a war from a soldier trained to kill.

+ Depictions of war, while brief, pulled no punches in their presentation.

+ Book taught me several things regarding military protocol and the war in Iraq.

+ Beautiful cover art and photos within.


Cons

- Too short! I wanted to know more about Lava and his happy life today!

- Some choppy writing and editing. The author often used the word "like" which made him sound a bit more "valley girl" and less marine.


Having rescued a dog from an abusive home myself, I found this book impossible to put down. The story was engaging, Kopelman's love for Lava was beautifully portrayed and his drive to rescue him from the war was extremely touching. Some people have criticized the author for spending effort rescuing a dog when he should have been rescuing people. I completely disagree. His love for Lava and his securing his safety knew no bounds. I never felt at any point in the book that the author was neglecting his duties as a Marine and focusing too much on an animal. And in Kopelman's own words;

"Why wasn't my time spent helping people instead of a puppy?" asks Kopelman. "I don't know and I don't care, but at least I saved something."

I couldn't agree more. I would be proud to shake Lt. Col. Jay Kopelman's hand for what he did for his country and for lovable Lava.

From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava (Thorndike Press Large Print Nonfiction Series) Overview

A war memoir that will capture the hearts of its readers, just as one scruffy puppy sneaked his way into the hearts of hardened Marines just when they needed it most.

From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava (Thorndike Press Large Print Nonfiction Series) Specifications

In From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava, Jay Kopelman tells a story that is both tender and thought-provoking--candidly portraying the ugly conditions in wartime Iraq, while also describing his (and his fellow Marines') growing attachment to a scruffy stray puppy. Here Jay Kopelman answers a few questions about his aspirations as a writer, and the effect his book has had on readers.

Questions for Jay Kopelman

Amazon.com: Before you met Lava and had this experience smuggling him out of Iraq, did you ever have ambitions to write a book?

Jay Kopelman: Yes, I'd considered writing a book previously and have started--but not finished--a novel. Not surprisingly, it's a military murder mystery. And I'm still hoping to get it published. I've also been offered a deal by my publisher to write another book. So I guess I'm now officially an author.

Amazon.com: How has the military responded to it given that you broke a number of rules during your adventure with Lava?

Jay Kopelman: I've actually not had any real feedback from the military establishment. In fact, mostly I only get the good-natured ribbing from my contemporaries about how much money I'll make or about who will play me in the movie. When the story first broke a year and a half ago, one of the generals jokingly asked me for an autograph, and I've given the previous commanding general for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force a signed galley. So, thus far, there’s been nothing "official" to which I've had to respond. We'll see what happens now that the book is released and there's going to be a media blitz surrounding the book. What you have to remember, though, is that I really didn't use military assets to get Lava home. Nor did I ever endanger anyone in the military while doing so.

Amazon.com: In the book, you say that you would like it if it can bring hope to people who've lost loved ones in Iraq by showing them how something positive can come out of a brutal situation. Have you heard from people that your book has made them feel better?

Jay Kopelman: I've not yet heard from anyone who’s lost a loved one in Iraq or Afghanistan, but I have heard from a counselor who works with the returning Marines at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, who said she finds the story so very positive and helpful. She's planning to come to the book signing there. I also got an e-mail from a Marine who said that while her unit was in Iraq, they adopted a puppy and tried to bring it home, but he was ultimately put down. She says that the Marines "remember how Charlie the dog helped us. Charlie will always be loved. During a time when we were far from home that dog made us smile." So, I suppose Lava's story does help people remember and gives them hope. I’ve also heard from people who appreciate my candor describing the conditions in Iraq.

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