Book and Film Reviews

Books

anarainbow — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:31:47 GMT

Hi,

I would like to read some books in English. My level is more or less the FCE and I need to improve my grammar level and vocabulary. Could you recommend me some books?Â

Thank you!!!

Ana

movies for learning english

ISU_152 — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:42:49 GMT

Hello people â anybody can help ? I trying to learn english with movies â listen , read the subtitles and listen again , before I can understand most part of movie. What movies can you recommending for learning . He must be interesting , which correct pronunciation and not fast speech. today i use moive -Babilon 5
-Hornblower ( english serial, based on C S FORESTER books)
-Sink the Bismarck - old black and white movie about WW2 great naval battle
-Sharpe ( another serial, based on CORNWELL books)
-Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb ( very black komedy )

Book scarlet ibis - james hurst

Hatay01 — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 10:47:23 GMT

I want to read this short story scarlet ibis by james hurst.If you have this story I will be very happy

"24". Villain of Season 7.

JCDenton — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:30:57 GMT

Hi guys,
I don't know if any of you belong to the fan community of the TV show "24", but I'm counting myself to the group of hard-core fans..:). "24" with Jack Bauer is the show
which I missed the most because of that WGA strike. Is someone here who watches this TV show as well? Today I found out who's gonna be the villain of the next season. It will be Jon Voight, the father of Angelina Jolie. Frankly, I don't know if it's a good decision, I have seen him in just one villain role, in Mission Impossible 1, where his performance sucked. But maybe he will suprise.
What do you think about this decision?

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3id5f52df31901946c7d53d18bd11683fa

Best Regards,

JCD

PS: Jack come back! I can't wait anymore..:)

Callie's Redemption(New Novel)

Anonymous — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:49:51 GMT

I read the inspiration/suspense novel Callie's Redemption by Rebekah Kasey. I would like to know if anyone else has read it, and what do you make of Chapter Twelve?

Harry Potter-What two characters will die?

rishonly — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 05:31:29 GMT

As per Rowling, in the seventh and final book of 'Harry Potter', two important characters will die. Who are they? What is your guess?

Hansel and Gretel

Ant_222 — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 17:40:48 GMT

Hello all,

Stephen King mentions an episode in "Hansel and Gretel" in which the the father shows his wife the hearts of two rabbits asÂ aÂ fake proof he has killed the children, but in the version I could findÂ the stepmother never stays at home following the woodcutter on their trips to the forest...

Does Stephen King mean some some rare version of the tale?

Anton

English eBooks, free download over 1000+

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 12:50:01 GMT

English eBooks download PDF for free, found from wikipedia.

I like it. and you?
www.asiaing.com

Desperate Housewives

JCDenton — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:35:36 GMT

Hi guys,

Finally I had a free time to watch the season finally of Desperate Housewives..:) and I have to say that it was...strong...That's the most appropriate word for it.
Personally, what I love on the DH TV Show is that there are a lot of scenes which makes you really smile. Just like in the season finally, when Bob and Lee were arguing about that ice sculpture
which was supposed to be on theirs marriage party..That was really funny. You say to yourself:" What an lovely episode...:-))" But a few minutes later you're looking at Tom, how is he giving Bob a Lee really serious question: "What are you gonna do when the big stuff comes along? What are you gonna do when a tornado hits your house, or one of you gets cancer? At some point,the crap is going to hit the fan (btw nice idiom..;-)), and that is why now, before you make the commitment, you have to ask yourself, is that person in bed next to you worth the trouble?"..Guys, that was one of the most strongest moment for me.. Back to the point, the development of the relations of the main characters was really surprising...

Gaby and Carlos:
Personally, I still can't believe that Gaby didn't leave Carlos. One of the biggest surprises for me,
because, in the real live, womans like Gaby aren't living with blind mens..:-) That's why it looked
a little weird. But as Gaby said: "Carlos is the love of my live"...hmm..:-))

Susan and Mike:
Top moment was, when they were choosing the name for their baby. That word pun, Maynard vs May-nerd,
was really funny...:-))) But I fully agree with the conclusion which they have reached. It doesn't matter
what your name is, it matters what person you are.

etcetera, etcetera..

Guys, I can't wait to season 5..:-))). I love this show!

Best Regards

Desperate Housewives fan,

JCD

Luka Magnotta

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 02:34:46 GMT

What is your opinion of Luka Magnotta ?

Beavis & Butthead

Marxist — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 01:39:25 GMT

They seems to be famous cartoon characters,but what specifically are they?

are you a bookworm?

Bastille — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 11:57:41 GMT

hello friends, i love reading books too much , it's my biggest hobby and the source of resting and is there anybody like me?

Learn English from movie...

Megarfield — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 02:29:57 GMT

we are taught to learn English by listening to the movie, recite the script and repeat their dialogue

do you think it has a big help?

You rang, M'Lord?

jupath — Sun, 15 May 2005 22:50:19 GMT

Does anyone know this series here? I really love it. Iâd like to buy it on DVD, but I havenât found it anywhere so far. Dontât you know if it was published on DVD?

Thanks

Documentary

Anonymous — Sun, 25 May 2008 14:35:05 GMT

Hi, please tell me how to call the book which genre is documentary (but this word is for the film as I know). What kind of book it can be?

The cay

nicholetta — Sun, 18 Apr 2004 01:28:41 GMT

The cay is about an boy and a man stranded on an island trying to find help.After that, the man dies and the boy is on his own to find help.For more info, go to your local library and check this book out or rent the movie.

Book Review

stonkey89 — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:27:58 GMT

Protect Our Future, Protect Our Oceans

Benjamin Franklin declared, âWhen the wellâs dry, we know the worth of water.â Franklinâs idea is explored in Jacques Cousteauâs The Human, The Orchid, and The Octopus ( Bloomsbury USA , 2007, 302 pgs.) Cousteauâs book describes his experiences while diving under the worldâs oceans, discovering its hidden treasures. Also, valuing the opinions of residents near his explorations sites, he learns how they view a particular situation. From his experiences and conversations with residents, he is able to glean useful information to aid in his studies trying to conserve our natural world. The Human, The Orchid, and The Octopus by Jacques Cousteau accentuates the oceans current condition while urging readers to conserve our natural world.

In Cousteauâs The Human, The Orchid, and The Octopus, Cousteau emphasizes that not only is pollution a main contributor, according to a marine biologist organization, it is âresponsible for 33% of the toxic contaminants that end up in oceans and coastal waters,â but human expansion plays a role also. Human expansion is spreading so far, that now businesses, entrepreneurs and the creation of more homes begin to reach and affect our oceans. Areas with costal views always bring tourist and locals to relax with the subtle breeze of the ocean, but this gathering affects our marine animals. âNatureâs irreplaceables are being plundered-ransacked, pillaged, looted- by the marauders of our modern ageâ (Cousteau 134). Environmental extremist oppose all development which isnât exactly going to help accommodate our growing population, but finding ways to make the expansion and the activities that tourist and locals engage in, less harmful to marine life is a much more productive way to erect essential buildings and homes.

Cousteauâs book explains how the decreased fish population affects people who depend on fish as a main food source. Dependants of fish have a hard game to play, and hopefully win. Fishermen, those who are dependant on fish as a food source, are in constant competition with other fishermen, those who get paid to catch fish, and only depend on the fish for the money as a reward. Fishermen, who only catch the fish for money, have an unfair advantage because they are able to use advance technology, such as sonar to help catch fish. The depletion was never difficult to deplete solely by fisherman, but the pace has increased âin only a few seasonsâ (Cousteau 152) since the advancement in technology. Cousteau spoke with a man named Moses, whose lives in Jamaica, about the depletion of the fish populations. Mosesâ response was, âI know what I do is not good for the years to comeâ¦but I must eatâ (Cousteau 147). This tragedy that Moses faces is universal. Fisherman catch fewer and fewer fish, dependants, in some cases starve due to the lack of fish. Many countries eat fish because that is all they have to eat. An interesting point Cousteau made, âEveryone speaks for the present. Few speak for the future. Everyone speaks for themselves. And almost no one speaks for Mosesâ (Cousteau 154). Cousteauâs point is still relevant to modern day society, which is a shame that people in Mosesâ case have to continue struggling with this way of life.

The book declares to readers that human values and the advancement in technology had aided and hindered our oceans. Cousteau was diving in the Mediterranean Sea and when he was at the bottom salt domes looked like âfingerlike columnsâ (Cousteau 179). This discovery was physical evidence that the Mediterranean had at one time dried away and the evaporated seawater had left behind a â245 feet thickâ (Cousteau 179) blanket. Knowing this discovery was extraordinary and not having anyway to investigate what was hidden all of these years, was a knife into his heart. Also knowing that some bureaucrat was going to disregard all perils and continue to drill with all of the high-end technology, his level of pain and guilt multiplied by infinity, its product would only be a glimpse of how Cousteau felt for disclosing such crucial information. Discoveries often lead to more investigation, and in some case, like the one above could be fatal.

Kirkus Reviews comments about Cousteauâs book, and says that with all of his books (over 70); his television series Cousteau makes many relevant and declarative points for conserving our natural world. At the start of the book, he discusses the instinct for the drive to explore and ways to protect our seas. Cousteau recalls his experiences and observations from his career. Also mentioning his Oceanographic Institute in Monaco where he was the director where he addressed the toxic waste dumping. Cousteau is urging action against over fishing and coastal development which is harming the environment. With all of his experience, he is trusted and familiar to many people who grew up in his era. Cousteauâs answer to why we must conserve is "We are part of Earth."

Publishers Weekly also comments that the book cautions readers âas it celebrates the natural world: as the seas are plundered, the biosphere is polluted and the hazards of nuclear power are imposed upon nature, the human race is âunraveling complexities it took eternity to createâ.â Also mentioning how some leaders are in a constant quest for power and money, act foolishly and make harmful judgments that leave our natural world to suffer for their decisions and to clean up after their mess and chaos they have created.

Jacques Cousteau, a diving pioneer, explorer, filmmaker, inventor and activist, is well known to many people who lived during his era and also after. He was in the French Navy Academy, fighting in World War II. âCousteau was named a capitaine de corvette of the French navy in 1948, and two years later he became president of the French Oceanographic Campaigns. That same year, Cousteau purchased the ship Calypso to further his explorationsâ said Spectrum Biographies. He helped to invent the Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, or SCUBA. Since many divers use the devise to shatter coral reefs, robbing the reefs of their goods, Cousteau comments, âI am not sure that the good of the apparatus can do outweighs the bad. Could I turn back time, I do not know whether I would participate in the invention of the aqualung againâ (Cousteau 187).After many spectacular years, enlightening people about the worth of our oceans, and encouraging conservation, his exploration came to a halt in 1997, when he passed away from a heart attack.

The diversity of our oceans isnât anything surprising because life started in water. Amazingly, molecules took shape, natural processes were created and earth survived the roller coaster of science reactions. Life was luckily sustained and over time, the âcomplex vertebrate, the human being, and the most complex plant, the orchid. I would designate the octopus, given its intelligence and devotion to the continuation of its species, as the top invertebrateâ (Cousteau 278). These creations make up the miracles of life, and should be protected and conserved, The Human, The Orchid and The Octopus.

OâNeill 5

Works Cited

"Jacques Cousteau." Spectrum Biographies. 2007. incwell . 15 Mar 2008 <http://www.incwell.com/Biographies/Cousteau.html>.

Cousteau, Jacques. The Human, The Orchid, And The Octopus. 1. Bloomsbury, NY: Bloomsbury, 2007.

"Cousteau, Jacques: The Human, the Orchid, and the Octopus.(Book review)." Kirkus Reviews (Sept 1, 2007): NA. General OneFile. Gale. Oakland Community College. 26 Mar. 2008
<http://find.galegroup.com/itx/start.do?prodId=ITOF>.

"Ocean Facts." Marine Bio. 07 Feb 2008. Marine Bio. 26 Mar 2008 <http://marinebio.org/MarineBio/Facts/>.

"The Human, the Orchid, and the Octopus: Exploring and Conserving Our Natural World.(Brief article)(Book review)." Publishers Weekly 254.31 (August 6, 2007): 177(1). General OneFile. Gale. Oakland Community College. 23 Mar. 2008
<http://find.galegroup.com/itx/start.do?prodId=ITOF>.

"The Quotable Franklin." U S History. July 04 1995.. Independence Hall Association. 16 Mar 2008 <http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/quotable/singlehtml.htm>.

The Da Vinci Code

ameoba — Wed, 16 Feb 2005 05:05:40 GMT

hey i'm not sure whether this is the right place to post this but here goes.....

can anybody tell me the exact interpretation of the ending of THE DA VINCI CODE ? what does langdon eventually find out? is the holy grail really located at the bottom of the inverted pyramid?

if anybody is sure....pleez leave a message.....i'm having a bit of a tuff withh my friend about what it really means!

thanx a lot in advance and hoping for lots of replies!

Ameya

Mrs. Frisby and the rats of Nimh

maverick88 — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 18:55:08 GMT

Hi all
In a few days I'll have a test about "Mrs. Frisby and the rats of Nimh" (book) and unfortunately I didn't manage to read it.
If someone has any useful link that can help me (summary\any useful info.) please put it here
Thanks

"A long Way Gone"

AmandaMarie — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:55:14 GMT

Amanda Allen Allen 1Composition 2 Gina FournierMarch 20, 2008 What does a war really look like through the eyes of a child soldier? It wasnât until late 1993, when nothing but blood, flesh and tears took over the country of Sierra Leone. Everything had been destroyed in a blink of an eyeâ¦.that included human lives. Ishmael Beah retold his brutalizing story as a child soldier worldwide, he wanted people to become aware of a cause. He wanted the dehumanization of the war on childrenâs life to come to an end. âA long Way Goneâ, inspires individuals to never take anything in life for granted, live to the fullest because you will never know when you will be shaking hands with death. This story is none the less a disturbing , devastating real life event. Throughout this story Beah was put to face death every day. He was fighting for over 2 years in the war as a child and killing became part of an everyday activity. It was to kill, or be killed. Beah was born on November 23, 1980 in Sierra Leone. Growing up his brother and friends started a rap group , listening and recited versus of rap music for entertainment. Their mother lived 3 miles away with Beahâs youngest brother Ibrahim. Ishmael and Junior his older brother lived with their father and step mother. The mother had paid for schooling for Ibrahim, and was working to put junior and Ishmael back in school. So in their time at home they worked around the house and rapped. Beah always enjoyed visiting his grandmother, she would always say things out of the ordinary but seemed to always make sense to him. One quote she recited to him constantly among his visits was, â if you are alive, there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is nothing good left in the destiny of a person, he or she will Allen 2die. â At times the book can be very difficult to read, but Beahâs honesty of how he was transformed from a carefree boy who loved hip-hop to a murderer who cared only about staying alive, puts readers to face the reality of what he really went through. The Civil War that out broke all came too fast. No one knew what to do or where to go , the rebels were everywhere.Due to the faith that Beah had, he managed to never run out on himself, and pull it all togetherthrough the dreadful time to become a well known author. Beah woke up each and every day wondering where his life was going and to survive the war was his goal. Beah never wanted to rethink what happened during his life when people would ask him about it, all he really would say was â It was nothing but children traumatized, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s. Children became the soldiers of choice.â Today as he tries to live his life as a freed soldier, he lives knowing he had been given a second life, and tries to live it to the best he can. Many publishers agreed Beahâs story to be remarkable. âBeahâs autobiography is unique. Perhaps the first time that a child soldier has been able to give literary voice to of the most distressing phenomena of the late 20^th century: The rise of the pubescent warrior killerâ ( The New York Times) . The Publishers Weekly that â it was a very absorbing storyâ¦ told in clear, accessible language by a young writer with a gifted literary voice. This memoir seems destined to become a classic firsthand account of war and (on going) plight of child soldiers in conflicts worldwide.âWhen Beah and his older brother Junior left the city one day to visit the childhood friends, they would of never thought it would have been there last day as a child. He never imagined that rebels were going to rob him of family , a home and his childhood. No one Allen 3expected this to happen but that day Beah was never to see his family again. Thankfully Junior was the last of the family he had. The Rebels went from town to town burning villages, killing every person that wasnât a rebel, this included babyâs. It wasnât just and easy death it was a long, painful death these people suffered. No one understood why it was them that would have to suffer in life. Quite piticulary there was no absolute reason for this war. Throughout the war Beah lost Junior and some friends he managed to make along his way to survival. This never stopped Beah from continuing each day. Beah wandered a land unrecognizable by violence. When the rebels captured people they mad family members, such as a son and mother have intercourse, they chopped new born babyâs in half and nothing stopped them from opening a pregnant women and killing the unborn child. They never showed any sympathy or remorse. The rebels kept on with their killing spree. Beah was captured two times by the rebels and was able to escape with a few other boys by the rebels distraction. Eventually Beah was captured by the government army at the age of 13. Beah was nothing but a gentle hearted boy that somehow found he was capable of really violent crimes. â The Villages that they captured turned into their bases, the forest they slept in became their homes. The squad became his family and his gun was his provider and protecter .â ( A long Way Gone Page 126)Eventually after fighting throughout the war , coming face to face with death everyday , he was removed from the war at 16 by the UNICEF. He eventually was put into a rehabilitation center where it took a long time to overcome his tragic past. At the rehabilitation center Beah was told each day by staff members â what happen was never your faultâ. He often got mad about this , as time passed he started to believe it. Truly it wasnât Beahâs fault what he did was everything he needed to do to survive. Beah started giving speeches at the rehabilitation center in front of reporters. The rehabilitation center was able to Allen 4locate Beahâs uncle the only one left out of the family, and was taken in to live with them for awhile. The owner of the rehabilitation center approached Beah and asked him to Fly to New York to give presentations Beah soon accepted the offer and was on his way to America. When arriving in the United States Beahâs reaction to where he lived to what he was experiencing was nothing like he ever has before. Soon Beah was adopted by and American family and lives in New York City and at the age of 26 he retold his tragic experiences. Beah never understood why he was the chosen one within his family. Why he was the one that survived? Why after everything he wasnât left back in Sierra Leone still fighting in the army. There was never and exact answer to any of these questions. Until he written his book no one ever knew the full story of his life. Still to him he sees it as an awful dream. A long Way Gone was one of the most inspiring true life stories Iâve read. The book is very well recommended. At first I wasnât able to read a complete page but then I thought to my self, âthis is all real, that could have been youâ. Readers come aware of how life was really like for Beah as a child. War through the eyes a child is traumatizing. As much as he never wanted to remember everything that happened it will always be with him. He overcame death several times and managed to never run out on his faith. âAs he moves on from his childhood days the more he begins to forgive himself for becoming a killerâ. ( Beah , ( 2000)When Good Comes From Bad) This story is a rare childhood of someone who endured hell and actually survived and was willing to reencounter all of this. He was nothing but a strong person mentally and physically and will never take his life for granted because back in his country everyone has seen death or experienced it. WORKS CITED Beah, Ishmael ( 2007 ). A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. Sarah Crichton BooksUNICEF, Youth Leadership profiles. Retrieved February 15, 2007Beah, Ishmael ( 2000) When Good Comes From Bad, Nuclear Age Peace FoundationGlobal Young Leadership Conference 2007

Jane Austine's novels

Levia — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 06:48:13 GMT

Hi, guys. I am endeaving to finish works of namable famale novelist Jane Austine. I have read Sense and Sensibility, Persuation, Emma. Now, I am enjoying Mansfield Park. Her books are terrific. I like it very much. Any body who like Jane Austine's works, your words will be wormly welcomed.

Now, I have finished the first chapter of Mansfield Park. Before reading, I searched the internet and had a general idea of what this novel about. The story is about a little girl who are grown up in her rich relatives. She suffered the neglect from children who are of almost her age except the yongest son. The first chapter just open the curtain of the whole story. It briefly introduces the most important characters to us. The couple of Thomas, Mrs. Norris and Fanny Price. This centre is focusing on the couple and Mrs. Norris. They are talking about raising little girl Fanny Price in the rich Thomas family. Their conversation precisely interpretes Mrs Norris's motivate and the couple's real purpose of accept the poor cute girl.

Must-Read BOOKS!!

BW2/3 — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 14:58:03 GMT

What are your Must-Read books?

I have a few but I have never completely read them:

The Bible (so far neither religious nor spirtual)

The whole work of William Shakespeare. ( I love it! no time to read and too darn difficult for me, though I read a few in my native language but lost in translation.)

The Dream of Red Chamber, The Three Kingdoms, The Journey to the West, Tale of Water Margin and others. (of course in my native language)

The Classic such as Odyssey, Homer, the Republic (never read them but I will eventually)

Until Death Do Us Part, by Ingrid Betancourt

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:59:42 GMT

The Crying Game of Democracy

Review of Ingrid Betancourtâs memoir Until Death Do Us Part, My Struggle to Reclaim Colombia

Author and politician Ingrid Betancourtâs return to Colombia and involvement in politics was a selfless act of love. Unfortunately, her love and the magnitude of her offerings were not understood by her fellow countrymen. In her book Until Death Do Us Part, My Struggle to Reclaim Colombia (Harper Collins Publishers, Inc., 2002, 228pgs.) Betancourtâs crusade, marked by being a woman in a male society, sets the tone for many of the difficulties she encountered along the way. Facing long separations from her children, barring by other politicians, frequent hostility of the press and threats against her and her family, she endured and overcame the obstacles one by one. Ingrid understood the price for her convictions. She embraced them and never let up the fight. This book is an amazing story of courage and her fight against corruption at the highest political levels.

The childhood of Betancourt was not that of a typical Colombian. Born in BogotÃ¡ on December 25 1961. Betancourtâs mom, Yolanda Pulecio is a former Miss Colombia, turned congress woman and social activist. Her father, Gabriel Betancourt, is a career diplomat who started as minister for the General Rojas Pinillaâs dictatorship. The year she was born, her father was appointed to posts in Washington D.C. Later he was sent to Paris, and BogotÃ¡ (Rank). Although Ingrid spent a large part of her childhood in Paris, she collected a vast cultural background from the places she lived and her social interaction with the literary and political elite. According to her memoirs, their house was frequently visited by leading Colombian personalities such as Carlos Lleras, Misael Pastrana,Virgilio Barco. All former Presidents of Colombia, and intellectuals like writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez, poet Pablo Neruda and painter / sculptor Fernando Botero. All of the people who came in contact with her inspired her to love the arts and politics. Betancourt attended the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Paris (known as Sciences Po), an elite higher education institute. After graduating, she married a fellow student, Fabrice and they had two children, Melanie and Lorenzo. Since her husband was in the French diplomatic service, they continued to live in various places. Until Death Do Us Part explains how Ingridâs passion for politics was born from listening to conversations her parents had with many of their prominent Colombian guests while in Paris. The discussions revolved around the troublesome situation of the country and the grim future they anticipated. Since Ingrid was too young to participate in these discussions, she frequently hid under their grand piano to listen. In her memoirs, Betancourt makes reference to the birth of her political vocation under the grand piano. âI often returned to my hiding place, under the piano, and sometimes emerge with my temples burning, my stomach in knots, ready to burst into tears-so awful truly terrifying, do I find my countryâs fateâ (Betancourt). She recalls a desire ''to affect the destiny of Colombia.â From this point on, her love for her countries people increased, even though she never shared in their suffering. Finally, Betancourt could stand it no longer; her heart ached to help Colombia. Betancourt makes a decision to leave her husband and children behind and âdescend into the brutish world of Colombian politicsâ (Golden). She was determined to fight against corruption. During an interview, Betancourt told the Los Angeles Times, "Between the drug traffickers and the guerrillas, we have been made almost ashamed to be Colombian, and a country that is ashamed of itself is a country without a future. We have to reconstruct our hopes and dreams." Colombia mattered to Ingrid more than anything else and she wanted to restore the countryâs pride and the faith of the Colombian people. According to her memoir, Betancourt begins her political combat against corruption, aware of the political turmoil in Colombia. She has a strong desire to fight for what is right. Her weapons are honesty, truth and the strong desire to help Colombia to succeed. The murder of Luis Carlos GalÃ¡n in August of 1989, a candidate for the Colombian Presidency running on an anti-drug-trafficking platform, was the straw that broke the camelâs back. Ingrid returnes to Colombia and starts her political career with her first appointment at the Ministry of Finance. In her post, Betancourt determines how much âpoliticians lack in ideals and integrity and realizes that they are only interested in power and moneyâ (Golden). Feeling like an outsider, but knowing âsomething has to be doneâ, Betancourt decides to run for a seat in the senate. During her first campaign Ingrid and her staff distributed condoms, with the motto âIâll be like a condom against corruption.â Betancourt has been elected as a representative confirming that the attention of enough Colombians had been captivated by this political novice.

The road to a Congresswoman was not an easy one, according to the author. Like many countries, in spite of the rich natural resources and vast cultural offerings, Colombia finds itself prisoner of political and economic greed. The price paid in the currency of, what the politicians, drug lords, and the militia considers disposable lives. Committed to the political struggle, Betancourt shares her many adventures as she sets up her headquarters in a fixer upper mansion. This time to run for a seat in the legislature. Betancourtâs message is heard by people in need of hope. The same message is quoted by Juan Forero of The New York Times ''Corruption is not abstract; it has a face, and it has a name and we have to say it,'' said Ms. Betancourt, who wears well-tailored business suits and appears a decade younger than her age. ''Corruption must be consciously confronted, and has to be on the conscience of all Colombians so that we cannot be manipulated.'' A powerful message, shared during the same interview, reassuring the Colombian people that she is on their side. She is willing to fight their biggest oppressor.

After only after a week in office, Ingrid is invited by one of the most corrupt politicians to write a code of ethics. The code is successfully passed as the code for the liberal party. The same party under which Betancourt ran her campaign for congress. Ingrid confronted politicians in a very unique âin your face manner.â At a speech given to the legislature, she wore a T-Shirt that read âOnly the Truth!â During her time as a congress woman, she initiated a hunger strike in the name of honesty. For the majority of the population, the idea of a crusader coming form another country and from a privileged background is distant and unreal. However, no one can question Ingridâs determination, courage or the commitment to her ideals.

The book outlines Betancourtâs many political struggles to fight corruption wherever she found it. As a representative, âshe was not afraid to ruffle the feathers of her fellow congress members.â Demonstrated during âthe campaign against a government arms contract to purchase outdated weaponsâ (Rank). Ingridâs honesty shines during this scandal (named the Galil scandal after the manufacturer of the guns). Shortly after, a second controversy emerges linking then President, Ernesto Samper, to drug money. The investigation of the President was launched after evidence became known that he had taken campaign donations from the heads of the Cali cocaine cartel. Betancourt was one of the few politicians who challenged him. Betancourt wanted to give the Colombian people a chance to breathe clean politics. Struggling to break the mold, Betancourt launched a new political party, the Liberal Oxygen Party, in 1997. âIt was an effort to offer a choice outside of the traditional Liberal and Conservative partiesâ (Rank). Throughout the book she gives detailed accounts of the times when she found herself nearly alone in unmasking the enemies of the Colombian democracy.

In the book, Until Death Do Us Part, the thirst for power inducts almost every politician into corruption. But Betancourt steers away from corruption, while navigating through temptations and threats. She never gives up on her ideals of honesty and truth. A clear example of gross ambition as mentioned by Betancourt in her book is the prosecutor that led the investigation of Samper's misconduct she describes him as ''moved by his own presidential ambitions.'' In her memoir Ingrid writes ''Is it ridiculous to play the democracy game all by myself?â Her story seems unbelievable at times. However it is sad and accurate. Betancourt has been one of the closest chances Colombia has had to feel true democratic freedom. This book is an insight into the corrupt government machine that runs Colombia. Betancourt relays the tragedies of the Colombian civil war through her own perspective. She, herself became a victim of the civil war she was trying to end. The guerrillas kidnapped Betancourt on Feb. 23, as she traveled into their former stronghold to show support for a local leader of her independent political party.

By the time Betancourt was kidnapped by the FARC guerrillas (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), she had become a prominent figure of Colombian politics. Although the approach of truth and honesty made many of her fellow politicians uncomfortable, Betancourt was elected to the Senate in 1994. Her campaign was and example of her courage to fight corruption. Betancourt went on to attain a seat in the congress two years later. She received more votes than any other candidate. When Ingrid was kidnapped, she was running as a presidential contender. Again, her campaign denounced the corruption of the political elite and prioritized the defense of the country she loves with all her heart. Until Death Do Us Part is a fascinating and enlightening. The book brings to light the many hardships a political leader faces, more so if it is a woman. The book provides a detail account of Betancourtâs life of dedication, honesty and courage.

Works Cited

Betancourt, Ingrid. Memoir. Until Death Do Us Part, My Struggle To Reclaim Colombia. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc., 2002

Forero, Juan. Article. "Corruption's her story; Colombia doesn't like it. (Ingrid Betancourt, who has written about political corruption)." The New York Times (Nov 17, 2001 pA4(N) pA4(L) col 1 (24 col): A4(L). New York Times on the web. Gale. Oakland Community College. 16 Mar. 2008
<http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9803E4D6153BF934A25752C1A9679C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2 >

Golden, Tim. Article. "Muckraking in Colombia: Ingrid Betancourt explains her anticorruption campaign." The New York Times Book Review 107.11 (March 17, 2002): 23(1). New York Times on the web. <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9500E3DF1330F934A25750C0A9649C8B63>

Rank, J. Biography. Ingrid Betancourt. http://biography.jrank.org/pages/3282/Betancourt-Ingrid-1961-Politician-Became-Politician.html

Book Review on The Winner Within

buckdiesel36 — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:19:59 GMT

Buck 1

Paul Buck

Professor Fournier

Composition 2

27 February 2008

Playing As a Team

Growing up playing sports whether it is for a city team, a travel team, or even in the National Basketball Association (NBA), the most important thing your coach pushes and pushes is teamwork. Expressing teamwork at a young age is best for children, so children will learn how to play as a team in the future. Learning teamwork in sports will also help people in the real world. Susan M. Heathfield a writer who has written about teamwork says, âWe have miles to go before valuing teams and teamwork, will be the norm.â People have so much to do before they can all try to work as a team. Throughout the book The Winner Within (A Berkley Book, 1994, 271 pgs.), Pat Riley expresses how hard it is to have a team come together and plays like a team in the NBA and in our everyday lives.

In the book The Winner Within Riley talks about how hard it is to coach a team to the NBA finals. Riley is known as one of the best coaches to ever coach the game. He coached the Las Angeles Lakers to the NBA Championship multiple times. He gives viewers the inside tour of what it is like to be around these stars all the time and talks about coaching some of the greatest players ever to play the game. He also tells viewers what he had to go through to teach these players to play as a team and not individuals. He had players who always wanted the ball and wanted all of the attention and Riley shows how he was able to turn everything around and have them work together and win games.

Rileyâs main focus is getting the team to come together. Riley starts off with the innocent climb. In 1982 season Riley took over the head coaching job for the Los Angeles Lakers a team who had always finished in the middle of the pack. That would soon change. They canât have a team which players have rivalries against each other. He had drafted a young kid named Earvin âMagicâ Johnson to start the innocent climb. Magic was coming onto a team that already had a pretty big star named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Magic came on as point guard and showed how he played can make a difference on the court, but off the court players were getting sick of his ball hogging and everyone loving Magic and not the Lakers. Riley knew he had a great team, but there was still a lot of work to do.

Having a player with so much greed that the fans and media wonât stop talking about him, brings a whole team down. Riley writes, âSo intense was Earvinâs stardom that his absence seemed more newsworthy than their wins.â Basketball is a team game and if only one player is getting recognition the rest of the team will have their heads down and not play like a team. The team was upset that everyone was looking past them and just at Magic. Magic was so loved by the fans and media that even when he was hurt all that was talked about is when he is coming back. The Lakers were winning without him, but the media still looked past that and talked about when he would return.

Riley knew he had to do something about his team. Riley talks about The Core Covenant. Riley writes âA Covenant is an agreement that binds people together.â He needs to bring his team together. He has to start with Earvin and Kareem the team leaders. He has to have them be a positive example for the rest of the team. It doesnât matter if youâre on the basketball court or even in an office building it is up to you and

your teammates or co-workers to make a good covenant. Itâs up to the players as individual to make it work. You have to be able to give it a chance or else you will not get anywhere.

Riley talks about how his team was hit with a thunderbolt and that they could do nothing about it. Riley says, âA Thunderbolt is something beyond your control, a phenomenon that one day strikes you, your team, your business, your city, even your nation.â In basketball players get old, they get traded, or they are hit with a season or even a career ending injury. It is hard to avoid a thunderbolt. The best thing people can do after a thunderbolt is come back from the disaster and become better as a team. It focusâs on people as an individual and as a team.

There can be a positive thunderbolt called the breakthrough. Riley writes, âA breakthrough is a positive thunderbolt. It enables the team and The Winner Within to grasp and to realize their mission by defining and fulfilling the most important performance goals in life.â There has to be some kind of message to ignite the energy for a team to break through. Fear is the main thing that will stop a breakthrough. In the 1994 NBA finals the Chicago Bulls were down by 2 points with 14.1 seconds to go. The bulls passed the ball around while the clock started to tick and they moved the ball around so much that each of the five players on the court touched it and John Paxson received it last in the corner for an open 3-pointer to win the game. Paxson was later quoted saying âThat was what basketball -- what teamwork and success -- are all aboutâ (Araton 1). People have to have the courage to breakthrough. A team must work together so they can breakthrough as a team.

There may be one person who is holding the team back from potential greatness. Riley writes, âComplacency is a success disease.â It happens when you are feeling good about who you are and what you have done for yourself and your team. Having one player on the team who doesnât have complacency is a big problem. You have to get rid of the problem before the problem gets to big and affects the team and you. There is

always ways to improve individually and as a team. Players on Rileyâs team after they had won their 2^nd championship in a row thought there was no way to top there performance. You canât always be thinking about the past. If you do, events taking place now will end up beating you up.

Every player on a team has its own role. It could be to score, rebound, assist, or play hard defense. Vince Lombardi once said âThe achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individualâ (Khurana). Having players compare themselves to each other on their own team can only do bad things. Riley talks about mastery. Mastery is when you always want to do better. It is emotional and mental to a player or even the coach. The coach can spark mastery by striving to his players always work your hardest and get better each day. It makes you reach for higher standards as a team and as an individual. In order to master something you have to have teamwork.

Having mastered the game as a team and winning a championship there is one thing left to do. Riley refers to it as âUpping the Ante.â Show everyone that you are still the championship team and leave footprints for others. Make them challenge you and your team. Show the others that your team is a dynasty. Play as a team and repeat yourselves as champions.

Every team comes to a point where the core is going to crack. Playing together for years and then it cracks and you have to start the renewal stage over again. It will cause you a lot of pain and effort. One man may let it hurt him, but the other will build off of it. Through The Winner Within, Riley includes quotes from others along in the sidelines. Riley shows a quote from Winston Churchill which writes âSuccess is never final.â You may have reached the top, but you will not always be on top. You take what you have left and use it.

There always comes a stage where you have to move on. You have to have a new core covenant. Riley writes, âThe changes in your life arenât always the ones you hoped for. But they can usually help you grow.â Riley moved on from the Las Angeles Lakers and started to coach for him dream job the New York Knicks. Like he did in L.A. Riley went to his star player Patrick Ewing and started to build a new core around him. He started the process all over again and had his players find leadership and come together as a team.

Rileyâs final stage of teamwork is one from the heart. There are always smaller encounters within the larger whole. You have to win the regular season games to make it to the championship game. Riley refers to people as true warriors. A warrior is someone who knows how to get the job done. A show time warrior needs to have HEART, COURAGE, and WILL. Rileyâs warrior was his player Magic Johnson. He was the first player ever in the NBA to give money back to his team so they would be able to sign a new role player to help win a championship. Riley says, âYou have everything it takes to lift your team and yourself to great, long-lasting achievements, to fulfillment of potential.â Go for what you want and donât stop till you have made it to where you belong.

Paul A. Paterson a book reviewer who reviewed Rileyâs book The Winner Within and has a few things to say about it. Paterson writes âIn basketball, teamwork is the key to success. According to Pat Riley, itâs the key to life as well.â Paterson is saying that we use teamwork in our everyday life. People may not realize it, but it is always going on. He talks about how riley has coached the Lakers to a couple of

championships. Paterson says, âHe explains how a good leader knows how to change roles as the needs of the group change -- sometimes pushing, sometimes pulling.â Leaders need to know when to get angry with his team in order for them to understand what he is saying. Even if they donât like it the leader is just trying to help the team out. Paterson writes, âThe lessons taught are suitable for business environments, family relationships and any atmosphere where cooperation is required for success.â He is saying how we use the teamwork skills that we have been taught in the everyday world. It could be at home, in the office, or on the basketball court. Teamwork is used everywhere we go.

Pat Riley the author of The Winner Within is a New York Times bestseller. He is a coach in the NBA as well as the president of the Miami Heat. Riley is married and has two children. He has been coaching for about 23 years. He has served as head coach for 3 NBA teams. Riley has won a total of 7 championship rings.

People may not realize it but teamwork is something we use in our everyday lives. people are taught about teamwork from a young age. People have realized that teamwork is used school, at work, and in sports. If people have never learned anything about teamwork you should read The Winner Within. It teaches people everything they need to know and how to use it. Teamwork is a key to success.

A Room with a View (2007 TV drama)

julielai — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 04:49:31 GMT

Has any one seen that? What do you guys think of the new ending? Weird, huh?