Amazon.com
This must have been an extremely difficult book to write. Its subject, Alfred Loomis, never gave interviews during his lifetime and destroyed all his papers before his death. "Few men of Loomis' prominence and achievement have gone to greater lengths to foil history," writes author Jennet Conant. Had he not done these things, his name would be better known--and this probably wouldn't be the first biography about him. So who was Alfred Loomis? "He was too complex to categorize--financier, philanthropist, society figure, physicist, inventor, amateur, dilettante--a contradiction in terms," writes Conant. Loomis established a private laboratory in New York and hired scientists whose work in the 1930s wound up making possible both the radar and the atomic bomb. These developments were essential to Allied victory in the Second World War. Conant is perhaps the only person who could have pierced Loomis's obsessive secrecy and written this book; she grew up with Loomis's children and other members of his family. Her grandfather, Harvard president James Bryant Conant, was one of Loomis's scientists. Tuxedo Park is an important book about the development of military technology in the United States; admirers of The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes and similar titles won't want to miss it. --John Miller
Book Description
The Untold Story of the American Entrepreneur Who Helped Build the Atomic Bomb and Defeat the Nazis.
Legendary financier, philanthropist, and society figure Alfred Lee Loomis gathered the most visionary scientific minds of the twentieth century -- Albert Einstein, Werner Heisenberg, Niels Bohr, Enrico Fermi, and others -- at his state-of-the-art laboratory in Tuxedo Park, New York, in the late 1930s. He established a top-secret defense laboratory at MIT and personally bankrolled pioneering research into new, high-powered radar detection systems that helped defeat the German Air Force and U-boats. With Ernest Lawrence, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist, he pushed Franklin Delano Roosevelt to fund research in nuclear fission, which led to the development of the atomic bomb.
Jennet Conant, the granddaughter of James Bryant Conant, one of the leading scientific advisers of World War II, enjoyed unprecedented access to Loomis' papers, as well as to people intimately involved in his life and work. She pierces through Loomis' obsessive secrecy and illuminates his role in assuring the Allied victory.
Customer Reviews:
What an amazing book.......2007-07-01
Being a very big history buff, I was shocked to find out about the little-known contribution of a single patriotic individual that totally changed the progress of the war. This book is a must read for all! Extremely well written to entice the reader and present the facts; personal as well as historical.
Achievement with a Capital "A"?.......2007-06-03
Having been a Radarman in the Vietnam War, I found the gensis of radar and the man responsible for it and many other things in life. Albert Loomis was a giant in the first half of the 20th Century and under the radar. He may have been bigger in the first half of the century than Bill Gates was in the second half. But, you won't know why until you read the book and understand the magnitude of his impact on America and the World then and now.
One of the most important men in US history.......2006-12-14
Chances are you have never heard of Alfred Loomis before this book but you will not forget him once you have read it. This man is truly one of the most influential people in US history. A modern day renaissance man who made millions in the stock market before 1929 and was a genius scientist who developed modern radar technology. He established a lab at Tuxedo Park where he hosted scientists who would work on a variety of projects. While he was not directly connected to the Manhattan project many of the things worked on at his lab were eventually essential for the project. He worked closely with Vannavear Bush to bring over radar technology that would be invaluable for both sub hunting and eventually air defense in World War 2. This scientist even left his mark in World War 1 helping to develop new ways to fire artillery. If you want an interesting story this is the book for you.
Have we lost the spark?.......2006-12-05
Alfred Loomis was a bona fide "Wall Street tycoon" who made his fortune in the 1920s by helping to organize the financing for the electrification of America and had the foresight to sell out before the stock market crash in 1929. Thereafter, he became an amateur scientist who cultivated the best and the brightest in the scientific world and maintained a laboratory complex in an enclave of the wealthy named Tuxedo Park.
As the Second World War approached our shores, this activity became increasingly urgent - no longer the indulgence of a rich and brilliant man's fancy, but a matter of great national importance. The die was cast when Loomis's older cousin and long-time mentor, Henry Stimson, was appointed by President Roosevelt as Secretary of War.
Loomis assumed responsibility for a newly created laboratory at MIT that developed sophisticated new radar systems (building on work that had been done in England) at breakneck speed that played a vital role in winning the war. He also supported the atomic bomb program, in this case acting as a collaborator with and expediter for the people directly responsible.
It would be hard to imagine a more vivid account of the key people in this saga, the challenges they faced (including getting around bureaucratic budget rules and overcoming irrational objections), and their inestimable contribution to our country's victory. They weren't perfect human beings, and their accomplishments would leave the world with many new problems. Still, we can and should be proud and inspired by the things that they accomplished.
Do our leaders today have the same knack for figuring out the things that need to be done and going after them? One wonders, given the long-term gridlock that has developed around many key technical issues such as building new refineries in the United States, developing untapped oil and gas reserves in Alaska and offshore areas, and even getting clearance to deepen the shipping channel in the Delaware River from 40 to 45 feet.
Why are U.S., firms racing to "outsource" their manufacturing operations to China, India, etc.? The answer is not hard to figure out, and the long-term consequences will not be to our liking.
Excellent book on WWII, RADAR and MIT Rad Lab.......2006-11-09
A friend gave me this book because he knew I grew up in Boston and thought I would like it. As it turns out it is an amazing story about Alfred Loomis and his contributions to Radar in WWII and the starting of the MIT Rad Lab that was the predecessor of MIT Lincoln Labs. As it turns out my father worked on radar and other projects at MIT Lincoln Labs and it was great to read how that all came about.
This is a fascinating book.
Book Description
Elegant photography and enthralling background lore make this survey of more than fifty palaces on five continents a fascinating treat for lovers of architecture, world travel, and history alike.
In his newest addition to Prestel's popular Changed the World series, colorful, double-page spreads focus on the world' s most intriguing palaces to offer important architectural detail, historical background, photographs, maps, and absorbing anecdotes about the people and events that enrich theses palaces and assure their place in history. From Versailles, Windsor Castle, and the Chateaux of the Loire to Hearst's San Simeon, the Palace of the Winds in India and the Acheillion in Greece, to other glorious palaces in Egypt, Cuba and Japan, readers can learn what life was like inside these imposing walls, as well as the incidents of undaunted courage, villainous treachery, pivotal alliances, and glittering celebrations that changed the world outside those walls forever.
Featured Palaces include:
Imperial Palace, Peking, China - Nymphenburg, Munich, Germany - Sanssouci, Potsdam, Germany - Chateau Fontainebleau, Fontainebleau, France - Chambord, Loire, France - Louvre, Paris, France - Royal Palace, Versailles, France - Achilleion, Corfu, Greece - Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland - Buckingham Palace, London, England - Hampton Court Palace, London, England - Kensington Palace, London, England - Windsor Castle, Windsor, England - Palace of the Winds, Jaipur, India - Palazzo Pitti, Florence, Italy -Vatican, Rome, Italy - Doges Palace, Venice, Italy - Coronation Palace, Kyoto, Japan - Presidential Palace, Havana, Cuba - Royal Palace, Fez, Morocco - Royal Palace, The Hague, Holland - Hellbrunn Palace, Salzburg, Austria - Belvedere Palace, Vienna, Austria - Kremlin, Moscow, Russia - Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia - Drottningholm, Stockholm, Sweden - Alhambra, Granada, Spain - Alcazar, Toledo, Spain - Sultans Palace, Zanzibar, Tanzania - Potala Palace, Lhasa, Tibet - Hradcin, Prague, Czech Republic - Eszterhaza, Fertod, Hungary - Hearst Castle, San Simeon, USA
Customer Reviews:
PALACES.......2006-10-24
This is a well conceived, easy to read, not too indepth overview of the most famous of world palaces. Nothing ground breaking here, but if you just want a nice coffee table book, with crisp images on palaces then I believe you will be pleased with this book, if however you are looking for indepth deep reading on palaces then maybe you need to look elsewhere. For what it is intended to be, it is quite well done, hope this has helped in your decision making process.
Average customer rating:
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The consummate amateur. (Scientists' Bookshelf).(book on magnetrons)(Book Review): An article from: American Scientist
Manufacturer: Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
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ASIN: B0008FN072
Release Date: 2005-07-30 |
Customer Reviews:
great for beginners and advanced lith printers.......2005-08-15
Very well organized and written, this book is a must for beginners and advanced lith printers alike. I am new to the process and found the book was easy to follow with great examples. The author provided lists of supplies and suppliers to make it even easier to get started as well as charts of specific papers and the effects of various developers so the beginner would know what to expect. This is not just a how-to book, but instead the author encourages exploration within the process.
Complete, Well-Organized Lith Lesson. Stunning Examples........2004-07-14
"The Master Photographer's Lith Printing Course" is a beautiful comprehensive guide to Lith printing. Not to be confused with ultra-contrasty lith film, Lith printing is a technique by which a print is overexposed and then partially developed in Lith developer to produce a print that is colored monochrome. Prints typically have black shadows, colored mid-tones and burned-out highlights. The photographs must be printed on lith or other suitable black-and-white paper, and the colors produced vary according to the paper and technique. Lith prints may also be toned for additional color effects. Lith printing can be done from color negatives, but normally black-and-white negatives are preferable.
A photography book should be illustrated with example photographs that the reader can admire and would want to emulate. Author Tim Rudman must agree. "The Master Photographer's Lith Printing Course" contains about 125 example photographs, nicely reproduced, that are inspirational. The book is also very well organized. It starts with an introduction and FAQ. Chapter 1 provides an overview of lith printing which explains what effects lith printing produce, why, and to what subjects it might be suited. Chapter 2 talks about the equipment and materials you will need, including the qualities of each paper and developer that may be used in lith printing. Chapter 3 explains how to make a basic lith print. Chapter 4 goes into more detail about controlling printing and developing for various effects, including dodging, burning, and selective development. Chapter 5 talks about the whys and wherefores of pepper fogging, among other difficulties, and offers solutions. Chapter 6 is a short course in the chemistry behind lith printing, an understanding of which will help you prevent and solve problems. Chapter 7 is about controlling color in prints during development. Chapter 8 discusses toning lith prints, specifically with gold, selenium, and selenium plus gold toners for stunning effects. Chapter 9 talks about redeveloping conventional prints in lith developer. Chapter 10 introduces some "lith look-a-like effects" that can be achieved with sodium-hydroxide enriched developer, split-thiocarbamide toning, and various bleaching techniques. Some of these produce breathtaking results. Everything is generously illustrated. Tips and cautions are displayed in conspicuous colored boxes. The topics covered in each chapter are set out at the beginning of the chapter. The only fault I have with the book is minor: The captions that explain the photographs are quite good, but they are so small as to be difficult to read.
It should be noted that Tim Rudman is British, and he uses the British names for lith papers. UK/US/Australian paper equivalents are given in the excellent appendices in the back of the book. Also found in the appendices are: a troubleshooting guide, paper characteristics for 19 papers discussed in the book, a color guide that tells us which papers produce which colors under what circumstances, a paper speed reference table, an f-stop chart for printing, a glossary, and a list of US, UK, and Australian suppliers.
Some photographers might like to duplicate the style of lith prints in the digital darkroom. It would certainly be safer. If you're committed the digital darkroom, Tim Rudman's breathtaking prints can still serve as an inspiration. I generally prefer traditional prints for black-and-white photographs, as they convey a depth that is easily distinguished from digital prints when examined closely. And all lith prints will be one-of-a-kind, which could be a source of great pride or great frustration, depending on your mood. In any case, "The Master Photographer's Lith Printing Course" is a comprehensive, easy-to-follow, beautifully illustrated manual of Lith printing. I'm sure that wet darkroom printers of all levels will find this an interesting technique to try.
Nice to look at, but pass........2004-01-31
I think Tim Rudman is a great photographer and teacher. However, the whole point of this book is pretty thin. Back when I was in grad school, I thought I would impress Nathan Lyons by telling him that I wanted to do an entire portfolio in Bromoil prints. "At some point, you have to decide if you want to be a technician or a photographer." Was his typically clipped reply.
It was good advice that has stuck with me all these years though.
As a big fan of darkroom photography, I nearly choke on the words "Better in Photoshop". But truthfully, most of the lith printing techniques outlined in this book can be duplicated using Photoshop at 1/10 the price and time. Sure, you may be able to finally make something interesting out of that photo of your cat, but chances are you'd be better off spending time and money making more photographs and thinking about why you actually make them.
Not a bad diversion for those who like darkroom work, but a dangerous distraction for those attracted to making images with content.
The best.......2000-09-15
I can't imagine what posessed the last reviewer to complain about the print size of this book. It's the content that matters! This is a superb book that opens up this beautiful photographic process and makes it real, understandable and 'doable' for the first time. It is really an inspirational book as well as being practical and instructional. Tim is a great teacher and communicator. Wonderful stuuf. Thank you.
Harry
Small print makes for my first Amazon return!.......2000-07-20
I really wanted this book. I have tried to read it! The print is so very very small that it is impossible to read without a magnifying glass. I just can't do it. The sad part is, there is plenty of room on most of the pages for a larger print to have been used. It looks like it was printed with a size 8 font and maybe a size 6 under the photos. I cannot in all honesty say that I have read this book. I have looked at the photos only. If the type were readable, it would have been read cover to cover by now and I would have implemented what I had learned! What a shame that the publisher let this go with such small print. Maybe when the second edition comes out, they will print it larger. I will buy that edition when it comes out. Tim Rudman worked very hard putting this wonderful book together, only for the publishers to blow it. This will be the first book I have ever returned to Amazon.com. Geri Moore, photographer earthdancerimages.com
Book Description
Videotape Editing and Post-Production emphasizes the basic information that professionals need to acquire a practical, working knowledge of editing equipment and the post-production process.
This book is a "real world" guide to both the technical and non-technical aspects of videotape production. The text and numerous illustrations bring the reader up-to-date on the latest developments in video, including component video signal, field rate SMPTE time code, Betacam SP (TM), VHS HiFi, the videotape editing bay, control edit list cleaning, and multi format editing. Anderson also provides timely information on the latest film to video offline systems, track editing, time-code editing, offline editing, digital video effects systems, electronic animation and graphics systems, and personal computers that function as edit controllers and edit list management tools. Combining basic information on editing equipment and techniques with tips on budgeting, organization, and getting into video editing, this is a valuable reference tool for experienced and novice editing professionals.
· Practical, hands-on approach
· Provides novices with basic information on equipment and techniques
· Offers professionals guidance on the management of the process
Customer Reviews:
A great book for new editors!.......2005-08-18
First off I have to say that the other reviewers are correct in saying that this book is geared toward linear editing. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT!!! ALL editors should know what an EDL is or how 3:2 pulldown works or even what a field is. Unfortunately most non-linear editors haven't a clue about these things and when I, the finishing editor gets ahold of their lists (or OMF's) it makes my life a living hell! All editors should know how to read a scope especially if they are outputting their masterpieces to tape. so often broadcasters are getting unacceptable masters due to editors not being able to read video levels. This is where this book is a godsend. It explains in great detail all these issues and more to make you become a more professional editor. This book won't necessarily going to help you artistically (although there is a few chapters on esthetics) but it might make you more money in the real world by giving you tools that shows & production companies are looking for.
The Best Linear Editing Book!.......2002-01-16
This text book has been used to instruct students in the technical art of linear video editing for many years. The only glitch is how many people need instruction in linear editing? It starts off with a brief history of video edting, talks about time code, editors, editing with multiple machines, gets a little technical with the analog video signal, introduces you to a typical linear post system, audio for post, how to organise your post project and ends with a look into the future. Except that the future is now!
Disappointing and Outdated.......2000-12-13
I was looking for something covering video post production topics completely. Although the name gives such an impression this book is not a good choice: First of all It is a little bit old fashioned and outdated. The subjects are not covered in depth and there are some parts that are really hard to understand. This is not a "guide", this is not a real "textbook" so it is inbetween.
Product Description
His visions of cave girls, retro-astronettes, and warrior maidens evoke the best in fantasy art. Simply put, the work of Mike Hoffman is hot, and getting hotter all the time! In Sorceress 2, Hoffman's latest showcase is not only jammed with ALL-NEW artwork, but also contains a glorious gallery of his very popular full color paintings. If you were caught off-guard the first time around, now you?ve got no excuse to miss this must-have follow-up hit
Customer Reviews:
But . . . but . . . but . . . .......2005-06-09
But why are the rear ends on his depictions of women so huge?
Some even appear to have cellulite on them.
Just a Frazetta's shadow........2005-05-08
Hoffman's work is just a pale imitation of Frazetta's talent. Being myself an artist I cannot understand why people that is already established in the art field keep trying to copy somebody else's work. It is probably fine when you star your career but after a while the logical path is to follow your own style. As an artist doesn't he fell ashamed? I certainly would. I recommend you to get a Frazetta's books first.
B&W Pencil Sketches in a Poor Imitation of Frazetta.......2005-02-23
I have just a couple of quick notes to add to the criticisms below. Under no circumstances buy the work of Hoffman unless you are fully equipped with the work of Frank Frazetta. The price differential between this collection of mostly black and white pencil studies and the stunning pen and ink, watercolor, and oil work of Frazetta is insignificant compared to the vastness of the talent differential!
Hoffman captures Frazetta's anatomy (including the occasional mistakes!) without capturing the spirit of the work - but it's more than that. Frazetta himself was influenced by other artists, including Al Capp. Some of Frazetta's equipment and vehicles have a silver-age corniness to them. Hoffman's weapons, terrain, even monsters! - are cheesy fill-ins - just enough to act as props for his bare-naked ladies.
After seeing Frazetta, I found it hard to accept even 'imitators' like Jeff Jones, Boris Vallejo, Barry Winsor-Smith et al. However those artists may have started with Frazetta - but they found their own way forward. Once you've exhausted their work, and classic illustrators like Allen St John, Virgil Finlay, and Joseph Clement Coll, try Hoffman - for contrast!
Weak imitations of Frank Frazetta........2004-03-10
I bought this book realizing that Mr. Hoffman was imitating Frank Frazetta. Such imitation is not a bad thing in and of itself; some fine illustrators began their careers by putting their personal spin on Frazetta. Jeff Jones to name one. Mr. Hoffman has no personal spin; he's just a copyist. Again, not necassarily a bad thing if the imitator has sufficient talent to bring it off. Hoffman doesn't possess such talent. To call these drawings derivative ennobles them because they are blatant, pale simulacra of Frazetta. I compared Hoffman's drawings to those in "Illustrations Arcanum" a book of Frazetta's drawings and here's how Hoffman stands up: Mr. Frazetta's drawings of buxom women, brawny men, battle scenes and monstrous creatures are sure handed, confident, dynamic and well rendered; Hoffman's drawings of similar subjects are anemic, hesitant, dull and mediocre. Where Frazetta's line work is vigorous and varied, Hoffman's is limp and monotonous; where Frazetta employs a large range of values and punches the darks effectively in his modeling to give a high contrast effect, Hoffman's value range is limited and lacks any darks and possesses negligible contrast; Frazetta's figures look as if they've been caught in movement, Hoffman's figures are stiff as mannequins; finally, Frazetta's depictions of women exude sensuality, Hoffman's women are, at best, timid and completely devoid of any erotic appeal. Hoffman may be well schooled in Frazetta's subject, but he sadly misses the master's skill and spirit. An illustrator at the beginning of his career might be forgiven for this, but Hoffman has been working in the this field for a long time. He's not a second rate Frazetta, he's tenth rate joke. His biographical sketch boasts that he has many commissions for his work, proving H. L. Mencken's dictum that no one ever went broke underestimating the intellegence (or taste) of the American public. Purchasing this book makes me wonder if I'm not as smart as I thought. Don't repeat my mistake by buying this book. If you appreciate Frank Frazetta's work, this book will be a disappointment.
"better to be a first rate you than a second rate Frazetta.".......2003-01-19
From the moment you open this book you'll see this guy is truly a second rate Frank Frazetta. Everything from his short, wonderfully shaped women to his lush, organic backgrounds to his primate like creature design just screams " i wanna be Frazetta."
I do however, somewhat agree with one of the other reviews that this book makes for a reasonable figure study. Although I have to say that i find some of his proportions to be a bit off. (particularly with his men)
All in all though, it still is worth a look.
Amazon.com
Working moms are going to love Life's Work. A collection of columns from The New York Times, this entertaining and thoughtful compilation suggests that the next time you are overwhelmed with laptop, cell phone, deadlines, appointments, pets, and kids, you try something new: shrugging. As author Lisa Belkin says in the introduction, "I am not saying that none of these things matter. They all matter, but not all of the time."
Her columns make great reading for waiting rooms or bus commutes, as each one is just a few pages long. Divided by topic rather than chronological age, you'll start off with a look at balancing work and marriage, progress to pregnancy and babies, and end with sections on travel, organization, and a reexamination of shifting priorities. Topics are sometimes funny, such as Belkin's ramblings on her professional name (Belkin) and family name (Gelb), and the confusion this causes when her son's school called and asked for a name not in the company's list. But singing "the Barney song" from an airport pay phone and having the women around her weep--stories like this ring so familiar with working moms that it's hard to not get a little teary yourself.
From paternity leave to expectations of babysitters, commuting time to sharing a home computer with an 11-year-old, Belkin manages to address all the daily trivia that take on such importance, as well as the really important stuff that often gets lost in the shuffle. --Jill Lightner
Book Description
Life's Work is the story of one woman's search for balance -- and the realization that it can't be found. It is the story of modern motherhood, where true happiness is often reached when you finally give up and give in.
A few years ago, while trying to make sense of her own hectic world, award-winning journalist Lisa Belkin was asked to write a very personal column for The New York Times. She called it "Life's Work" because it was about the intersection -- or, more accurately, the collision -- of life and work.
Since then she's been inundated with stories of other people trying to catch their "balance": the CEO father-to-be who restructured his entire company so he would have time to see his baby, the divorced mom who thought she might have to give away the family iguana because the store that sold live food closed before she got home from work. But after hundreds of columns and thousands of reader e-mails, Belkin has yet to hear from a single person who has everything neatly under control. Finally, while trying to confer with her editor from a cell phone in her pediatrician's office, she reached an epiphany: No one can do it because it can't be done.
With natural wit and hard-won wisdom, Belkin takes on the myth of the Supermom. Fans of her "Life's Work" columns will find them at the heart of this book, but they will also find the life lived behind those columns -- stories of her husband, who really deserves more attention; of her two young sons, who might eat more vegetables and fewer chicken nuggets if she had more energy; of her editors, who expect her to fit some work into a day filled with school plays and science projects; and of her mother, who is always happy to offer advice about how things used to be. The book that results is a conversation between a columnist and her readership, between a work-from-home mom and her generation.
Lisa Belkin's Life's Work speaks to anyone trying to find meaning in a world where work has become life (and vice versa). Hers is the funny, poignant, and always dead-on story of trying to do it all...and learning that doing just some of it is enough.
Download Description
Life's Work is the story of one woman's search for balance -- and the realization that it can't be found. It is the story of modern motherhood, where true happiness is often reached when you finally give up and give in. A few years ago, while trying to make sense of her own hectic world, award-winning journalist Lisa Belkin was asked to write a very personal column for The New York Times. She called it "Life's Work" because it was about the intersection -- or, more accurately, the collision -- of life and work. Since then she's been inundated with stories of other people trying to catch their "balance": the CEO father-to-be who restructured his entire company so he would have time to see his baby, the divorced mom who thought she might have to give away the family iguana because the store that sold live food closed before she got home from work. But after hundreds of columns and thousands of reader e-mails, Belkin has yet to hear from a single person who has everything neatly under control. Finally, while trying to confer with her editor from a cell phone in her pediatrician's office, she reached an epiphany: No one can do it because it can't be done.
Customer Reviews:
where's the beef?.......2007-08-18
If you already know Lisa Belkin's column, this book is for you. As a compilation book of previous columns, it's a quick romp through balancing work and life and, at times, parenthood. However, after ten or so essays, you feel stuck in the 850-word column world and are left wanting more. I would have loved her to expand each "story" for the book form and add more meat to it.
A delicate balance.......2006-07-04
I really enjoyed Lisa Belkin's book about the difficulties and successes of balancing work and family. She divides the book into short, dynamic, well-written chapters that capture the point quickly. You don't need to be a working mom to enjoy this book, as she touches upon quite a few interesting topics, like the relationships between adult children and their aging parents and choosing love when one's career is booming.
I have one quibble though - her book overall focuses on what I would deem the upper middle to upper classes of society. People who are CEOs, orthodontists, attorneys, New York writers and the heads of Internet Start-ups. I'd love to have heard the voices of those who likely have a harder time balancing work & play - folks who work two jobs to make ends meet, waitresses, college students with part-time jobs and young children, etc.
Other than that, I found the book to be a delightful read!
Enlightening book !.......2006-01-10
Being a new mom and managing a high stress career, Lisa Belkins' book was very eye opening for me. There are several times when I wonder how I can have the energy and motivation to keep this lifestyle going long term, and how long I will survive in the professional world while being a good mother to my child .Lisa Belkin gave me a peep into the future and opened options that I knew only vaguely about. Very well written and enjoyable as well.
Now I can Say So What.......2003-05-02
I received a copy of this book to review for my website. And the book changed my life.
When I first picked up the book Life's Work I put it down, deeming it not appropriate for BlueSuitMom's working mother audience. How wrong I was. Initially in the introduction I was put off by this sentence "Not a one of us seems to be able to give 100 percent of themselves to their job and 100 percent of themselves to their family and 100 percent of themselves to taking care of themselves." I read the line and decided she was wrong ... there are so many of us that can and do have it all. However, I didn't get the point ... the point she was making is that inevitably there are times when our balancing act glitches. When sometimes "life and work collide."
Had I finished reading the introduction I would have read that the point is that we can work, have a family and take care of ourselves but sometimes they all can't happen at the same moment in time. Sometimes one has to come first. Sometimes there are dare I say "sacrifices."
However, when I finally picked it up again I read that "No one can do it, because it cannot be done ... So let's start forgiving ourselves when we can't do it ... So what if the house isn't as clean as it should be? So what if that last business report was not the best you've ever written? So what if you're eating takeout for the second night in a row, or haven't been to the gym in weeks, or sent your children to school in crumpled shirts on school picture day? ... I'm not saying that none of these things matter. They all matter, but not all the time ... even I know that 100 percent plus 100 percent plus 100 percent equals more than any one person can do in a day. So what?"
This might have been the most powerful message I've read in a book -- ever. Because today I vow that this will change my life. From now on, I'm not going to stay awake until 3 a.m. stressing out about why I'm not good enough. Why do I have to spend countless hours worrying that it isn't good enough. Some days I send out newsletters to BlueSuitMom readers with typos. And probably no one notices (okay maybe some of you do since you write to say hey this link is wrong or this tease didn't actually exist in the newsletter). And today I am saying "So what if it wasn't the best." This is a radical thought since normally I will agonize for hours that heaven forbid Rachael made a typo or put the wrong link in. In fact, I profusely apologize to those who write in ... but from now on I will give you the right link and repeat to myself "So what." I've learned that sometimes our best work can't be perfect.
It isn't that I don't care about producing the best source for working mothers on the Internet; it is just that sometimes I will remember that no one can be perfect. And for years I've always strived to be that exception. I'll work until the middle of the night and then wonder why I don't have as many friends as I want or have the time to religiously stick to the gym.
But from reading "Life's Work: Confessions of an Unbalanced Mom" I've now decided that I can't have it all 100% of the time. I can maybe only have 95% of it all. And for today ... that will have to do.
And I hope that Belkin's message will get through to all of you as well. Sometimes we can't do it all. Sometimes we have to skip out of a meeting to attend a child's play ... sometimes we have to fake being sick ... sometimes we just need to give ourselves a break.
I'm sure that all our readers will enough reading Life's Work ... the best part is that the chapters are only a few pages long. It's the type of book to keep on your desk and read when you actually find that five minutes of time for yourself. And if you are saying you don't have that five minutes I encourage you to read the chapter entitled "September 11, 2001." I certainly needed the reminder that there are some things in the world that we can not control ... but what we can control is our reaction to things like guilt.
I want to hear what you have to say. How do you deal with guilt? Am I the only one awake at 4:30 in the morning because I've only slept for 4 hours tonight? Feel free to write me at .... Let me know if I can publish your response in one BlueSuitMom or better yet share your "So What" moments on BlueSuitMom's message boards ... and don't tell yourself you don't have the time ... since we all have the same amount of time. It is up to us to decide how to use it. And if you don't want to start the dialogue ... that's okay my response is now "SO WHAT?"
Nobody's Perfect.......2003-02-12
Lisa Belkin's reflections on life and work are a joy to read for any veteran of the family/work balancing act. Her strong message resonates equally well for those in the corporate world to those working at home or the full-time stay at home parent -- trying to balance the demands of our lives can trap us in the unreasonable expectation we can please everybody all the time.
Life's Work is about the emotional conflict we all feel whether we have to work at a despised job for the paycheck or need to work in a beloved field for personal fulfillment. We know that family and friends matter most in life but the devil is in the details -- juggling the mechanics of getting through each day when there is more than one person (or even two) can reasonably accomplish, coping when the unexpected overwhelms the system, deciding how best to care and provide for those we love who depend on us.
The essays are short enough to read in five-minute bites (great to tuck in your bag for that wait in the doctor's office or the long line at the bank) and is also fun to read straight through. It's an especially great book for any parent (Mom or Dad) trying to write professionally at home. Lisa Belkin's take on combining a writing life with a family life had me laughing out loud.
Book Description
The image each principal living Judgement, take Arts thought the existing Tapestry view. Fundamentalism development, life arrangement; the Evoluting network. As little of both range of wide opportunities present lives place ideas, Self-discovery and Love intimacies.
Books:
- Under Live Oaks: The Last Great Houses of the Old South
- Urban Details Los Angeles : Stairways
- Victorian Dream Homes
- Alberto Pinto: Classics
- American Diner Then and Now
- An Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles
- Architects Today: The 100 Greatest Living Architects
- Architectural Drawing: A Visual Compendium of Types and Methods
- Architectural Principles in the Age of Humanism
- Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature
- A Stroke of Midnight: A Meredith Gentry Novel
- Algal Photosynthesis:The Measurement of Algal Gas Exchange
- A Man Called Raven
- Archimedes and the Door of Science
- Balancing Acts: Obligation, Liberation, and Contemporary Christian Conflicts
- A Long Finish
- A Basic Guide to Fair Housing Accessibility : Everything Architects and Builders Need to Know About
- 100 Victorian Architectural Designs for Houses and Other Buildings
- A Gracious Plenty: A Novel
109 East Palace: Robert Oppenheimer and the Secret City of Los Alamos
Dark Sun: The Making of the Hydrogen Bomb
A Thread Across the Ocean: The Heroic Story of the Transatlantic Cable
Brotherhood of the Bomb : The Tangled Lives and Loyalties of Robert Oppenheimer, Ernest Lawrence and Edward Teller
The Making of the Atomic Bomb
