Better than "The Lovely Bones" (another book where a kiss is badly timed). Not as good as "When in Doubt, Add Butter" (another book with descriptions...moreBetter than "The Lovely Bones" (another book where a kiss is badly timed). Not as good as "When in Doubt, Add Butter" (another book with descriptions of food). (less)
p.10 "It's so much easier to write a resume than to craft a spirit."
Get a life ... notice things ... be generous ...
p.20 "Get a life in which you are...morep.10 "It's so much easier to write a resume than to craft a spirit."
Get a life ... notice things ... be generous ...
p.20 "Get a life in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure, it is work."
p.42 “Life is made up of moments, small pieces of glittering mica in a long stretch of gray cement. It would be wonderful if they came to us unsummoned, but particularly in lives as busy as the ones most of us lead now, that won’t happen. We have to teach ourselves how to make room for them, to love them, and to live, really live.”
p.42 "... to look at all the good in the world and to try to give some of it back ..."(less)
I love the TV series. I enjoyed the audiobook. The chapter titled "Cable Street" crossed a line into TMI as it described the life of a young prostitut...moreI love the TV series. I enjoyed the audiobook. The chapter titled "Cable Street" crossed a line into TMI as it described the life of a young prostitute. Other than that chapter, I enjoyed the historical detail in the story. I hope the other 2 books in the series are produced in audio format.(less)
p.35 "I believe that this quality of 'grit', the ability to withstand setbacks and disappointments, is more important to teach children than any facts...morep.35 "I believe that this quality of 'grit', the ability to withstand setbacks and disappointments, is more important to teach children than any facts we can cram into their heads."
p.63 "We all need a healthy environment and a community that lets us fulfill out potential."
p.73 "The benefits of the hard work that you do now may not be felt for a very long time. But if you plant seeds and continue to tend to them - and keep faith in the harvest - good things can come."
p.111 "... this experience should teach them that hard work brings rewards, though the payoff can often be a long time coming."
p.121 "The worms taught me, I couldn't expect to put them in a box with inadequate resources and have them do well. They required husbandry, ... The worms also made me reflect again on what it took to improve the lives of people. You couldn't place folks in the middle of a blighted neighborhood - without a strong family unit and without easy access to healthy food - and expect them to thrive. If you could create an environment in which people felt secure and healthy, though, you could provide the possibility of a better life."
p.129 "I know from experience that it helps to make a good plan before you launch into any project. Don't spend so much time on your plan, however, that you never get around to doing something. As Teddy Roosevelt once pointed out, it is better to be the man or woman in the arena - the one whose 'face is marred by dust and sweat and blood' - than it is to be a person who just talks about doing things. Be a person of action."
p.164 "When worms finished digesting the compost in a bin, I laid a sixteenth-inch mesh screen on top of the pile and placed pre-composted bananas or other recently fresh food on the top of the screen. More than three-quarters of the worms in the bin would routinely crawl up through the screen to eat the new food source. I then transplanted the harvested worms to other compost bins, where they could begin the months-long process of reproducing and eating their way through another pile. When people asked me how many staff members I had, I started saying that I had millions. I explained that my red wigglers were my hardest working employees, and that they never talked back to me."
p. 207 "As parents, we often want to protect our children from challenges. Yet it can be precisely in those moments when a child faces and overcomes difficulties - when he tries and fails, but survives and tries again - that character is formed."
Interesting perspectives on love, loss, divorce, ghosts, and moving on. I wish there were more faith in the divine and less looking for spirits in the...moreInteresting perspectives on love, loss, divorce, ghosts, and moving on. I wish there were more faith in the divine and less looking for spirits in the sun spots of film photographs. (less)
Solicitation-to give to the poor after being asked;
Shame-to hand money to the poor before being asked, at the risk of invoking feelings of shame in the recipient;
Boundaries-giving to someone you don’t know, but allowing your name to be used;
Corruption- to give to someone you know, but who doesn’t know from whom the help comes;
Anonymity-giving to someone you don’t know and doing so anonymously;
Responsibility-at the top of the ladder is the gift of self-reliance. This involves handing someone a gift or a loan, or entering into a partnership with him or finding work for him, so that he will never have to beg again.
Favorite quotes: p.34 "You can kill the soul of a person by giving him an insincere smile while administering your bounty."
Like Ender's Game, this book was worth reading just for the author's note at the end. Ratner's writing is lyrical and a little slow-paced. Her story i...moreLike Ender's Game, this book was worth reading just for the author's note at the end. Ratner's writing is lyrical and a little slow-paced. Her story is tragic. It's amazing that this story is semi-autobiographical.
Favorite part of this book: rules for affluent parents and productive children. (p.255)
1. Never tell children that their parents are wealthy. 2. No ma...moreFavorite part of this book: rules for affluent parents and productive children. (p.255)
1. Never tell children that their parents are wealthy. 2. No matter how wealthy you are, teach your children discipline and frugality. 3. Make sure that your children won’t realize you’re affluent until after they have established a mature, disciplined, and adult lifestyle and profession. 4. Minimize discussions of the items that each child and grandchild will inherit or receive as gifts. 5. Never give cash or other significant gifts to your adult children as part of a negotiation strategy. 6. Stay out of your adult children’s family matters. 7. Don’t try to compete with your children. 8. Always remember that your children are individuals. 9. Emphasize your children’s achievements, not their or your symbols of success. 10. Tell your children that there are a lot of things more valuable than money.
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