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John
https://www.goodreads.com/jwillis-goodreadscom
“There is not in the world a more ignoble character than the mere money-getting American, insensitive to every duty, regardless of every principle, bent only on amassing a fortune," Roosevelt said just before he became president.”
― The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America
― The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America
“Proximity has taught me some basic and humbling truths, including this vital lesson: Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done. My work with the poor and the incarcerated has persuaded me that the opposite of poverty is not wealth; the opposite of poverty is justice. Finally, I’ve come to believe that the true measure of our commitment to justice, the character of our society, our commitment to the rule of law, fairness, and equality cannot be measured by how we treat the rich, the powerful, the privileged, and the respected among us. The true measure of our character is how we treat the poor, the disfavored, the accused, the incarcerated, and the condemned.”
― Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
― Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
“Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts.”
― The Name of the Wind
― The Name of the Wind
“Though a degree from Yale was not required, Pinchot wanted his foresters to be able to write well, for the numerous reports that their enemies in Congress would be second-guessing.”
― The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America
― The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America
“We are all implicated when we allow other people to be mistreated. An absence of compassion can corrupt the decency of a community, a state, a nation. Fear and anger can make us vindictive and abusive, unjust and unfair, until we all suffer from the absence of mercy and we condemn ourselves as much as we victimize others. The closer we get to mass incarceration and extreme levels of punishment, the more I believe it's necessary to recognize that we all need mercy, we all need justice, and-perhaps-we all need some measure of unmerited grace.”
― Just Mercy
― Just Mercy
The Sword and Laser
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Online discussion forum for the Sword and Laser podcast and monthly book club pick. Subscribe to the audio podcast: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podca ...more
Dragons & Tea Book Club
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Hello! This is a book club, hosted by four Asian book reviewers, dedicated to boosting marginalized voices and celebrating diverse books, while always ...more
Eclectic reading
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Too many books to read, but so fun to do so.
John’s 2025 Year in Books
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