Product Description
In this remarkable book, 103-year-old George Dawson, a slave's grandson who learned to read at age 98, reflects on his life and offers valuable lessons in living as well as a fresh, firsthand view of America during the twentieth century. Richard Glaubman captures Dawson's irresistible voice and view of the world, offering insights into humanity, history, hardships, and happiness. From segregation and civil rights, to the wars, presidents, and defining moments in history, George Dawson's description and assessment of the last century inspires readers with the message that-through it all-has sustained him: "Life is so good. I do believe it's getting better." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (100)

Amazing book!
What an amazing book! George Dawson was 98 when he learned to read. Richard Glaubman was a writer who wanted to tell his story and it was a great telling! Spanning parts of 2 centuries and the whole of the twentieth, George tells Richard of his life growing up in Texas as a black man during segregation, of traveling the rails as he became a man and of his philosophy of life. Basically that was the Golden Rule. He always treated others well even during extremely difficult periods.

I learned a lot about segregation from this book as I did from THE HELP. I felt shame for the way our nation treated people just because their skin was different from ours. I think the shame is a good feeling to come away with even though George seemed to have no resentment. He is an amzing man! I loved this book!

Life is definitely what YOU make it...and this man made his GOOD.
This wonderful man lived to over 100+ years old, and very thankfully he garnered the attention of a younger man (the co-author) who had heard that he had just learned to read at the age of 98. He sat him down and got him to ponder important times in American & World history over the past century, hoping to hear a first-hand account of what it was like to be alive at the time. While the title might suggest that this is a book about literacy, it's really not.

When Mr. Dawson begins the book it is nothing like I had expected, and probably not what the author thought he would hear, either. Instead of listening to a man describe well-known historical events, he lets us in on the relatively unknown lives that were happening behind the scenes. He had little or no idea what was going on in the world because he couldn't read, certainly did not own a radio or TV and frankly was just doing what he had to do to survive.

The life lessons that were very hard-won by Mr. Dawson are the kind of basic values that have been lost to many. His account is a fabulous reminder of what is truly important in life and how very blessed (and frequently spoiled) we are when compared to those who came before us.

The book traces his life from childhood to adulthood to his senior years with many fascinating tales. Some are heartbreaking, some uplifting, some frightening...but all of them result in vivid life lessons that we should all be sure to hear. His life as a black man faced with a lifetime of prejudice, as well as his revelation that not everyone carries those beliefs, is stunningly real and honest.

I would highly recommend that all young people (actually, anyone of any age) read this so as to more completely understand the advances in lifestyle, race relations and progress in general over the 20th century. It's an inspirational and informative tale that Mr. Dawson shares and I would hope that his story lives on through many more generations.

Great Book!!!
This is definitely one of the best books I have read in a long time. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Life Is So Good
This book has encouraged me to go back to school.If he accomplished what he set out to do,so can I !!!

George Dawson - A Worthy Roll Model For Black or White
For this eighty nine year old reader, Richard Glaubman's portrayal of George Dawson's triumph over predudice and age related depression is an excellent remedy against premature death. The book should be compulsory reading forold-timers stewing in the bitter juices of personal hatred and predudice. My message for them: Read George Dawson's life story to learn how to enjoy a rewarding lifestyle to ninety and beyond!

Al Kayworth, author

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Trafford Books:
Iceman to the Internet

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Product Description

Customer Reviews (14)

Great for Parents
I noticed that a lot of reviews were written by special ed teachers and psychologists, and wanted to add mine as a parent.This book FINALLY shed light on the challenges my son faces at home and school.It not only gave me concrete tools and ideas to help him strengthen his executive skills, but also an understanding of what was going on, which led to more patience on my part.Nagging him to get organized and constantly reminding him to stay on task was not helping.His executive skill weaknesses were beginning to lead to low self-esteem and a "better not to try than to fail" attitude.This book has helped me to begin turning that around. It was recommended to me by a psychologist.If anyone has ever hinted that your child might be ADHD-- read this book before accepting any labels.

Great resource
This book has great examples and practical information. I wish I had read it years ago so I could have started using the ideas with my daughter earlier. I highly recommend it.

Wanna Keep Reading
So far this is a great product. My son is 9 and has processing disorders as well as dyslexia. Both of which I have as well. I am hoping that this book will help me help him.

Amazing resource
Smart but Scattered is a must have for any Special Education Teacher.A well organized method for evaluating needs in Executive Skills AND templates for monitoring, planning and other organizing tools. One of the best books I've purchased this year.

Amazing book!
This is an amazing book for any parent, child care person or teacher who needs to interact with kids with executive functioning issues.I myself had poor working memory issues and have a 7th grader who needed a lot of help in this area.I also have a 7 year old that I never could understand.He has poor impulsiveness and emotional control.This book really, really helped me to understand him and figure out how to help him.I highly recommend the book.The only negative is that I think there could have been more hands on solutions to help kids (even though there were a lot) and maybe that is because I am a teacher, a person who overcame working memory issues and taught my 7th grader how to overcome them so I already had a bunch of tricks up my sleeves that weren't in the book. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Very useful resource
This is a very useful resource for working with parents, teachers and students.It helps to identify students' STRENGTHS as well as weaknesses.When a student and I go through the questionnaire and then I say, "It looks like you are really good at..." the student is surprised and is much more accepting of, "And it looks like you could use some help with..."The book also offers specific ways to help students develop some of the skills in which they may be weaker.This is my favorite book for working with students who haven't been very successful at school.

A must for today's differentiated classroom
Entering the phrase "executive functioning" on Google resulted in 2,780,000 hits today. Any phrase with that many hits has to be included when addressing student difficulty in the classroom! The authors are very clear in stating that executive skills are not addressed in the traditional intelligence/achievement test batteries. This cluster of skills include planning/directing behavior, working memory, sustained attention, and goal-directed persistence to name only a few.

Dawson and Guare include chapters on the neurological working of the brain, methods of assessing executive functioning, linking assessment to intervention (both with individual students and with a class), coaching, implementing strategies within an RTI framework, and diagnosed populations. The chapter on transitions, either between classes or schools, is also very useful.

The concern in this book is on addressing symptoms/behaviors which may be interfering with a student's success. While useful to a wide population of adults wishing to implement a positive change in a student, it must be remembered that behavioral checklists provide only one source of information for a very complex set of skills. The use of published, standardized behavior checklists are discussed as an adjunct to the material covered in this book.

This revised book will prove to be a very useful reference for those responsible for recommending and/or implementing strategies for struggling students.

A must for teachers of ADHD, ASD or others who are organizationally challenged
This is well thought out, easy to use and the reproducable activities in the back of the book cover about every scenario you can think of - and some you didn't.The sections to survey student, an important factor in helping students help themselves, is something frequently overlooked.

Without reading the whole book - I was using some of the materials within 10 minutes of opening the box.If you are teacher or parent of the disorganized you will find ways to help support your student in their education. ... Read more

Product Description
Twelve specific and very important cognitive functions begin developing in the brain at birth. These "skills" are built in to every individual and are fully developed -- and unchangeable -- by adulthood. Everyone has these same capabilities, but to varying degrees. And it is this unique and unalterable combination of one’s strengths and weaknesses that determines success or failure in any given role.

Smarts contains the groundbreaking Executive Skills Profile: a powerful self-assessment tool that will identify, once and for all, a person’s innate strengths and weaknesses. The results offer tangible proof of why we gravitate to certain tasks and struggle with others. With this newfound clarity, readers will learn to play to their stronger skills, and avoid wasting time on lesser ones they can never improve upon. Most important, they will discover their own unique potential for excellence.

Supported by proprietary primary research and grounded in widely accepted principles of clinical and neuro-psychology, Smarts is a truly eye-opening book that will change how we think about ourselves -- and others. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

A new look at strengths
This book may, on the surface, sound like the strengths books of Markus Buckingham, but it is significantly different.To start with the strengths listed here are 12 "executive skills" (executive as in execution, not position).These have been determined based on neuroscience.They are:

1. Self restraint
2. Working memory
3. Emotion control
4. Focus
5. Task initiation
6. Planning and prioritization
7. Organization
8. Time management
9. Defining and achieving goals
10. Flexibility
11. Observation
12. Stress tolerance

While the 12 strengths here are certainly more manageable than the 34 in the model espoused by Buckingham, I don't think they are as crisp.That is, many can be used, or not, in a variety of different ways.For example, is one who keeps one's computer files organized but one's desk disorganized strong in "organization"?

But there are many good ideas here, many I hope Buckingham incorporates.Probably the most important is the idea of being aware of one's weakest areas, not just one's top strengths, is key.As discussed in Smarts - skills are distributed, more or less, as a bell curve - most people have a few at which they are really strong, and a few at which they are really weak- but the majority are more "in between".When looking to match people to job responsibilities, it is hard to have a perfect match, but if one focuses on most of the top skills and none of the bottom ones, that will result in a much better fit than looking at only the top skills.

Another good idea presented here is the idea of not just looking at fit between skills and a job or tasks, but corporate culture as well.

This book also has some limitations, especially when compared to the model used by Buckingham.The quizzes provided to determine strengths are poor.I actually found the quizzes used to assess strengths in others to be more useful at self-assessment than the provided self-assessment quizzes.One thing that hurt the model presented here, as well as all the quizzes, was failing to take into account interest.One's success at various skills can be based on interest of applications of the skills, and success is largely questioned rather than talent and/or interest.

In summary, Smarts is a well-written book with some great ideas, but it, in my opinion, is best used in conjunction with one or more of Buckingham's books.

An Excellent tool for Business'
The book Smarts is an exceptional read for anyone interested in the consumer buying process. The book introduces the 12 Executive Skills and explains how they are "hardwired", the strengths and weaknesses, how to identify and use them efficently in the work place. This book would be an excellent training tool for the sales industry as it would enable the associate to correctly identify an individual based on their Executive Skills and then be able to interact appropriately. Ultimately, the correct identification of these skills in consumers could lead to an increase in the organization's sales by allocating time to "needy" consumers.
It is amazing how much this information has helped in the marketing field in aiding to identifying and understanding the consumer which in the end is basically crucial. The informatoin learned through this book will help me as I continue my life in the marketing profession by assesing and understanding the consumers I am marketing to.

SMART read
I realy enjoyed reading this book because it taught me a lot about myself. After reading about the 12 executive skills, I was able to see which skills I was highest in and learned how to manage the skills I was lowest in. The book was clear and to the point. An easy read, but VERY informative.

Smarts also helped me to better understand my friends and family. I was able to recognize their strengths and weaknesses. I recommend this book to all.

SMARTS; Reach your new level of personal success.
SMARTS is an excellent read in relation to business management and also how it plays in ones everyday life. Not only does Chuck Martin provide a great tool to look into your own Executive Skills weaknesses and strengths, but also to understand the skills in those around you.
This book explains some of your interesting character flaws and how to make them work in your favor. If you can learn to manage your weaknesses and play to your strengths you can really learn to reach a new level of potential.
This book could also be a helpful for managers to understand how to make their peers more efficient in their jobs by managing their Executive Skills strengths and weaknesses. I personally found the chapter on matching your Executive Skills to the best job fit very intriguing and helpful.
I would suggest SMARTS to anyone interested in furthering their personal success.

Innovative research that makes sense of people's behaviors
Smarts is an incredible read.With each chapter comes even more information that answers so many questions about why people behave the way they do.Smarts is easy to read and to understand.It provides great insight into really knowing who around you would be the most punctual, or the most organized, or who's bound to act on an impulse, and so on.Whether you are a top executive or a struggling student, this book will help you understand so much as to why the people around you act the way they do. ... Read more

Product Description
In this captivating chronicle of the Native American story, Rosebud Lakota Sioux Richard Twiss sifts through myth and legend to reveal God's strategy for the world's First Peoples. With wit, wisdom and passion, Twiss shows God's desire to use the cultures of First Nations peoples-in all their mystery, color and beauty-to break through to those involved in new age mysticism, eastern religions-even Islam.

Once Church, Many Tribes is a rallying cry for the Church to work as one so that the lost may walk in life and beauty, along the path of the Waymaker. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

towards a better approach
I don't pretend to have any improving suggestions for Mr. Twiss. I believe he is moving in the right direction with a better cultural contextualization of ministry to a largely unreached First Nations population. I wondered about the validity of some of his conclusions (e.g., failure of American evangelicals to repent of past sins against Native Americans may be at the root of the decline of Christianity in America). Maybe he's right on that point, but almost certainly he is right with many of his other conclusions. We Anglos haven't realized the extent to which we have pressured First Nations believers to accept Anglo culture along with the gospel.

For a case in point, I recommend the book Modoc: The Tribe That Wouldn't Die, by Cheewa James. As with the tragic story of Christianity among the Nez Perce told by Twiss, there was a mass movement to become Christians among the Modocs. That remarkable people movement wholeheartedly embraced Anglo culture along with Christianity following a catastrophic armed conflict. It was by all accounts a very genuine heart experience for many of those involved. The Modoc Christian movement was NOT sustained in the following generations, just as it has not been among the Nez Perce. If you read Ms. James's excellent book (thrilling at times, heartbreaking at times, fascinating all the way through), I believe you'll see the connection to Mr. Twiss's message.

Excellent
This was given to me as a gift by my pastor at Catholic Bible study. It explores the Christian spirituality of native Americans since 500 years ago Puritans landed on Plymouth rock. Though it covers travesties to the indians done by the puritans, the tone is not "let's feel bad for me."

Too many misunderstandings
Chief Joseph, leader of the Nez Perce in the late 1800s and early 1900s once said that between the white settlers and Native Americans, they were "too many misinterpretations, too many misunderstandings."Unfortunately, today these misunderstandings and misinterpretations still exist across cultures and within the church. As a non-Native American, I am in full agreement with the message of this book. For healing to come across cultures, we need to honestly look at the past relationships and at the validity of each culture, knowing that all people are created in God's image and worthy of his love, equally. I recommend this book for anyone who desires to understand the foundations of the bias that still exists in many churches across our nation and to tear down those things that have created the misinterpretations and misunderstandings which have kept us from accepting one another, even in our differences.

"500 years of bad haircuts"
When my family moved to Kentucky in 2000, I never expected it would take eighteen months to find a church that wanted us.We didn't fit in anyone's denominational or cultural "box", and very few fellow Christians were interested in stretching their boundaries to include us.

Imagine waiting five centuries to be welcomed into the Body of Christ.That's the sobering, challenging message of One Church, Many Tribes.

In bringing the message of Jesus to the indigenous peoples of this continent, far too often the expectation has been that a conversion to Christianity includes a conversion to whiteness, and that God has no use for Native American languages, history, arts, etc.This couldn't be more wrong.As Twiss puts it, "When we come to Christ as First Nations people, Jesus does not ask us to abandon our sin-stained culture in order to embrace someone else's sin-stained culture."

However, this is not a "make white people feel bad" book.Twiss admits that, had God chosen the peoples of this hemisphere to take the Gospel to Europe, there would have been similar abuses.He wants to see reconciliation: for whites to repent of their superiority, and for Native Americans to repent of their bitterness, so that we can put away these past sins and work together as equals.

The Body of Christ is undeniably richer for the presence of African and African-American cultures, despite the bitterness of slavery and the evil aspects of colonialism.It's time to welcome Native Americans to the table (and other "first nations" peoples as well), and encourage them to let God speak through their cultures.

Provides hope for the First Nations Tribes
I thought this book presented Multicultural worship in a whole new light.As a Native American, our traditions are bred out of us as "worshiping the devil" until little to nothing remains. We had to choose between our Culture or our Christian faith.I have given this book to numerous people including my pastor and a college ministry professor who teaches on unity.I hope that this will break down walls that have been up for centuries. ... Read more

Product Description
'The phone rings. It s Jesus. I listen to him speak and then hang up...'In this darkly comic, slow-burn thriller, reality is blurred... nothing can be taken for granted.A gripping and poignant black comedy about love, friendship, booze, morality, death... and a generation s casual dissatisfaction with modern life. Sometimes, redemption lies in the darkest of places. You don t need to die to destroy yourself. ... Read more

Product Description
Publisher: London : John MurrayPublication date: 1920Subjects: Sinn FeinNotes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Part of the "Learn Together Tests" series, this title features 100 questions on maths to test knowledge learnt at school. The book contains a pull-out centre-spread with handwriting help, and answers and advice to parents. A game to enliven the question and answer routine is also included. ... Read more

Product Description
Part of the "Learn Together Tests" series, this title features 200 questions on English to test knowledge learnt at school. The book contains a pull-out centre-spread with handwriting help, and answers and advice to parents. A game to enliven the question and answer routine is also included. ... Read more

Product Description
"At Home with Times Tables" contains fun activities for your child to practice all their times tables up to 10x at home. Each activity is carefully levelled, the pages are clear, in colour, and fun. They are an easy way to boost children's confidence at school - children can work their own way through the times tables as they are ready, the instructions are simple, the test booklet is an added extra and no one can resist giving themselves a gold star! ... Read more