From Publishers Weekly
Former president and Nobel laureate Carter has published several memoirs. His latest heartfelt effort tackles a somewhat abstract topic: how sharing affects the enjoyment of any activity. When he was a boy in Archery, Ga., Carter realized he had to share an experience (seeing puppies born, watching a rat die of poisoning, etc.) with his buddies before they could collectively understand its meaning. As Carter matured, relationships became more compartmentalized, and he learned to act independently. His early married years were the height of his unilateralism; when he decided to retire from the navy and move the family to Plains, Ga., he simply exercised his "dominance as a husband" and announced it to his wife, Rosalynn. Learning to treat Rosalynn and their children as "equal partners" didn't come easily for Carter; it was only after his election as Georgia's governor that he started sharing fully with his wife (although, with characteristic candor, he adds, "I have to admit... that on occasion, I long for the earlier days"). Sharing the planning, the doing and the evaluating of an activity—whether it's running for office, volunteering or taking family excursions—gives it more depth, more meaning, he says. Indeed, as Carter ages and contemplates becoming slightly less active, the pleasure he's found by simply watching his grandchildren's pleasure has been a whole new revelation. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From Booklist
Carter, generally held in high regard these days, is the poster president for the good works that former chief executives can accomplish. His books always prove popular, whether they are memoirs or historical fiction, and his latest one undoubtedly will be no exception. This is an even more personal book than his previous autobiographical works. In it, he recalls various occasions in his life that became "lasting sources of pleasure." Arranged in relatively chronological order, these special remembrances, which endowed him with special feelings he can still almost taste, include his personal reasons for seeing his father as a hero, watching minor- and major-league baseball games growing up, his days in the navy, road trips with his wife and children, his entry into politics, taking vacations while in the White House, his famous volunteer work, and even his hobbies. Carter admits that this book is a way for him not only to share some good experiences but also to inspire "anyone desiring to stretch mind and heart, to combine work and pleasure, and to reach out to others." Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
In this wonderfully evocative volume, following the outstanding success of The Hornet's Nest, Christmas in Plains, and his classic, An Hour Before Daylight, Jimmy Carter writes about the things that matter most, the simple relaxed days and nights that he has enjoyed with family and friends through the years and across generations. Here are lively and witty accounts of exploring the outdoors with his father and with black playmates; making furniture; painting; pursuing new adventures and going places with children, grandchildren, and friends. He describes how he learned to share life with his wife, Rosalynn -- and how they both learned how to grant each other personal space -- and to compete with her on the tennis court, high mountains, trout streams, and ski slopes. These lifetime experiences can be an inspirational guide to anyone desiring to stretch mind and heart and to combine work and pleasure.


Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Introduction In the past, I have written about history, political science, religion, the technique of negotiation, outdoor experiences, a novel about the Revolutionary War, a book of poetry, and a presidential memoir -- all fairly serious subjects. This book is about the more challenging, relaxing, and enjoyable experiences that I have known -- both at work and at play. I have described personal hobbies, excursions to exotic places, political campaigns, volunteer work, fishing, skiing, climbing mountains, baseball, family vacations, and simply relaxed days and nights with little to do except exchange memories and ideas with family and friends across the years and across generations. Few of these adventures have been especially newsworthy, and I still enjoy some of them in solitude, but the main lesson I have struggled to learn is that the experiences are more deep and lasting sources of pleasure when they are shared with others. It has not been easy for me to accept this fact. Perhaps like most other people, I have had to overcome a self-centered inclination to live on my own terms, sometimes obsessed with intense ambition, bringing others into the private recesses of my life only reluctantly. I've come to realize that even my loved ones and I could enjoy the same event without really sharing the essence of it, and that it takes a lot of effort to sense and accommodate the desires of others in a generous way. This lifetime of learning has paid rich dividends, for me and for those with whom I have learned to really share. I hope that these personal experiences will prove to be a practical and inspirational guide to anyone desiring to stretch mind and heart, to combine work and pleasure, and to reach out to others. Copyright © 2004 by Jimmy Carter

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"In this volume, following the outstanding success of The Hornet's Nest, Christmas in Plains, and his classic, An Hour Before Daylight, Jimmy Carter writes about the things that matter most, the simple relaxed days and nights that he has enjoyed with family and friends through the years and across generations." Here are lively and witty accounts of exploring the outdoors with his father and with black playmates; making furniture; painting; pursuing new adventures and going places with children, grandchildren, and friends. He describes how he learned to share life with his wife, Rosalynn - and how they both learned how to grant each other personal space - and to compete with her on the tennis court, high mountains, trout streams, and ski slopes.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Former president and Nobel laureate Carter has published several memoirs. His latest heartfelt effort tackles a somewhat abstract topic: how sharing affects the enjoyment of any activity. When he was a boy in Archery, Ga., Carter realized he had to share an experience (seeing puppies born, watching a rat die of poisoning, etc.) with his buddies before they could collectively understand its meaning. As Carter matured, relationships became more compartmentalized, and he learned to act independently. His early married years were the height of his unilateralism; when he decided to retire from the navy and move the family to Plains, Ga., he simply exercised his "dominance as a husband" and announced it to his wife, Rosalynn. Learning to treat Rosalynn and their children as "equal partners" didn't come easily for Carter; it was only after his election as Georgia's governor that he started sharing fully with his wife (although, with characteristic candor, he adds, "I have to admit... that on occasion, I long for the earlier days"). Sharing the planning, the doing and the evaluating of an activity-whether it's running for office, volunteering or taking family excursions-gives it more depth, more meaning, he says. Indeed, as Carter ages and contemplates becoming slightly less active, the pleasure he's found by simply watching his grandchildren's pleasure has been a whole new revelation. Agent, Lynn Nesbit. (Nov. 23) Forecast: Carter-lovers and even a few forlorn Mr. Rogers fans will want to add this literate fireside chat to their bookshelf. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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