Product Description
This extensive autobiography offers a lively and richly detailed account of Walesa's rise from the Gdansk shipyard to the first freely elected president of Poland, and of the events that ushered Poland into a new age. A New York Times Notable Book for 1992. Photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

One Voice That Changed the World
Lech Walesa literally reset the world on its axis.In a stroke of irony, Poland was the first country to break the 1955 Warsaw Pact.

Lech Walesa impresses me as a good man and, like President Carter is truly a humble peacemaker.A shipyard worker, Walesa strove to form unions on the docks; in the mills and in the factories.Unlike Imre Nagy, another good man and a Freedom Fighter who was killed in Hungary in 1954, Walesa took baby steps to effect change.Whereas Nagy took the "remove Russian occupation from Hungary at all costs and install democracy" in one fell swoop,Walesa took a more circumspect and prudent approach.Instead of trying to remove all obstacles at one time, he tried to institute changes in the workplaces.Once dock workers and factory and mill workers had unions, the voting process could be moved into elected offices.

Poland was, up until 1989 under communist regime.It has an interesting history.During WWI, Poland, then a landlocked territory was granted part of eastern Germany.The former German city Danzig is now Poland's Gdansk and the portion of Germany that has been annexed to Poland has not only increased the size of the country, but provided Poland access to the ocean.For many years Poland was recognized as a territory and not a nation.

Lech Walesa's father, the late Bronislaw Walesa vowed in 1945 that there would come a day when he would see a free Poland where Polish citizens would have the option to vote for the candiates they wanted to see in office and not go through the formality of seeing the same people installed in the same positions of power.Sadly, Bronislaw Walesa never lived to see that happen.His son Lech Walesa was the person who was largely responsible for effecting change.Lech Walesa's 4 sons and 4 daughters will live that dream by voting as free Polish citizens.

The Beatles' 1968 classic "Revolution" can clearly be the soundtrack of this wonderful book."We all want to change the world" - so true in this case!

Walesa is a realistic, humble and practical man with a delightful wit.Throughout his successes and setbacks, he has kept his humor and realistic outlook.In 1980, Walesa and a band of Polish freedom fighers got together to form the Solidarity Party.Using computers smuggled into Poland from England, Germany and the U.S., the Solidarity supporters held secret meetings in churches and people's homes.They made concerted efforts to gain support for effecting political changes in Poland and their movement picked up speed.Sadly, Walesa was jailed for one year during the 1980s.Still, his voice was heard and his word spead.Pope John Paul II threw his voice, prayers and support behind Walesa and backed him all the way.By 1987, Walesa's voice was ringing clear and strong around the world and people outside of Poland became more aware of the new political climate that was rapidly moving into Poland.

By 1988, the Solidarity Workers were a strong force to be reckoned with.Polish citizens rallied round them and Walesa's voice carried far beyond the shipyard docks; the factories and the mills.His voice was heard world wide and on June 4, 1989 the Solidarity Candidates won by a landslide!Poland held its first free election since WWII.Tom Brokaw among other news pundits/reporters were in Poland, ready to congratulate the newly elected Solidarity Candidates.

1989 was a heady year.On June 4 1989, the same day the Solidary candidates won the election, Ayatollah Khomeini died and, on a sad note the Beijing Massacre in China occurred.June 4, 1989 was Triple Shot Sunday.During the fall of 1989 Walesa was flown to America and spoke before the Senate and the Congress.Then New York Mayor David Dinkins gave Walesa the Key to the City and had Walesa ride around Manhattan in the Mayor's car.Walesa was named Man of the Year in 1989, an honor he richly earned and deserved.I think we should raise our glasses to Lech Walesa!

During the latter part of 1989, other Eastern European countries broke with the Warsaw Pact.Vaclav Havel, a playwright was singularly honored in the former Czechoslavakia, now the Czech Republic.His political plays, once banned were broadcast on PBS television channels and included in libraries around the world.Like Walesa, Havel held a position of high political power.On November 10, 1989 the Berlin Wall was knocked down after serving as a barrier for 28 years.Also in late 1989, Imre Nagy was given a proper Catholic burial with a traditional Hungarian headstone after 35 years of being buried in an unmarked grave.He was finally given the respect he was long due.

Lech Walesa can rightfully take his place alongside of people like Robert Kennedy; Dr. King, Gandhi and all the freedom fighters who have throughout history worked hard to make political changes to improve the world.I salute all of these people and thank them from the bottom of my heart.Let's all once again raise our glasses to Lech Walesa!

TRULY, ONE OF THE GREATEST HEROES OF 20TH CENTURY
Everyone should read this book. I like that Walesa has a great sense of humor. His humor seems to say that he is not affected by his super-heroesque accomplishment and is a very warm and approachable person.Walesa, started the downfall of communisn with the Solidarity movement in Poland. Pope John Paul II got on board to support, adding incredible drive and inspiration. These two Polish men changed History forever and for the better. Many countries going through or about to, have asked Lech Walesa for advice,i.e., Cuba for starters. This book makes you want to go out there and make the world better. Highly motivational; Great read!

He thinks hes great. He wants you to think so too.
I read this book for an essay on the democratization of Poland and, quite frankly, it turned me off of the man and all of his work in the movements toward a democtratic Poland (Solidarity, etc). While I can appreciate his good deeds, this book is pomopous and self important... the memoirs of a self-satisfied, SUPER-religious conservative, a book filled with 'touching' pictures of the mustachioed man smiling into the camera while shaking the hands of many important people: "myself and the dear so and so". It is hard to read this book and still take him seriously.

A great autobiography!!
Lech Walesa's autobiography is exceptional. It was great reading about a brave man who did not use violence to turn the tides not also in Poland, but he also was a very important figure in world peace and he was one of the reasons why the cold war ended. The book had a lot of humor which kept me wanting to read more. A must. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

what role did lech walesa play in changing the face of europ
what role did lech walesa play in changing the face of europe?

what role did lech walesa play in changing the face of europ
what role did lech walesa play in changing the face of europe? ... Read more

Product Description
Profiles the remarkable man who began as a shipyard electrician and who became the leader of Poland's Solidarity trade union movement, and who eventually was elected leader of the country. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

One Voice
This is an excellent biography of Lech Walesa, a truly good man who literally reset the world on a whole new axis.The Beatles' 1968 classic "Revolution" could easily be the soundtrack to this book."We all want to change the world..." very a propos indeed!

A humble shipyard worker, Walesa organized unions on the shipyards and in the mills and factories.He took those reforms steps farther by banging on the drum for social and political reforms in Poland.

Throughout the 1980s, Walesa and a group of people known as the Solidarity Workers were gaining momentum in Poland as the Voices of Change.They met privately in church basements and in people's homes, all the time discussing plans for revamping the communist regime in Poland.

Their efforts paid off.People in Western countries such as England, France, Germany and even the United States smuggled computers into Poland so that the Solidarity Party would have greater access to their intended, global public.Their efforts were not without major challenges and Lech Walesa served a year in jail for his outspoken plea for sociopolitical reforms.

Fortunately for all, his voice carried far and wide.His efforts with the Solidarty Party paid dividends and on June 4, 1989 Poland had its first free election for the first time since WWII.Lech Walesa had literally helped change the face of the world and to tear holes in the Iron Curtain.

June 4, 1989 was Triple Shot Sunday.Ayahtollah Khomeini died; the massacre in China took place and on a happy note the Solidary Candidates won.Tom Brokaw of NBC News was on hand to cover the events in Poland!

Lech Walesa said that his late father Boleslaw Walesa had hoped his children would be able to cast free votes in Poland.Thanks to the hard work of the Solidarity Party, his dream has been realized by Lech Walesa, whose 4 sons and 4 daughters will see that dream of being able to vote in free elections.

Througout 1989, other Eastern European countries broke with the 1955 Warsaw Pact.Ironically, Poland was the first country to make that break.Social changes swept the world and Lech Walesa's voice was heard in the Western World when he came to New York the fall of 1989.He was given a Key to the City and then Mayor Dinkins had him chauffered in the Mayor's car throughout Manhattan.Walesa spoke before the Senate and the House.He was a man who not only helped tear down the Iron Curtain, but to build solid(arity) bridges to the Eastern World.

I think we should raise our glasses to Lech Walesa and the Soldiarity Reformers who made this all possible.

A TRUE HERO and Role MODEL for RIGHTS
One of the greatest heroes of all time, who deserves more attention. What he accomplished is incredible, and against all odds; taking down communism/playing a major role in its takedown(along with Pope John Paul II). Every school should have this book. It is well written, and truly demonstrates how dreams can become reality, with determination and lots of "courage." Lech Walesa is a true hero. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Contains Deep Threads of Historical Truth
Numerous facts in this book relate to Poland's past, and prove prophetic to more recent times. For instance, Craig discusses the nomenklatura. These are the Communist officials who assumed positions of power under Soviet domination, and took advantage of their positions for personal, often corrupt ends. It was this group that was most threatened by the emergence of the Solidarity movement, and the eventual fall of Communism. Unfortunately, subsequent events were to prove that the nomenklatura merely morphed into the "postCommunists" who currently rule Poland. This book also discusses how the people resisted Communist indoctrination, notably the attacks on religion on ostensible scientific grounds. It is ironic that the working class and peasants, reputedly the pillars of Communist revolution, ended up playing a lead role in the opposition to Communist ideology. ... Read more

Product Description
Presents events in the life of the Polish union organizer who after years of non-violent fighting with the government became president of his country. ... Read more

Product Description
Traces the life of the Polish union organizer who was instrumental in gaining government recognition for Solidarity, an organization of local unions, and who won the l983 Nobel Peace Prize. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

THIS HUMBLE POLISH MAN CHANGED HISTORY
Lech Walesa is a true example of what determination and courage can accomplish; and aganst all odds! This humble Polish electrician from Gdansk turned out to be, without question, one of the greatest heroes of the 20TH century. Mary Craig writes a crisp and flowing story. This should be in every school, as an inspiration to all the world. ... Read more

Product Description
Examines Poland's history, with particular emphasis on the role of Lech Walesa, the former labor leader who was elected president in 1990. ... Read more

Product Description
Traces the life of Lech Walesa, leader of the Polish trade union, Solidarity, describes the union's progress, and asseses Walesa's influence on Polish history. ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of the Polish union organizer who became his country's first elected president in 1990. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A personal portrait of a private world leader
To be quite honest, I might not have ever read this book had the author not been a family friend.And because the author is a blood relative of Mr. Walesa, I've taken some interest in articles and books written about him.Most of these books are historical or political treatises that either summarize facts or support a political point of view, pretty standard fare.But "My Brother, Lech Walesa" is a very different account of the Polish leader's life than you are likely to find anywhere else.In many ways, you get to know the man, not the politician, a man with successes and failures, a family man, one who in many ways is the last person you might think would ever rise to such a prominent position.As I said, it's a part of the story that you won't read anywhere else.If you can find a used copy of this book, I'd very much recommend getting a hold of it.Mine is definitely not for sale! ... Read more

Product Description
Boyes traces the erratic but continuous rise of Lech Walesa through the Byzantine complexity of Polish politics, with its exotic factional infighting. He outlines Walesa's development as political animal and as human being. ... Read more

Product Description
In this book, Reuters correspondents bring together fresh, unique, and first-hand insights about Pope John Paul II, a vivid portrait of him as a man -- and a realistic, forward-looking assessment of his achievements, his legacy, and the Church he leaves to his successors. You will meet the man who, before joining the priesthood, was an athlete, an actor, a soldier, a stonecutter, and a published poet - who changed history by taking on Communism in Poland, then later denounced the spiritual impoverishment of untrammeled capitalism - who transformed the Church's tortured relationship with the Jewish community. You will meet the moral conservative and reformer who led the Church into its third millennium, watching him face storms of debate and scandal within his church, as he carries its message of faith to every corner of the world, and presides over its explosive growth throughout the developing world. This is the only book on Pope John Paul II to draw upon the extraordinary global resources of Reuters, the world's leading news agency.Notable amongst those resources: Vatican correspondent Philip Pullella, a world-renowned expert on Pope John Paul II who organized Reuters' highly-successful exhibition of Reuters photographs of the Pope that has been traveling through Europe and will appear throughout the United States to coincide with this book's publication. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

History Made Alive in Photos and Essays
Last spring while visiting the mystical and beautiful hillside town of Assisi, Italy with my wife, we came upon an exhibit of photographs taken by Reuters photographers of Pope John Paul II displayed around a balcony above a beautiful courtyard by the basilica.

Wanting to move on with our afternoon, I reluctantly agreed to her request that we look at them, and we immediately became transfixed, not just by their colors, clarity and interesting poses of the Pope with various world figures, ordinary people, on his many journeys,etc.---but with the historic story they told of the now 25 years of his remarkable Pontificate and its impact not just on Catholics, but on the entire world. It is easy from the perspective of this new century to forget that just over a dozen years ago Poland and other great nations of eastern and central Europe were under Russia's heel---and it is due in no small part to this Pope that the evils of that communistic and repressive system fell in Warsaw, Prague, Berlin and ultimately Moscow itself.

So who could have predicted in 1978, 1989, or even in 2000 that a book chronicling this massive tidal wave of historic change, with excellent essays by its editor Phillip Pullella and others acting as a frame for the very special photos, would be published about the Pope reaching across national borders and political philosophies with forewords by the unlikely duo of Lech Walesa and Mikhail Gorbachev!

As we left the exhibit that day in Assisi, we commented to each other that the photographs deserved to be in a book for countless others who could not see them in person to enjoy. So even before seeing it I purchased several copies having a hunch it would be great, and it is the perfect book to have and to give as a gift. I have never written an Amazon (or any other)review before, but I am pleased and honored to do so for "Pope John Paul II:Reaching Out Across Borders." ... Read more