How to Achieve a Heaven on Earth [Paperback]

John Wade II (Editor), Donald Frampton (Introduction), Right Honorable Charles "Tony" Blair (Contributor), Then] President-Ele Barack Obama (Contributor), George Bush (Contributor), Thomas Friedman (Contributor), David Brooks (Contributor), Leonard Pitts Jr. (Contributor), Nicholas Kristof (Contributor), Sir Clive Granger (Contributor), Dan Reiter (Contributor), Thomas McFaul (Contributor), Michael Nagler (Contributor), Rodolphe Adada (Contributor), Robert "Ted" Turner III (Contributor), Paul Marek (Contributor), Gal Luft (Contributor), James Glassman (Contributor), Walter Wink (Contributor), Alexandra Mack (Contributor), Chef Paul Prudhomme (Contributor), Martin Rutte (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 11, 2010

A fascinating octopus of a book on global change, reaching in all directions at once. -Library Journal This collection of 101 essays from some of today's most notable thinkers and leaders focuses on the large problems of society, as well as every day challenges, and encourages readers to envision a positive change. The essays explore the themes of peace, democracy, prosperity, racial harmony, ecology, and health, encouraging readers to find meaning in their own lives and share it with others.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"These essays encourage readers to reflect on their own means of achieving peace in their lives, making a fine addition to any general lending library!" -Midwest Book Review "A fascinating octopus of a book on global change, reaching in all directions at once." -Library Journal "These small and simple solutions have the capacity to proliferate and create a global impact." -Our Simple Joys Contributions from 101 of the most prestigious thinkers, writers, public figures, and other luminaries on a wide range of topics fill the pages of this meditation on how to make the world a better place. Focusing on the large problems of the world as well as the little challenges people face, How to Achieve a Heaven on Earth tackles the momentous question of what each of us can do to improve our community, our country, and our world, one step at a time. John E. Wade II is an author, investor, philanthropist, and founder of the nonprofit organization Soldiers of Love. An active member of his church and civic organizations in his area, Wade holds an MA from the University of Georgia and has worked in a range of fields. His extensive travels, including visits to China, India, Egypt, Israel, Syria, Jordan, and Brazil, inspired him to collect the essays in this work. Wade lives in New Orleans, Louisiana.

From the Back Cover

"Powerful, engaging, inspiring! This diverse collection of essays makes real the possibility of heaven on earth." --Meagan O'Nan, author, Creating Your Heaven on Earth "How to Achieve a Heaven on Earth is an inspiring and uplifting book. It is a thoughtful compilation of essays and other works that address the key elements of life in today's world." --Peter Ashenden, president/CEO, Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance "This book is a miscellany of experiences and ideas from well-known people such as Mother Teresa and Warren Buffett as well as ordinary people who have had extraordinary experiences. They will inform and inspire you . . . and perhaps lead you to become one of those people who creates solutions for others and for the world instead of just complaining about the problems." --Michael Norton, author, 365 Ways to Change the World "Some of the world's modern thinkers, leaders, activists, and writers offer insights on the world and what they believe can be done to find peace, security, freedom, moral purpose, meaning, and more." -Catholic Digest

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Pelican Publishing (January 11, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1589805976
• ISBN-13: 978-1589805972
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #875,857 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Gal Luft is executive director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security (IAGS) a Washington based think tank focused on energy security and co-founder of the Set America Free Coalition, an alliance of national security, environmental, labor and religious groups promoting ways to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil. He specializes in strategy, geopolitics, terrorism, energy security, natural resources and economic warfare. Newsweek Magazine called him a "tireless and independent advocate of energy security," the business magazine Poder called him "one of the most recognizable figures in modern energy and security issues," and Esquire Magazine included him in its 2007 list of America's Best and Brightest. Dr. Luft has published numerous studies and articles on security and energy issues in various newspapers and publications such as Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, The American Interest, Commentary Magazine, Middle East Quarterly, LA Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. He is co-author of Energy Security Challenges for the 21st Century (2009) and Turning Oil into Salt: Energy Independence Through Fuel Choice (2009.) He is author of Beer, Bacon and Bullets: Culture in Coalition Warfare from Gallipoli to Iraq. He appears frequently in the media and consults to various think tanks and news organizations worldwide. Dr. Luft testified before committees of the U.S. Congress, including Senate Foreign Relations, House International Relations, House Science and the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. He is a founding member of the Institute for Renewable Energy Policy, The International Lithium Alliance, OurEnergyPolicy.org and Citizens for Energy Freedom as well as a member of the Society of Industry Leaders, the Committee on the Present Danger and other non-profit groups. He holds degrees in international relations, international economics, Middle East studies and strategic studies and a doctorate in strategic studies from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS,) Johns Hopkins University.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, Thought provoking, February 26, 2010

By 

John Chancellor "Mentor coach" (Spring Hill, TN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How to Achieve a Heaven on Earth (Paperback)

John Wade II starts with a goal or mission: "I will try to love and help create a heaven on earth." To accomplish this he starts with defining what would be necessary to achieve a heaven on earth.

He came up with ten elements: 1. Peace, 2. Security, 3. Freedom,
4. Democracies, 5. Prosperity 6. Spiritual harmony, 7. Racial harmony,
8. Ecological harmony, 9. Health and 10. Moral purpose and meaning.

He then defines what he understands each element to mean. He does all this in the preface to the book. This is probably the most valuable part of the book. Here he sets out his mission and philosophy and you need to understand this to know the purpose and direction of the book.

Next he has assembled short essays from 101 authors that give their perspective on one of these elements. These essays are generally one to two pages. The authors include an extremely well known cross section of thinkers and leaders.

There is a wonderful mixture of ideas and thoughts presented here. There is no doubt that each reader will find some essays that really touch them and some that don't. This must be the case with presenting such a wide variety of authors.

What you gain from the book will depend to some extent on your personal philosophy and how open you are to new ideas and thoughts.

Because there are so many different authors and the essays are of necessity very short, no one is able to explore any topic in great detail. Depending on your taste, this is either very good or very bad. There is something to be said for being exposed to many different viewpoints and being able to pick and choose what you read. It is certainly not necessary to read cover to cover. I would pick and choose which essay I read. It is a great book for reading when you have very limited time.

I found the most thought provoking essay to be A Look at Radical Islam by Paul Marek. But there were literally dozens of great essays in the book.

The book would also make a great gift. Anyone can find a number of essays they like in this book.

The overall philosophy of the book is certainly one we all should give more attention to: trying to make the world a better place, creating a heaven on earth.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Making it Happen, March 16, 2010

By 

Copthorne Macdonald (Prince Edward Island, Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How to Achieve a Heaven on Earth (Paperback)

Length:: 2:56 Mins

Whether we are religious or not, the heaven-on-earth idea resonates. It is positive in the extreme, and universally understood. It is an idea that stirs the imagination and can motivate us to do something personal to help bring it about. While the 101 essays in this book take 101 different slants on the issue, all are upbeat. And although many of them point out problems and roadblocks, they also highlight solutions and ways around those roadblocks. Most of the essays suggest a particular way of making a contribution to the world around us. None of these contributions, by themselves, will bring about a heaven on earth. But taken together they give us a sense of the power inherent in a multitude of small individual actions. And while none of the suggested ways may be exactly your way or my way, I don't think any of us could read this book without getting our own thoughts deeply stirred. The result: we are very likely to get insight into how we ourselves could nudge the process in the direction of that heaven-on-earth ideal.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to Achieve A Heaven On Earth, March 12, 2010

By 

Daniel P. Agatino - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How to Achieve a Heaven on Earth (Paperback)

John Wade offers to the world an eclectic mix of essays that will uplift and inspire you. His vision of building a better world is presented in 101 short contributions on subjects as diverse as politics to gardening. I have had the distinct pleasure of meeting Mr. Wade in person and he strikes me as a man committed to the betterment of the lives of those around him. As a contributor to this project myself, I am amazed at the diversity among my co-authors. This abundance of opinion and perspectives is a great testament to John Wade's stated goal of achieving a heaven on earth. Like an orchestra with strings, woodwinds, percussions and brass, Mr. Wade conducts a plethora of distinct authors but harmonizes them into a single great symphony. Bravo!