Just Peace: A Message of Hope (0050837239326): Mattie J.T. Stepanek, Jennifer Smith Stepanek, Jimmy Carter: Books
Just Peace: A Message of Hope Hardcover – March 1, 2006
by Mattie J.T. Stepanek (Author), & 2 more
4.9 out of 5 stars 32 customer reviews
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About the Author
Mattie J.T. Stepanek was a poet, a peace activist, and the best-selling author of the Heartsongs poetry series. He was a motivational speaker and the National Goodwill Ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association for three years. He died in June 2004 from dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy. The Mattie Fund was established at MDA to specifically continue research of treatments and cures for childhood neuromuscular diseases.
Mattie's mom, Jeni Stepanek, is a Ph.D. candidate in early childhood special education. She is an inspirational speaker and writer and a national vice president for MDA. She lives in Maryland with Micah, the service dog she and Mattie shared.
Jimmy Carter is a former United States president and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In 1982, he founded the Carter Center, a nonpartisan and nonprofit group that addresses national and international issues of public policy, including resolving conflict, promoting democracy, preventing disease and other afflictions, and protecting human rights throughout the world.
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Top Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Peace is Possible"
By Robert M. Balkam on March 4, 2006
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
Having served 38 months in Europe in World War II, peace has always meant a great deal to me. While I had sympathy for conscientious objectors and admiration for peace organizations, none of their positions seemed to really `fit'. There was a missing link which I never identified until I heard and understood Mattie Stepanek's message. Its simplicity defines its great strength:
"Peace starts with me. Make Peace an attitude. Make Peace a Habit. Make peace a reality."
Furthermore, he makes a very convincing case for the practicality of living this way and of ultimately having an effect on others. President Carter's many contributions to peace, meriting the Nobel Peace Prize, are widely known and appreciated. His collaboration with Mattie adds real substance to the book and validates Mattie's thesis that "Peace is possible".
A very fitting bonus is the collection of e-mails exchanged between Mattie and "Jimmy" which reveal a closeness that one might never guess would exist between two separated by generations, backgrounds and experience. Jeni Stepanek, Mattie's mom, as Editor, melds the whole package together with amplifying comments in all the appropriate places
It is difficult to imagine a more compelling presentation. It is so compelling that my conviction is that a person who had never before heard of Mattie, or read any of his previous works, could be just as convinced as I am. If you think the world is presently in a serious and troubled state, try reading "Just Peace" in order to discover a possible and even better way.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Powerful reading -- I was surprised
By Rekz kaRZ on March 10, 2006
Format: Hardcover
I was poking around a bookstore & saw this book. Recently, I saw Jimmy Carter running around SF, and I saw his face on the book. Then I opened it, and was blown away. Jimmy Carter loved this boy bc his innocence and sincerity were so huge in the face of his own personal traumas.
This young kid, Mattie, had both vision and enough writing skill to deliver accessible, powerful poetic visions. He died in '04, but his vision will linger.
I'm not your typical reader of this kind of stuff. I prefer scifi/fantasy, and how-to books. I write poetry for pleasure, and have been published, but that's also not a common book genre for me either. Generally I prefer more radical, powerful, left-wing writing.
I strongly suggest people consider this book, or at least look at his website and read some of the poetry: [...]
There are poets who are elaborate, who paint lengthy pictures. And there are poets like Mattie, who write poems that hit so hard with using a simple structure. I haven't finished the book yet (bought it yesterday), so I can't give it 5 stars yet, but I find it very inspiring.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing Grace
By Lolly on March 13, 2006
Format: Hardcover
Im fourteen years old, and Mattie Stepaneks words have showed me that it make look like you have everything, but you're really in dire need of help.
Mattie Stepanek went through an amazing amount of emotional pain, physical pain, and yes, it all cost his mother a large sum of money.
Not only was the boy sick -- but they would have to live in peoples basements, and get food from churches in order to survive the "storm".
But Mattie held his head high and believed that you really can "Play after every storm".
This book is one of the /best/ books Ive ever read. Mattie is a TRUE poet, and a REAL peacemaker!
And its true -- all we need is PEACE!
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A Profound and Inspirational Book
By penarts on April 4, 2007
Mattie J. T. Stepanek's book is one of the most profound and inspirational books I have ever read. I don't know if any of you had the privilege of encountering young Mattie on his numerous television appearances on Oprah, Good Morning America, Larry King, or the Jerry Lewis M.D. telethon, but if you did, or did not, I invite you to read this book by this best-selling young poet, peacemaker and philosopher. Mattie J.T. Stepanek died in June, 2004, weeks before his 14th birthday. I have all his previous poetry books, but this book goes far beyond his poetry, with brilliant essays, and email correspondence with his hero, President Jimmy Carter. His essays are incredible, filled with wisdom and insights that hardly seem possible coming from such a young mind.
Mattie wrote these words: "I believe that I am here to reach out and touch the world gently with my thoughts and my experiences, and with my observations and my reactions, to help people more fully appreciate and respect all aspects of life. I believe that I am here, even if only for a few handful of years, to help people consider the important matter of future, during our lifetime, and for eternity."
His essays are profound and I find I cannot even put into words the value of his work, except to say it has to be shared. You may think, oh, this is a kid, what can he know. Trust me, his writing is beautiful, his philosophy profound, insightful, and filled with a wisdom far, far, beyond his age. His legacy is a gift for humanity, and those of us who did encounter Mattie will never forget this special angel, a messenger of peace, and those who now read his book, will also remember
Mattie J. T. Stepanek lived and died a child, but he had the spirit and wisdom of an old soul. In his short thirteen years, he became a poet, best-selling author, and peace activist, and his words touched millions of our hearts. Before his death in June 2004, his six volumes of "Heartsongs" poetry have sold more than a million copies. It is my hope that "Just Peace, A Message of Hope," will also reach millions of hearts and minds throughout the world.
I have bought a number of copies of "Just Peace: A Message of Hope" as gifts for my family and friends.
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Spirituality, Mind-Body, Gender, Ecology, Ageing, Peace, Scrapbook (in English and Korean)
