[.ca] Ethical Ambition (ISBN 1582343039)

From Amazon.co.uk:
Author of Ethical Ambition Derrick Bell is a constitutional lawyer currently teaching at NYU law school and is the author of seven books including the New York Times bestseller Faces at the Bottom of the Well. Ethical Ambition is a slim volume offering wise council on the matter of living a life of integrity and worth. Setting out six principles on which to live our lives Bell urges us to live a life of passion, to have the courage of our convictions, to rely on our loved ones and our faith for support, to have the humility to know when our best intentions go astray. It sounds like a book of ethical platitudes for the young written by a wise old paid-his-dues do-gooder with some interesting stories to tell. It is, but it is none the worse for that. Bell has walked the walk in his own life as lawyer/activist in the NAACP but also in his academic life where he suffered the indignity of being stripped of his tenure and dismissed from Harvard for taking a principled stand. The really interesting parts of the book are Chapters 1, 3 and 6. The first is an unusual take on the notion of passion. The third is a fine example of what it means to have religious faith in the modern world—a world of science and technology--without compromising one's intellectual integrity. Bell is a non-theistic progressive Christian reformer in the mould of John Shelby Sponge who also understands how and why the Christian myths were created in the first place and why it is time to get beyond theism. The final chapter is a disarming confession of his own failures as a social reformer, specifically it is a critique of the arrogance and self-righteousness of liberal lawyers losing touch with their community, with real-world politics, and the needs of those whose rights they believed themselves to be defending and upholding. More broadly it is a retrospective of the failures of liberalism in the late twentieth century. Overall, Ethical Ambition is easy, if not always comfortable, reading, with more than enough in it to keep the reader interested and on their ethical toes. --Larry Brown

Kudos for this fine book:
Although I know of the author, I didn't read any of his works until this one. This one grabbed me because it explored the various things people do in exchange of comfort,personal freedom. Mr Bell pointed out that his mother went to the landlord with the rent money, and told them that if they wanted to see the money, they better fix the steps to their home which was in disrepair. The steps were fixed.Another example told of Bell in the early 60s, after suffering indignities on a trip to Mississippi, unwittingly went into a phone booth in the white section, and got pulled out of the booth by two police officers. But he feels that giving up something on the matter of principle, bought the greatest rewards in the end. And it is something that he(the author) experienced himself. Thought provoking and enlightening.

A Voice Crying in the Wilderness:
The stories within these pages makes my so-called ethical struggles pale in comparison but the message is clear. Your ethics will be challenged and upholding an ethical choice will most likely require sacrifices that are necessary if you are to adhere to choices that you can truly live with. I liken the meaning of this message to "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but suffer the loss of his own soul." I hope and pray that more people will respond ethically if for no other reason than they want to do the right thing; reading this book may help you in that endeavor. God Speed!

A Meditation for All:
I was a student of Professor Bell's at law school many years ago. I have followed his career with interest since then, and have read a number of his marvelous and creative "law books" which explore issues of equality and human rights. Those books are very accessible to readers, whether they are familiar with legal issues or not. "Ethical Ambition" goes well beyond anything Derrick Bell has ever written. This is his meditation on living a successful and ethical life. I read the book (my first reading) in two nights, and was mesmerized by his stories and insights. I found myself tearing up a sheet of paper and placing it between the pages that I wanted to come back to and further explore. I think the book is intended as a springboard to thought by the reader, as he or she explores his or her own life and the lives of others who have influenced us. It is intended to be shared with others as a "gift"--you want other people to have their own experiences with the book, which is a most effective surrogate for visiting with Professor Bell and the people around him. I have been asked to speak to a group of law students about the impact of the civil rights movement of the 1960s on the practice of law and the treatment of minority lawyers and clients. I feel that I am infinitely more capable of expressing my own ideas after spending time with this book, which helped to elucidate and clarify ideas that were not well formulated in my own mind. What more may one ask of a book or a teacher? In addition to what you may gain, this meditation on life's great themes is an easy and enjoyable read. Please take the trip with Professor Bell and his life companions--it will be a most worthwhile, honest and life-affirming journey, and should leave you with a better understanding of your own life and an appreciation for the lives of people around you

A Key for Success:
Professor Bell deserves kudos on his latest book,Ethical Ambition. I completed his book several weeeks ago and found it to be food for the soul and mind. I particularly enjoyed the life and faith lessons that can be learned from this book. Professor Bell's examples of making ethically moral choices even when they are unpopular were extraordinary. The several examples where he resigned due to his employer's lack of inclusiveness, or where he was denied his constitutional right to free association were memorable. Also, most noteworthy are the examples of the Israeli soldiers that risked court martial for the rights of other people; and the college dean that questioned why the college athletes were allowed to graduate with minimal skills while tutors and professors pass them along. Each one of his examples of human courage made me reflect and feel warm and peaceful inside. By reading this book, I, too, became reflective and tried to envision how this book had meaning in my life. I remembered the circumstance when I refused to join an organization because I was told not all races were included. I refused to join because the price to my morals and any notion that I have to right and wrong would have been irreparable. I think one of the main lessons to remember from this book is that we are all here together. We can not live our lives in a vacuum. We must make ethical life choices for the betterment of the human race. God bless Professor Bell and us too because we are able to read his writing that enrich our lives. Professor Bell is a wonderful person and exquisite writer with vision. I thoroughly enjoyed his thoughtful, knowledgeable and humanistic views of our life experiences. By reading this book, I can truly say I know the value of using ethics and morals to attain a successful relationship and career. This book is a great American story of perserverance, hard work and strong moral fiber that is the fabric of this great country we call America.

A Good Book:
I put off reading this book because I thought it either had to be sanctimonious or boring--it's neither. I picked it up and wasn't able to put it back down. Derrick Bell gives such refreshing advice to younger readers. I found the book very inspiring and honest. Well worth reading as long as you keep in mind that Bell is sincere about what he says and has lived what he preaches.