From Robert Nasir This past weekend

My Amazon.com Review of Heart Of A Pagan:

For inspiration, motivation, and pure fun..., July 3, 2002

Reviewer: Robert C. Nasir (see more about me) from Redford, MI USA

Powerful Stuff!

For inspiration, motivation, and outright fun, it's hard to beat Heart Of A Pagan by Dr. Andrew Bernstein.

If you're looking for a good basketball story, it's in there. The soul of a champion? Meet Swoop, the self-made conqueror of the b-ball court. Overcoming obstacles? You'll find a couple of the best role models in contemporary literature. And Heart Of A Pagan is perhaps the best advocate of the unity of the mental and the physical, of the Greek ideal of a healthy mind and a healthy body.

But what makes this book unique is the strength with which it delivers the message that the proper object of reverence is Man at his highest and best. The characters of Swoop and Diggs in Heart Of A Pagan stand as reminders of our own highest aspirations. Not since discovering Howard Roark in Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead (highly recommended!) have I felt so strongly that too-rare reaction: a combination of joy and immediacy, that I want to be and can be, have been and will be, a hero; just like them.

I recommend this book to men and women of greatness everywhere - and all who aspire to join their ranks.

From Robert Nasir This past weekend, my wife Amy and I had the unique pleasure of visiting Dr. Bernstein and his charming wife in New York, joining them and a couple dozen other adventurers on a hike up Breakneck Ridge, a climb of 1200 feet. All members of "the EGO Group," an Objectivist study group in the Detroit area, Amy, Katie Gehrman and I travelled from Michigan, and Eric Lakits flew in from Germany, just for the event. We were pushed to (and for some of us, past) our limits of endurance. There was a little blood, much sweat (at 94 degrees F) and more than enough pain, but everyone ultimately triumphed, reaching the top, with great pride and no regrets. A highlight was an opportunity to talk to Prodos himself, as he interviewed Andy from the mountain. Mixed into his conversation with the good doctor, Four of us had a chance to converse with Prodos - and I assume all may look forward to hearing the results soon on Prodos.com (right, boss?)! [Prodos: Online shortly @ http://PRODOS.COM :-) Swoop Troop will be first to be informed of it!] At the summit, Andy gave a "Sermon On The Mount" to the group or heroic climbers: an interesting, and often stirring, discussion of Heart Of A Pagan (which I videotaped for posterity - I may make it available online with Dr. Bernstein's approval). The wind-down that evening was a barbeque held at Bernstein Haus (and Andy's wife is an outstanding cook)! All in all, it was an event to remember. And to be inspired by for a long time to come. Those who are curious what this band of intrepid ascenders looked like will find some snapshots online at http://egoplace.com/pictures. Swifter, HIGHER, Stronger, indeed!