During the time of the Troubles in Ireland, Master Pao of Vendylor, a realm in the multiverse of evolved beings of light, comes to Earth in the form of a small kitten in order to help a young woman in Kiltimagh, Ireland, struggling with the anguish of losses in her life. The kitten “magically” turns her world upside down and helps to improve her life and the lives of all with whom he comes into contact. He is joined by others from Vendylor: Master Kuo, the "boss" and Master Drock, the Antagonist. The three try to “pass” as Earthlings and chaos, adventure, and phantasmagorical happenings ensue. The animals in the story tele-communicate and are evolved as compared to the sometimes “clueless” humans. The story speeds toward human transformation and spiritual ascendance back to Vendylor. This gentle adventure teaches that: "Love heals everything." The philosophy behind “Lesson of Pao,” and the message that implicitly permeates the story is that everything in life is made better by coming to it through love, in short, that “love heals everything.” There are multiple levels of beings in the story. There’s the evolved level of the Vendylorians, the so-called “enlightened” beings who teach and serve the lesser-evolved inhabitants of the multiverse. Then, there are the humans, rife with ego, frailty, angst and confusion. Lastly, there are the kitties and the other animals that are subservient to the humans, but that are superior in their pure spirituality. The surprising truth is that imperfection exists at all of these levels. Even the Vendylorians are continually working on improving. They also are subject to anger, pettiness, misguided behaviors and ego. Cases in point are Master Kuo’s explosive temper, Master Drock’s arrogance and ego, and Master Pao’s righteousness. The humans are mired in their shortcomings. One obvious case is Paddy Coogan, a miserable, hateful, depressed and hopeless old farmer, who had given up on ever being happy. The animals have their own limitations derived by “forgetting” their naturally evolved state and by observing and imitating the flawed behaviors of their human masters. Lucia is a good example of this trap as she exhibits jealousy and pettiness toward her sister, Kay Cee. Therefore, it seems clear that the snags along the way to spiritual enlightenment afflict all living material beings. In “Lessons” Master Pao is aware that he is imperfect, and he’s working on that; but he is also aware of the obstacles blocking spiritual evolution in Earth creatures. Therefore, he subtly directs them how to love in order to reach enlightenment. So really, what are Pao’s lessons? The main lessons to be learned are that only love can create the happiness that we seek, and that only by recognizing and respecting the love within each other can we get there.

As a young boy, Pao comes to Jamaica in the wake of the Chinese civil war and rises to become the Godfather of Kingston's bustling Chinatown. Pao needs to take care of some dirty business, but he is no Don Corleone. The rackets he runs are small time and the protection he provides necessary, given the minority status of the Chinese in Jamaica. Pao, in fact, is a sensitive guy in a wise guy role that doesn't quite fit. Often mystified by all that he must take care of, Pao invariably turns to Sun Tsu's Art of War. The juxtaposition of the weighty, aphoristic words of the ancient Chinese sage, and the tricky criminal and romantic predicaments Pao must negotiate goes far toward explaining the novel's great charm. A tale of post-colonial Jamaica from a unique and politically potent perspective, Pao moves from the last days of British rule through periods of unrest at social and economic inequality, though tides of change that will bring Rastafarianism and the Back to Africa Movement. Jamaica is transforming: And what is the place of a Chinese man in this new order? Pao is an utterly beguiling, unforgettable novel of race, class and creed, love and ambition, and a country in the throes of tumultuous change.

Despite its reputation as the most impressive naval force in the world, the U.S. Navy is in trouble, according to the author of this book, and systemic weaknesses could be its undoing. Here, military sociologist Roger Thompson provides a compelling, often scathing, assessment of the U.S. Navy and its learning disabilities and then presents a convincing argument for reform. Thompson points to the U.S. Navy's "up or out" promotion system, massive personnel turnover, inexperienced crews, and drug and alcohol abuse as problems that make it difficult for the Navy to build cohesive, well-trained fighting units. In a review of the Navy's recent history, he finds that its ships, submarines, and aircraft are often outperformed in competitions and exercises with other navies—and its failures are either denied altogether or perfunctorily excused. Diesel submarines—so quiet that they are rarely detected until it's too late to prevent an attack—routinely surpass expensive U.S. nuclear subs and put U.S. aircraft carriers in danger. American naval pilots, whose weapons are often improperly tested, are frequently bested by military pilots from other countries. Because the U.S. Navy doesn't have enough surface ships to protect its capital ships, American carrier strike groups now use Canadian ships as escorts. Shortcomings like these, Thompson argues, undermine the Navy's potential and should be cause for national concern. In presenting a side of the U.S. Navy that's rarely discussed, this book spells out lessons the Navy must learn if it is going to succeed in an era of asymmetrical warfare—of David-versus-Goliath conflicts. In his conclusion, the author puts forth a twelve-step program that calls on the U.S. Navy to rethink its naval strategy, to lose some weight, and to focus on the fundamentals.