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A must read for anyone with a chronic or life threatening illness
As a psychotherapist, I have recommended and loaned out this cassette many times. This reading will give a patient a template for moving through the most difficult battle they can face, their own physical health and life threatening diagnosis. The positiveness Dr. Chopra talks about within the reading will assist anyone to move through the experience. I highly recommend it and after lending it to my clients, they went and purchased their own copy to play it over and over. That says something, doesn't it? Holly K. Klein LSCSW/LCSW | 1positive
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3 card Monte
By far the best part of this book is its droll, ironic, facetious demolition of the cultural relativists turned deconstructionists. As Gellner observes, relativism is good for allowing people their choice of wallpaper, little more.I was disappointed that there was not more in this brief book on fundamentalist Islam, since it was advertised as having been written as half of a duplex along with an Islamic historian.My main critique of Postmodernism ... is that Gellner presents the reader with a kind of intellectual 3 card monte. Postmodernism on the left is 'bad,' fundamentalist religion on the right is 'bad,' ergo, the only card left standing, in the middle, his brand of Englightenment Fundamentalist Secularism (as he candidly calls it) must by the process of elimination be 'good.'But those 3 categories are numerically incomparable. There might be 50 thousand committed postmodernists in the world--insignificant. There might be 400 million EFS's in the world, western europe plus bicoastal university USA. There are probably 2-3 billion committed religious believers in the world. But folks in Gellner's and the postmodern microcosms snobbishly condescend to those poor beknighted refugees from the 13th century.Gellner's big mistake here is to equate all sincere religious belief with fundamentalism, a bad gaffe for a sociologist, who should at least be able to correctly report what a given community thinks, believes, etc., even if he doesn't agree. But most Christians I know, and I believe most Muslims, and Hindus, are post rationalist, not pre-rationalist. That is, we take the best of the enlightenment, dredge its many infirmities, and add the good to the already very good religious faith. Two superb examples of this would be Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, both of whom were highly degreed and intellectually acclaimed in the maw of the enlightenment, saw its positives, rejected its weaknesses, and blended the one with the other, to create a superior development (not change) to 21st century Catholicism.Gellner is to be praised for admitting that the 2 attempts at putting 100% pure enlightenment-ism into political action were train wrecks, the french and russian revolutions. He also admits that his enlightenment fundamentalist rationalist secularist religion probably could have only grown up on Judaeo-Christian soil. But the problem is, is that the EFRS religion has been living off the fumes of Christendom for centuries, cutting the limb on which it is sitting, and soon the cultural vacuum which is europe (and bicoastal USA) will be ripe for plucking by immigrants with a more muscular response than 'whatever.' | 1positive
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Brilliant! But one small complaint...
I thought this book was an incredibly well-written and researched piece of journalistic excellence.However, I have one small complaint. On the cover, under the words "Unfit for Command," there is a picture of Senator John Kerry, a decorated and corageous veteran of the Vietnam War. I'm sure the publisher *meant* to put a picture of President George W. Bush, who spent the much of the duration of the Vietnam War absent from his Air National Guard post. Not to mention killing 1000 of our brave soldiers and countless Iraqi civilians through bald-faced lies thirty years later.Other than that "Unfit For Command" is a great book.(Seriously, though, if you absolutely must read this book, steal it. God will forgive you.) | 0negative
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Skating through the high life...
A close friend loaned this book to me with a once-removed recommendation (he hasn't read it), and despite some initial hesitation, I finished it in about a week.The story demands attention like exposed cults, drunk teenagers with firearms, the spectacular failure of celebrity marriages... and more! For example, on page 54 Sean explains, offhand, that while still dating his mother, "Dad had not not only been dating Dede Traina [his mother's best friend and father's future wife] and Danielle Steele, but also Dinah Shore, at the same time"Sean takes us on a frank, privileged, often unpleasant, but delightfully written and often hilarious adventure of his early life. The ridiculous extravagance around him calls into sharp relief the basics (like parents) he lacks, and starkly clarifies their relative importance.Otherwise, as a resident of San Francisco over the last decade+, Sean's 1980's high-society experience in SF intrigues me both for its own sake, and in contrast to my own and more or less a-societal youth in 1980's Los Angeles. | 1positive
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a bit Boring!
I bought this book thinking it'll have lots of cool information about one of my previous favorite shows but when I read it, I saw that most of the stuff inside was what other people think about Lizzie McGuire and it had that same old advice on popularity, friends, family and bullying. So as you could guess it was really boring and I never even finished it! If you need some advice try some other better book. I still rated this book 2 stars though because some people might find the information in it interesting... | 0negative
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Misguided Attempt
If you're willing to work at it, there is the usual gorgeous Faulkner syntax, but to mine that you must wade through a confused and boring storyline, and characters I can almost see Old Bill gleefully cutting out of the most grotesque sort of colored paper and pasting on the page. Far too often you are required to reread and piece together clues to see who is talking and what is happening. There is no flow, no rhythm, which is fine if you have moments of reward along the way, or the big reward at the end. This doesn't happen and the work survives, as well as it does, simply by a genius pulling occasional tricks out of his bag to keep it going. It reads like the first draft of a bad idea, written by a great writer. Shame on you, Bill! Flannery O'Connor is much better at this sort of thing and doesn't confuse you too much in the process.This work screams for a tough editor. On the second page there is this sentence: "They squatted so, facing one another across the spring, for two hours." Faulkner neglects to say where these two gentlemen received their superhuman powers, but details like these (and the work is full of them) diminish the overall effect. All the ingredients are here for a great tale, but the necessary design never happened, and the result is a mildly interesting mess.Far more entertaining are the usual five-star cudos of those throwing themselves on the Faulkner alter, their minds wretching out of shape to bring dignity and order to all this. I kept wondering--where did they get their version of the book? There has to be accountibility, even from a master. | 0negative
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Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way
Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way is an excellent book for school administrators specifically in the area of leadership. It identifies the latest research and trends, as well as practical application in the running of a school. This is a modern guide for the school leader. | 1positive
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Expected more
This is the first of her novels that I read, and I have to say that I expected more. The characters are weakly drawn, and maybe because I'm not English, I didn't understand their motivations. In addition I didn't like any of the characters, and couldn't identify with them. It was also very very depressing. | 0negative
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Disappointing
I've read all of Michael Prescott's novels and loved them all except this one. DANGEROUS GAMES was a major disappointment.I hate having to admit it, but I found it so boring that I couldn't even finish it.Hopefully his next one will be better. | 0negative
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Nope
This book asserts that the South had every right to secede from the Union in 1860 and that the Civil War(or the War for Southern Independence)was nothing more than a war of Northern aggression. While the Kennedys have a point(keeping the Southern states in the nation by force was exactly what Great Britain tried to do in 1776)and present a lot of history that gets ignored(insofar as it deals with what today would be called war crimes by the "good guys"), this book fails for several reasons. Slavery, as the Kennedy brothers assert, may not have been as bad as all that. But, pleasant as it may have been, human beings still owned other human beings. The Kennedys resent Northern stereotyping of Southerners. But they believe they know exactly how "Yankees" think and act in just about every situation. And their criticisms of Northern business and cultural hegemony ring a bit hollow these days, given that Arkansan Bill Clinton is President, Tennessean Al Gore is Vice-President, Kentuckian Harland Sanders helped pioneer the idea of fast food, Arkansan Sam Walton has decimated small towns from one end of this country to the other, and Georgian Ted Turner has been Ted Turner | 0negative
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Danielle missed the mark this time
I am an advid Danielle Steel fan and "pre-ordered" her new book so I could feast on it ASAP! I was in for a huge disappointment. The story is sweet but could have/should have been sold as a short story. It left me feeling cheated, having paid full price for a hardcover book that was clearly a rush job. If you feel you must read it... do yourself a favor... wait for it to hit your local library or USED bookstore | 0negative
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EZ Reads - Sleazy Binding
This review is about the EZ Reads binding, not the novel.The Devils is one of the monuments of world literature. Anybody who appreciates it would want a copy which is a pleasure to hold and read through a long life. EZ Reads has produced a monumentally tacky binding for it, which does not justify the price ($35.71 when I bought it). I'm sending it back. I'll keep looking in used book stores, and I will never buy another title from this publisher.Caveat emptor. | 0negative
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As You Wish (Time Passages)
What's not to love. I love Time Travel books and this book was in great condition, a great price and shipped pronto.Thank you!Nancy | 1positive
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Phenomenal!
A superb third book in his Series. Kept me up all night and then some. I anxiously await his fourth "A Dance with Dragons". I just wish it were out already! | 1positive
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Living Dead In Dallas
I have really enjoyed this whole series of Sookie Stackhouse Books. Real page turners.This is the first book in the series. Each book builds on the other and has great characters and mystery.Dead Until Dark (Original MM Art) (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood) | 1positive
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AMAZON.COM WAKEUP! THERE ARE TEN (10) IDENTICAL REVIEWS!
Pardon me. Haven't read Apollyon, but have been reviewing Amazon's Bestseller List and happened to check this one out. Noticed Amazon's QA/QC (quality assurance/quality control) seems to be lacking. There are ten (10) identical reviews; that sure slants the ratings thus the 1 Star for balance, will rate again after reading the book. AMAZON.COM needs to be a little more QA/QC! | 0negative
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De Bello Gallico
This was the first translation of the Gallic War I read, and it is still my favorite. The index with all the tribes, forts, etc. is particularly useful (a lot of translations don't have one, and to my knowledge none have as comprehensive of one). | 1positive
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Nonbelievers will enjoy this read - my favorite book
I don't happen to be a believer in a higher power, Christian or otherwise, but I thoroughly enjoyed this bus ride from the very first page. C.S. Lewis' writing is contemporary and hits a nerve. The story is about the the great divide between heaven and hell but I was drawn to the character studies. Lewis was a psychologist, self-taught no doubt, by being a keen observer of his fellow travelers. A voracious reader I rarely have time to re-read a book but, I've picked up this one several times; you'll never forget the story. It's the kind of book you can open at any page and have a good read. He shows you that it's the little character flaws that keep you small. And little they are, but powerful. And it's done with a degree of humor which was unexpected. I promise you won't be disappointed. This book is a fairy tale for adults (definitely not for children). It didn't change my views about religion, but I learned some lessons about good and evil. | 1positive
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Boring
Fortune' Rocks Anita ShreveI thought it was boring. Wish I had not wasted my valuable time on it. It almost became one of our Book Club choices. | 0negative
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The End of Fashion
This is a gold mine for the person who has an interest in the history of the business of high fashion. For the rest of us, it was less than spellbinding. The author has done her homework and with documenting her quotes from various fashion designers and experts in the economics of the fashion industry. It reads like a combination of The Wall Street Journal, Vogue Magazine, and someone's Master's Degree Thesis. There were a few small, uninteresting, black and white photographs of fashion designers grinning next to their famous, rich clients. Personally, I would like to have seen some colored photos of some of their work. As a lay person I had no idea what these people created or why it is supposed to be so great. The claim of the book is that The Fashion Industry just met its demise in the 1990s. I'm not sure whether we will ever be completely free of fashions, but I do know that my interest died in this book long before the last page. | 0negative
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This book should be called BORING
This not a good book it was a horiable book. First you are at one place and then your somewhere else in 2-3 pages. And I could not stop reading the horiable book because I had to read it at school. Puls this book was boring and before I did not know which character was who. And for the rating I would of rated it 0 but I had no chose.I where you would not get it! | 0negative
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In their own words...
Very interesting book...As host of Chamorro. com, I've received literally hundreds of inquiries re our Mariana Islands, Chamorro culture and tradition, our language and on and on. The Pacific War is of particular interest.I find Mr. Petty's book very interesting and believe it is a good place to start. What better way to know about the past, even if it is only the recent past and only a small part of the past, than to hear about it from those who were there and in their own words? | 1positive
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Excellent
Nineteenth century literary classic, details a man seeling his wife and daughter and the long term consequence. It's a pretty powerful and deeply ambitious story, one that makes up for a couple feeble plot stimulators with a powerful psychological representation. What's most interesting is the protagonist, the titular individual. A man so committed to drunk and evasion that he will sell off his own family. Also a man that works across the rest of the novel to redeem himself from this moment, but not without much backsliding and fresh egotistical mistakes. He's also capable enough to claw his way up into a position of wealth and authority, but then later lose that fortune, and the book is quite effective in showing the degree to which his admuirable qualities are tied in with his core defects. He's far from a monster, and for all the damage his pride and spiteful rejection cause to other lives there is much to admire about him, his strength of character, his general optimism and the way he's able to come forth with strong ethical choice at the most surprising moments. He's an intriguing, complex and overall plausible character, most notably in the way that none of his grand transcendetal moments lack, the way he continually reverts back partially to his earlier ways.More generally, the work shows an engaging cynicism about the status of class, gender and hypocrisy in contemporary England. There are some very strong critiques in here against Victorian society, to the extent that I'm surprised it attained the popularity it did in its own time, and these are always coonected to an engaging novel. It makes me a lot more interested in reading the other nineteenth century literary classics I've so far neglected. And more Hardy, of course.Worse than: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor DostoevskyBetter than: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles DickensAlso better than: Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy | 1positive
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The Bible, Louis L'Amour, Isaac Asimov, Wm. Shakespeare, Mic
elin... profundity..michelinthe prologue to Michener's _Hawaii_.I am surrounded by tempest... the keyboard falters.Caspar, Janet Airlines.. I am off to theClinton #alon/ Saloni shall return, mr. baconspotter,coastwatch,truk island, south pacific state park | 1positive
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very real
It feels real as if you are one of them. Among of the three major characters, you can probably find yourself.I don't like the ending though. I don't think that the jock would have actually come out. And is it necessary for everyone who is gay to come out? I don't agree. | 1positive
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Depressing
Sadly, I couldn't even finish it. It is well written and interesting but it is depressing in the extreme. I read about half and I had to stop reading it and start reading a more uplifting story.I was expecting something closer to her sister's Jane Eyre, oh how wrong I was. | 0negative
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Three-ring Serkis is a special treat for readers...
In the history of modern filmmaking, few actors have been asked to work with special effects so extensive that they were called upon to transcend their craft through the application of new technology.Andy Serkis is one who has, and his recent book, "Gollum: A Behind the Scenes Guide of the Making of Gollum (The Lord of the Rings)," formerly titled "How We Made Movie Magic," is both a fascinating account of how he met that challenge and an interesting look at what it took to create one of the most popular - and critically acclaimed - motion picture trilogies ever done.Lavishly illustrated, this slender, 119-page volume is far more than a talented entertainer's puff piece or vanity publication. It is, instead, an intimate diary of what Serkis went through to capture the complex personality of the strange, morally conflicted creature known as Gollum, whom many readers consider the central character in J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" books. At the same time, Serkis is generous about sharing the stage with his fellow partners in imagination. He gives space to everyone from director Peter Jackson to his FX collaborators at the WETA Workshop to talk about the process involved in producing the most realistic CGI performance to date.As the fallen hobbit Smeagol, Gollum is a giant figure in the often bizarre world of fantasy literature, and the failure to present him believeably might have crippled the whole storyline of the films. Serkis explains just how risky this project was, and what happened to turn him from an initially unenthusiastic participant, who had never read Tolkien's tale, to an ardent champion of developing the part to such an extent that the viewer could actually see the transformation of Smeagol into Gollum. Along the way, his role steadily grew. What Serkis at first guessed would amount to five weeks of voice-over work eventually became five years of grueling, difficult, and often frustrating and physically demanding scenes that had to be done over and over again to get it right.Serkis's dedication paid off, and some of his choices were simply brilliant in how well they caught the essence of Gollum/Smeagol for moviegoers who also had not read the source material before coming to the film adaptation. For instance, his decision to draw on the sound of his cat coughing up a hairball, as a manner of speaking, tied in nicely with the idea that Gollum's pain was stuck in his throat (from the guilt of having strangled his cousin Deagol to death). It gave the audience an audible shorthand for his schizoid nature. In addition, Serkis cleverly used the concept of addiction as a metaphor for Gollum's craving for the corrupting One Ring of Power. Once again, this enabled the casual viewer to find something identifiable and sympathetic even in the repellent and tormented villian before them.On a side note, it is also worth pointing out how much Serkis observed the entire LOTR cast - himself included - gradually blending into their characters, as weeks of filming in New Zealand stretched into months and then years. In his case, although Serkis ultimately got married during his professional journey, he spent long periods on location alone, just as isolated as his fictional alter-ego, Gollum. And Serkis found himself paying a personal price for portraying Gollum when (between shooting LOTR movies) he was acting as Iago in a theatrical production of Shakespeare's "Othello" as well. Needless to say, he writes, "Playing Iago and Gollum at the same time is bad for your mental health." Indeed.So did Andy Serkis deserve an Oscar nomination for all of his hard work to render the role of Gollum in "The Two Towers" and "The Return of the King"? Probably. But he seems not to care much either way. Although he is quick to credit the animators and stop-motion-capture team for their contributions, Serkis convincingly argues that innovative technology is just another means to an end, and that the emotional impact of a movie still depends on the acting and directing and writing of each and every part. And that rests with what is inside the human hearts behind them.It is then perhaps somewhat fitting that Serkis finally dedicates this book to "those who live or have lived in a dark, lonely cave of their own, either driven by incurable obsession or powerless to change their course, `loving and hating themselves' like Gollum." | 1positive
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So, "I am not a grammarian" . . .
Dear Ms. Truss,I had settled into my seat in the waiting area at LaGuardia Airport, looking forward to reading this amusing book that had received such good press.Can you imagine my chagrin as my eyes rested on the following sentence (in the Preface, yet!):Preface, page xxiii - "I tend to feel that if a person genuinely wants to know how to spell Connecticut, you see, they will make efforts to look it up." (italics mine)I simply couldn't believe it! How could you use a plural pronoun to complement a singular subject? I became very upset and quite angry and felt that I simply could read no farther! But after an hour or so, I decided that I would try to be forgiving and tolerant and see what else you might have to say. BUT, here is another example! (Mind you, we are still at the beginning of the book at this point.)The Tractable Apostrophe, page 35 - ...a singing group called Hear'Say. The announcement of the Hear'Say name was quite a national occasion, as I recall; people actually went out in very large numbers to buy their records...(italics mine)You state on page 32 that, "I am not a grammarian." Nor am I, but shouldn't you be, if you are dealing so severely with questions of punctuation? Surely grammar has a lot to do with those "traffic signals of language".But, apparently you are a grammarian, or else you would not have commented thus:Introduction, page 4 -..."eight items or less" (because it should be "fewer")...Introduction, page 5 - "When we hear the construction `Mr. Blair was stood' (instead of `standing') we suck our teeth with annoyance, and when words such as `phenomena', `media', `cherubim' are treated as singular (`The media says it was quite a phenomena looking at those cherubims'), some of us cannot suppress actual screams."Where were your editors? Did they not proof this book? What happened? I expect more than this from England, and feel somewhat betrayed by the slipshoddiness(?) of this publication. (A little melodramatic, perhaps, but nonetheless true.)What to do, what to do - I cannot decide whether or not to finish your book.Sigh. | 0negative
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Interesting and Clever, But Doesn't Deliver
There is no denying that Mark Twain is one of the best American authors. His wit and caustic style is just one of a kind, and his novels, with the in depth plot and yet witty and sardonic characters and the episodes that are at times comic and serious, is what defines that man and author that you either love or hate. In "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court," it may leave some ambiguous. First of all, the idea is clever: making a man from the 19th century go into another time and era in 6th century Britain so he can critique, satarize, and change the lifestyle of it, therefore creating a "frame" that helps us to view how synonymous the time era back then somewhat reflects the 19th century. However, the main problem is that it's not consistent. Diving in the first few chapters is just fine, but then the story goes along a bit too slow and becomes too difficult to digest. In other words, it doesn't get to the point, and quite frankly it gets kind of dull. At times i would read one chapter and stop, feeling as if i read over 100 pages in half an hour, exhausted. I can understand why many would enjoy this novel, but it personally didnt do anything for me. If there was more action, movement, and a more firm plot (at times i didn't really understand what stance Mark Twain was trying to make, he seemed to try to make a satire on the society of the 6th century in England but it becomes ambiguous and lost throughout the story), perhaps i would give this book at least 3 stars. Apparently Mark Twain wasn't at his best when he wrote this book. Sure, the wit and humor is still there, but the excitement that drove the reader to keep on reading just isn't there. Not highly recommended, but if you are interested in it, go for it. Regardless, it's still a good story, just didn't work for me. | 0negative
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Wonderful
One of my favorite classics. I sat down and read it cover to cover as a kid and I still love it today. | 1positive
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A Romantic Suspense for Intelligent readers
In an era of overblown, over simplified, artificial conflict, standard plot books, Elizabeth Lowell has once again produced a book about people we want to meet. Erik and Serena manage to overcome a mountain of problems carried over from their personal and far distant past by weaving trust between each other. No space is wasted on childish conflict, the level of sexuality is adult without being blatant. The introduction of a new series framework is intriguing as a background, and promises many more lost hours of sleep. THANK YOU | 1positive
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substandard book
I am a Jonathan Kellerman/Alex Delaware fan but this book is just plain awful, the worst in this series. It's boring and the character development is almost nonexistent. I actually had to force myself to finish it when halfway through I realized it wasn't going to get any better. Maybe it's time for Kellerman to start a new series. | 0negative
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Interesting topic, poorly presented
The period of history is interesting, but the writing isn't. Lots of names and dates, and it's helpful to know your Guelfs from your Ghibellines, but ultimately the book doesn't deliver. The world continues to scream for writers on Medieval topics with a gift for prose | 0negative
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An Epic Middle
The Two Towers picks up the action right where it left off in Fellowship of the Ring. This installment is has a darker and more desperate tone than Fellowship. With the Fellowship sundered, there is a sense of fear and urgancy among its members. Sam and Frodo continue their journey to Mordor with the Ring. Along the way they make an unusual alliance they hope will speed their trip. At the same time, Aragorn must concern himself with treachery of Saruman while coming to grips with his own destiny.There are more "action" sequences in this book than in Fellowship and that may appeal to those who found the first novel dull. More interesting to me, though was how the notion of fate pervades the book. Aragorn, Frodo, Sam, and Theoden all must put a bit of faith in destiny and undertake tasks that they fear might destroy them. The notion of personal sacrifice helps put in perspective the danger that faces Middle-earth. How dreadful must Sauron be if so many are willing to lay down their lives to stop him. | 1positive
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A beautiful classic!
After seeing the movie several times, decided I should read this classic. I'm surprised I never have read it before. It is wonderfully written! | 1positive
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A must read
All too often we in the West tend to forget how influential Christianity has been on shaping and forming our culture. In St. Basil's work on the Holy Spirit we see how exacting the early Christian faith was in articulating its beliefs. St. Basil the great is known in Orthodoxy and one of the fathers of the Christian Church to bear the title, "Great." When you read this seminal work you can feel the passion and intensity that St. Basil has when dealing with the distortions to the faith. Yet, there is always a sense of hope, humility, and compassion for those who were outside of the Orthodox Church. Read this work and see how important a few little words are to the Christian Faith. | 1positive
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An Intro and footnotes -- Zero History Content
The big problem with this book is its misleading title:"Ancient Palestine: A Historical Introduction". Do you think you might get some history? Nay not so. This is merely 50+ pages of discussion explaining how difficult it is to get a true picture of ancient history. Good only for sending to a hard shell fundementalist who firmly believes every word in the Bible is gospiel truth. Lots of references to where the bible can't be historical accurate. Following what would be an introduction in a normal book, there is a page or two of one line chronological listings of historical periods. Thats it. If you think you are going to get a summary of Palestine History - you will be as shocked and disappointed as I was. | 0negative
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Sight-Sing Any Melody Instantly??
The title of this book promises to teach you to "Sight-Sing Any Melody Instantly". A more appropriate title would have been: "An Introduction to Sight-Singing".The author rejects the 'interval method' as "flawed" - he says it "doesn't work". Yes, it is true that this time-honoured method has its limitations, but so has the method ("trick") that the author advocates. In fact the author writes "as you become more proficient in sight-singing, you'll gradually memorize the sounds of the various scale degrees and thus be able to sing pitches automatically; that is, you won't actually have to go through the ordeal of pretending you're going to sing a famous song for every note you see." Towards the end of the book the author concedes that "although in general I strongly oppose the use of intervals in sight-singing ... sometimes they are indeed the best (or only) choice." The author then provides a very brief description of how you can learn intervals and includes an appendix listing and describing them. The author also uses another time-honoured method to learn how to sing at sight - memorising the relationships the various scale degrees have to each other in major and in minor keys, eg memorising what degrees 1, 3, 5 sound like across major keys.The main shortcoming of the book (a thin book) is that there are not nearly enough practise exercises to be able to "sight-sing any melody instantly". And, the exercises that are provided do not include markings to indicate tempi, dynamics, articulations or phrases (these are all part of singing a melody). Also, the author writes that the "exercises presented here contain no difficult or tricky rhythms ... I wrote all the examples in common keys only ... and in the treble clef only." Finally, the author seems to imply (at least at the start of the book) that you can learn to sing at sight without using an instrument. I would strongly recommend an (inexpensive) electronic keyboard so that you can check the accuracy of the pitches you sing (not necessarily for every note or exercise).The 'trick' the author describes is one way to begin the journey and it is a useful strategy to sing the first note of an unseen song (when there is no accompaniment or pitch pipe). Personally I found the general approach adopted by other sight singing books to be quicker and easier, ie going straight to learning the relationships the tones have to each other in different keys (the author's second method). To memorise scale degree relationships, to sing challenging rhythms, phrases, staccatos, crescendos etc requires consistent practice with a LOT of carefully graded unseen material. For most of us there is no short cut to acquiring the skill of sight-singing "any melody instantly". | 0negative
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A Weak Effort
Tom Robbins usually commands and holds my attention with a masterful use of the language and tremendous sense of humor. This book seems to have beeen written in a hurry, and lacks the qualities that make him stand out as an author.It was unsatisfying on most levels; but, thankfully, it was short.I can reccomend ALL of his other works; but not this one.Try one of his others if you are a novice Robbins fan. This might put you off him, and that would be a mistake! | 0negative
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Great story but only a precursor for what is to come
While it is not absolutely critical to read the Hobbit in order to enjoy the greatest work of fantasy ever written, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Hobbit does provide valuable background information on the later quest. The character development is top notch and the book is a very quick read. Tolkien's ingenuity in creating a time and place is surpassed by none. The one odd thing I noticed is that it appears that the Lord of the Rings was written for a more mature audience than the Hobbit. All that being said, I find myself re-reading the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings every two to three years with the same amount of enjoyment and a growing appreciation each time. | 1positive
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Uhhhhhhh
Senselessly gory, unrealistic timeline and overall WAY overrated. if you are trapped in a hurricane or something and this is around, it is worth a trun thru. But don't go out of your way to get it.I am a fan of this genre of book, but was very disappointed in the story. It just wasn't any good. Like a flat coke. Alas Babylon is a lot better. | 0negative
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Disappointing... reads like a manual
I was so excited to receive this book. I love post-apocalyptic fiction. I wanted to like this book but I just couldn't.Where to begin...1. The author is clearly a subject matter expert when it comes to being a survivalist. He is NOT a fiction writer. He really needed to partner up with someone who could take his knowledge and present it in more of a flowing prose. The whole book reads like he was filling out an incident report!2. Editor - get one. It drove me crazy when the dates didn't match up. He obviously tried to update the book to make it seem more recent but I always keep a mental timeline in my head when reading books but his was a mess.3. Editor - get one. You know how they do product placement in movies where the character carefully drinks their can of coke so that you can read the label? I only wish this book would have been that subtle. The author provides waaaaayyyy too much detail on things that are not germaine to the story. Every brand and model number of every item any character has ever used, seen or thought about is listed in this book.4. This might not bother some people but cramming the Christian thing down my throat got old. How many times do I need to read about women described as "God-fearing Christian women who obey and submit to their husband"?P.S. Book suggestion, read "One Second After". It is much better. | 0negative
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A Journey With a Thousand Different Directions
This book had so much potential to be far more than what it was. I agree with other customers who said it started off well, but all of sudden there were so many U-turns and loops and twists that it seems as though the writers were still brainstorming what they wanted to do with all the information they had. It was poorly written and it takes away what probably could have been a journey worth reading. I think maybe Lula should have considered someone else to do her biography. Either these writers were inexperienced or had too many projects on their plates and just stuffed this one in. | 0negative
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End of the World for Robert Jordan
I read this book over the last few days. I praise and complement Robert Jordan for his ability to create a very complex world. However, this series has died. The plot is no longer there. We all started reading a captivating tale about a young man destined to grow into his destiny to stand against and confront evil. Not only has this not happened in 11 novels, it has not even come close to happening. In this series, it never will. This book hardly touches upon the so called "plot" about the Dragon Reborn. Instead the novel focuses on side plots that flesh out stories that have become complex to the point of irrelevance.Frank Herbert wrote about the idea of "wheels within wheels" in his Dune novels. He did not make us live (suffer) through each and every one of them. In a betrayal of the reader by the author and his publisher, this series has degraded to nothing more than a scam to sell books. This series has become nothing more than a gimmick.Robert Jordan has a history of great writing. He wrote tales that captivated and spellbound his readers. The World of Time series should end without resolution and Robert Jordan should return to writing captivating novels, as we know he can.The bottom line is -- DO NOT purchase this book. Do not encourage Robert Jordan to waste his time with drivel. As readers, we must enccourage him to return to his undoubted ability to write novels that we cannot put down. Robert Jordan has the gift to write such novels. Our duty as readers is to encourage him to give up this endless stream of nonsense. Robert Jordan must stop selling "books" and start selling us the great stories he has the ability to tell.The Wheel of Time ended,about four or five novels ago. The Knife of Dreams, with its lack of vision, is the nail in the coffin. | 0negative
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Wonderful Book
I took a University class were The Story of Judaism, third,augmented edtion, by Bernard J. Bamberger was used as the textbook. The book was well orginized, enjoyable to read, and very comprehensive. It added a large amount of historical facts to my religous knowledge. It was well recieved by both the Jewish and non-Jewish students. | 1positive
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WASTE OF MONEY + BOOK IS 10 YEAR OLD
Got the book, its actually a tiny booklet. At most, a big blog post you can say.The language is easy and I loved reading whats written inside. But WHY THEY ARE SELLING THIS BOOK TILL DATE? it does not contain anything at all after year 2000!! Seriously, why would you want to pay for a book that does not even contain latest information? - for which you have paid money.I would suggest you to reconsider your decision before you purchase this tiny booklet - the information that you'd find else where for free ( wikipedia page on jeff bejos is much better than this book)for me, its a COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY. why these guys are selling 10 year old information!! | 0negative
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The Ignorance that ignorance produces:
First of all, I would like to make it quite clear that I have no problem with Irshad Manji publishing this book. God states in the Quran that there is no compulsion in the system as per the Quran 2:256 , "There is no compulsion in the system; the proper way has been made clear from the wrong way. Whoever rejects evil, and believes in God, then he has grasped the most solid branch that will never break. God is Hearer, Knower."Second of all, I would like to make it known my position on Islam. In this I differ from many, but my position is backed up by the Quran, not by narrations from other than the author of the Quran (and I believe this to be God). In summary, I believe as per 18:54 `And We have clarified in this Qur'an for the people from every example; but mankind was always most argumentative'. I do not accept other than the Quran as a source of religious law. I believe it to be an amazing book, but a book which has been denigrated primarily by those claiming the name of Islam through made-up narrations which they claim to have been made by the Prophet Muhammad and a second source of law in `Islam'. Not only are these narrations themselves backward illogical and contradictory to the Quran, but they also encourage their adherants to look at the Quran in an intolerant and illogical way (in order to justify their narrations). The Quran forbids anything else besides it to be taken as a source of religious law:45:6 These are the Ayt (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, revelations, etc.) of Allh, which We recite to you (O Muhammad SAW) with truth. Then in which speech (HADEETH) after Allh and His Ayt will they believe?As for her book:Irshad Manji is a Muslim everyone. She is a lesbian Muslim and she wants everyone to know. Muslims are backward and hypocritical and the Quran is a schizophrenic mix of misogyny, violence and contradictions. Most of the problems in Muslim societies are due to the Quran. Muslims should look to Israel as an ideal country with religious tolerance. Muslims need to reform the message of the Quran for today's society by interpreting it. This is called itejehad. This is her message and she thinks she is very clever. She is hailed as a role model by the right wing, who only wish more Muslims would be like her.Below are the problems I have with her book:She commences her book with a semi-autobiographical description of her early days in Canada, her family having been forced out of Uganda by Idi Amin. You can tell that she has had no positive male role-models in her life. Her father was a violent man (as she makes out) and the men who `taught' her `religion' at the local `religious school' were all nasty and misogynistic. In this, I am sure is an explanation for what she would call her `lesbianism'.She then goes onto imply that the Asian Muslims in Uganda because of the Quran, which never forbids slavery took slaves and treated them badly! This is blatant ignorance. There are currently plenty of non-Muslim Africans who enslave each other during the multitude of wars that are unfortunately going on in Africa. Furthermore had she even attempted to explore the question rather than falling in love with herself for asking it, she would have realized that the Quran has numerous verses encouraging the manumission of slaves, e.g. 90:12-13 : `Do you know which is the better path? The freeing of slaves' The Quran makes it clear that in an ideal society, slavery should not exist. Why does the Quran not advocate clearly a total ban on slavery? Simple, an immediate ban on slavery in a country with many slaves would leave slaves impoverished and with nowhere to go.She displays another example of her shallow morality by stating that if God did not want her to be a `lesbian' then why did he make her `fall in love with a woman'! This is worse than even Hollywood movie morality! The Quran is clear on same sex lewdness : 4:15 And those women who commit lewdness, you shall bring four witnesses over them from amongst you; if they bear witness, then you shall restrict them in the homes until death terminates their lives, or God makes for them a way out.4:16 And the two men who commit it from amongst you, then you shall punish them (the punishment mentioned in the previous verse! ). If they (both women and men) repent and amend, then leave them alone. God is Redeemer.Presumably she feels this verse needs `interpreting'. She then implies that other religions have no problem with this issue! No religion will ever approve/give equal recognition to same sex lewdness. Again, she is completely wrong and has an opinion devoid of any moral principles.Next on her list is another Islamic falsehood (although unfortunately adopted by Muslims who have no idea what the Quran says) concerning an income tax which the Quran allegedly states that all non-Muslims must pay. In fact a look at the text (without using the hadith of Bukari et al) reveals what this `tax' is. It is reparations to be paid out when Muslims are attacked by non-Muslims (the only justification for war in the Quran is self defense as per 2:190). And guess what, read Robert Hoyland's book about `Seeing Islam as Others saw It' and what do you see? Early in Islam this `tax' was only paid in frontier towns (who were presumably waging war against Muslims)! Later on the Caliphs imposed this on all people. So, historical proof of a move away from the Quran (conveniently backed up by the hadith) can be demonstrated.She quotes from MEMRI - one just has to google this term to realize it is run by an ex-Mossad agent. She displays gross ignorance concerning the creation of the Zionist state. Every `Muslim' crime she magnifies and displays ignorance of the context or adopts bizarre right wing conspiracy theories which have no basis in scholarly research.I hope you get the impression! The people who reviewed this book well blindly accepted the facts without verifying them for themselves violating the Quran 17:36.Out of those who read the book, those who verified the facts will dislike this book. In reality this book is terrible. It is like a fast food sandwich - it gives people what they want but the ingredients are unhealthy.However, the only valid point she has, and I want to end on this point is this : Muslims are unable to engage in a free minded discussion on so many issues. I have consistently been surprised at how, despite the levels of education and intellectual attainment, how many Muslims on issues of religion act as if they are some third world dictator and attempt to stifle debate through intimidation. | 0negative
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Magical!
"As You Like It" is bar none, one of Shakespeare's VERY best works. It is probably the most poetic of the comedies and contains perhaps as many famous quotations as any other of his plays. Rosalind is perhaps his greatest female character and this work, along with the equally (or even more) brilliant "Midsummer Night's Dream," is the best example of Shakespeare's theme of the "dream world" vs. the "real" world. This play, especially the scenes in the forest, is a celebration of language and the power of the freedom of the imagination. It consequently can be read as a criticism of the "real world," here represented by Duke Ferdinand's court. Like many of the other comedies, Shakespeare is mocking the "ideal" which many in his society would have praised. Though this play deals with some pretty dark themes (which of his plays doesn't?) it is a light-hearted and fully enjoyable read! | 1positive
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Illegals - the real hourly cost and the minimum wage
Excellent, thought provoking discussion at the grass roots level. I missed the author's solution.The author proposes that - factually illegals pay no or at best nominal taxes and beyond that they exact a heavy toll in their "thankless" exploitation of this country's medical, educational and other welfare directed institutions along with costs of border patrol and criminal activity. I agree.Counterpoint: Generally unskilled illegal aliens and unskilled legal aliens work for bargain basement wages. They perform tasks that "legitimate" citizens refuse to perform at those miserly rates of pay. Agree?Perhaps, then, in measuring the hourly "cost" of illegals performing mind numbing, back breaking tasks for our soft and elitist majority, the real hourly labor cost is the sum of the hourly wage plus the cost of the welfare system. That sum, then, leads to an argument that the minimum wage for legal citizens and legal aliens residing in this country should be double or triple the present minimum wage.Those wages, call it a "living wage," should be subject to the full measure of state, federal and local taxation and for the cost of health and welfare. With a living wage we might find lesser skilled legals applying for and accepting those messy jobs thereby displacing the opportunities for illegals. Legals unwilling to work - no mercy!Easy to propose assuming applicants can be reliably documented. Must be a way. Employers then would be fully burdened to confirm the legitimacy of their workforce. Failure to do so - stiff penalties, swift and certain. | 1positive
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Not the most useful
This book was required for a graduate introduction to fluid mechancis class. I found myself going to Fluid Mechanics by Potter,Foss and other books to clarify topics that Sabersky's book left unclear in my mind. Definitely not a good introductory book, I like it a little better now that I have more insight into the field. | 0negative
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awesome little book
This is the second time I've read the Hobbit but the first time I have owned it. It is an absolutely beautiful copy....gilded pages, leather cover with embossing, and a handful of illustrations. Definitely worth purchasing! | 1positive
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Not Much Here
First, contrary to the description of the book, there are no descriptions of items, monsters, etc., to be found. Instead, there are a number of walkthroughs. The first is a very lame first person account of going through the game, which has no detail. The remainder are lists of quests and little more. Ultimately, they contain only incomplete quest information, and they don't much enhance the experience.There are also no detailed area maps (a shortcoming common to many Brady guides lately) so you're on your own trying to navigate to specific encounters or buildings.The guide to creating a character does little more than repeat what the manual tells you, with absolutely no specifics on how any particular decision will affect the long term development of your character.All in all, there's very little to help you through Baldur's Gate. | 0negative
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abridged form of book ruins a masterpiece
I am a huge fan of this series. I have read it 3 times. so i hoped i could enjoy the audible version just as much. sadly this is not the case. the abridgement butchers this book so much it is almost unrecegnisible. i would very much love an unabridged version.so if you love this book do yourself a favor and save your money.maybe we can get the unabridged version, i sure hope so | 0negative
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Natural Cures
This "Book" is a load of crap. Kevin is a real conman as I have heard time and time again. This book for the most part speaks repeatedly (many, many times) about the pharmaceutical and large corporations conspiracy about their monopoly over the public.Kevin ONLY refers to ACTUAL treatments for about THREE WHOPPING pages in the whole book ! Anyone buying this book will read and read and will be left wondering if the "cures" are actually HIDDEN in the book. These so called cures ARE NOT cures. They are TREATMENTS for certain ailments. There are no guarantees and if you stop the treatments, your condition will relapse, FACT !Kevin's book should be titled "The Pharmaceutical Conspiracy". The fact is, he only mentions about the "cures" but does case studies about big bad pharmaceutical & other BIG companies in this book. He does make some valid points, but I have no time to waste reading about HIS rants, and believe me he goes on and on and on about them. This book is absolute rubbish - a waste of money ! | 0negative
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Confusion in a nutshell
I have read Oliver Twist and found that this book's language was much more difficult to follow. I just couldn't get into the story. | 0negative
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Charming story
It was a cute story. I liked that it was told in the view of someone who is quiet but has a good heart. My only complaint is that it's really not the typical life of a high school freshman. I would definitely recommend it to people. | 1positive
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Very Entertaing - As FICTION is supposed to be!
After reading some reviews of this book I felt compelled to write my own review. First, the author was about 15 years old when he started writing Eragon; give him a break. Yes, there are some obvious flaws in the writing style and many of the themes are very similar to earlier fantasy works, but I don't read books just to pick them apart. I read books for pure pleasure (OK, occasionally I have to read them for college). In my opinion, the only true reason to give a book (fiction) an extremely low rating is if the book fails to accomplish its purpose; to entertain. I found Eragon to be thoroughly entertaining and can hardly wait for the next book (I have pre-ordered it).For those who say that the characters are too similar to already familiar characters - What do you picture when you think of an elf; a dwarf; or a "bad-guy" in fantasy terms? After you have done this the idea that someone else may see them the same way is not very far-fetched. The basic ideas of these characters have become so ingrained in our culture that it's hard not to think of them a certain way.If you are looking for an enjoyable read I highly recommend Eragon - great for all ages (I'm almost 30). Just let the fact that it is about 300 on the list of all books Amazon sells tell you what people think of this book. | 1positive
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It's Worth Reading
If you have questions about being a gay or bisexual teen, this book has the answers. It's informative, yet interesting and has some great pics too! Check it out! Read it! Live it! | 1positive
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A must read for gangland fans
The author takes you through the lives of two brothers as they luck their way to the top of their chosen vocation, politician - gangster (as if in this case there is any difference). You are shown the amazing corruption in the Boston FBI office and the ineptness of the organized crime bosses that existed.When you get to the end you may be wanting more (and more is available on the author's website). You won't be dissapointed with this book, surely a movie to follow. | 1positive
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Illustrations light
The book is a classic and my all time favorite. I read it every year, so I bought it for my Kindle. The Illustrated edition is not worth an extra cost, as they are light and you can't read the type below them on the Kindle. | 1positive
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Fantastic!
This was the second Brian Jacques book I read, and I think that every one who apriciates a decent book will love this one. If you've never liked a book in your life, well, there's a first time for everything, and this is probably it. | 1positive
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Room for improvement on many levels!
First of all, the information is outdated, and I think its important for recruiters to have the most up-to-date information. Additionally, there are grammatical and spelling errors throughout the book, at minimum one per chapter!!!This is the biggest problem with it. For example, in Chapter 8 "External Recruitment," it gives a list and writes out "first, second..." and does "third" twice. Words are used in the wrong context at times, causing additional confusion to the reader. And the biggest oozy of them all is the statistical error in Chapter 7 "Measures" - it gives an example of standardized testing comparisons, and does the problem incorrectly!!! Which led to me having to go back to my Statistics book to review the concept since I couldn't trust the book!Who edits these books anyways? | 0negative
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Volume three may never make it
According to a fascinating article in the Wall Street Journal by Jennifer Ordonez (Sept 7, 2000), this dictionary may never get beyond the letter O. Random House have stopped work on the editing because of the cost, and linguist J E Lighter has stopped delivering the text because of a row over royalties. Ambitious dictionaries don't make a profit for publishers, and Random House says it only commissioned a one volume work originally, way back in 1984. But it has made some money. The article points out that the cult best-seller "The F-Word" is in fact an extraction of a single entry from volume 1 - published under project editor Jesse Sheidlower's name after Lighter refused to have his name used. One of the reasons Lighter has stopped giving material to Random House, says the article, is that he's worried they'll try and do the same thing with "the S-Word" and he doesn't want to be remembered as the F and S guy. You can read the whole article at wsj.com if you have a subscription. | 1positive
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A must have for the do it yourself decorator
I have watched his shows for years on the Discovery Channel and I'm thrilled he has put it in a book. I love how he takes you from the design concept to the finished room, most books show you the finished design and you have to guess how they got there. | 1positive
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Well.....
"But did anyone check the spelling and punctuation before this book was printed? While you might see a word or two misspelled in books these days, this one had more errors than you can count. I found this distracting and annoying. For the money this book cost you'd think they could have hired a proofreader. This is the worst printing job I've ever seen. The publisher should be ashamed". (From another reviewer) I agree wholeheartedly. The lack of editing was so glaring that it made the book hard to get into. If you want a REAL book, try Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. | 0negative
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The Beginning
If you missed the first two of her extraordinary FBI novels, then get this and get started on the roller coaster ride of your life.This will hook you into this series like no other book will. | 1positive
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Fell short of my expectations...
I picked this book up with high expectations. Unfortunately those expectations were dashed. While this book was a decent read, it is not a book I'd recommend. The primary reason is its slow pace. The main plot was interesting -- the police procedural side of the story, the subplots -- dealing in romance, etc. were not. While there was a small bit of action and alot of investigative activity, there was no excitement or tension associated with it. The book just plodded along spouting out one boring detail after another about the characters' dreary lives. It got so bad that I began daydreaming towards the end of the book (on the last tape) and I missed how the villain arrived on the scene for one last try at eliminating anyone that could reveal his/her identity. The sad thing is, I didn't care enough to rewind the tape to listen and find out. I was just glad for the book to end. The author has potential, but this is not a book I'd recommend. | 0negative
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One good book to get ready for the final show
This is one of the very good books that came to be very useful in my final preparations. If you have spent enought time to study the subject matter, this book will be an outstanding help for you.. But if you think to start with this book, this may not be that useful ..I have liked the way the auhors organized the book.. My sincere gratitude to them..... | 1positive
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Sure to win a prize
Under A Stand Still Moon is one of the very best young adult, historical fiction books that I have read in a long time. The attention to detail and historical accuracy woven into a "can't put down" story line is exceptional. Creel deftly captures the lives of the Anasazi civilization during its final days. The reader is at once swept back in time and learns about an America that existed well before 1492. I am sure that this book will find itself in the hands of many middle school students and teachers who want to learn more about this period of history-and read a book that is of the same quality as Scott O'Dell's great novel Island of the Blue Dolphins. | 0negative
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An Amazing Novel
This is one of the most amazing works of literature I have ever read. Kundera offers the reader a lot of insight into the different nuances that people have. There are qualities in the characters that one may recognize in one's self, but these reflections are done in a remarkable way that make each character refreshing.The novel is filled with obvious, and not so obvious, insights and wisdom that a reader could pull apart and think on. I keep a journal to document and reflect on books that I read, and this novel took a good number of pages.I definitely recommend this to any reader looking for something deeper, and perhaps just looking for something interesting. | 1positive
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There are better
If you are looking for a lush coffee table book, be prepared to deal with less than perfect printing. Many of the images are muddy and or grainy. Definately flip through it at the store, but don't make it your one and only. | 0negative
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one I never reread
Nothing to like in the characters here. Didn't like the characters, the setting, the mystery. All very negative in tone. A reader has to have some hope, some enjoyment, to keep going. The author has forgotten that in this book | 0negative
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Unconvincing characterization
A good juicy plot with all the makings of a page turner, truly in the spirit of pulp fiction. But most or the characters in the book (at least the main ones)are very unrealistic. The main character of an 11 year old child is absolutely rubbish. His lawyer a 52 year old lady behaves a no sane human being would. If u are looking for even a bit of substance or a pinch or relaity then dont even look at the book. BUT if u are seeking an engrossing plot and Grishams style, fast paced book, which u are willing to forget soon after or looking for pure entertainment the close ur eyes and give it a shot. | 0negative
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This Book Is As Bad As The Da Vinci Code Is Good!
Let me start off by saying that I enjoyed The Da Vinci Code very much. However, Angels And Demons was a major disappointment. Is it possible that Brown improved as a writer so much from the time period between writing Angels And Demons and The DaVinci Code? While The Da Vinci Code isn't the most well written book you're likely to read, it is one of the more compelling, interesting and exciting books you're likely to read. In contrast, Angels And Demons possesses none of these positive attributes. The plot moves along at much too slow a pace, the dialogue is unrealistic and stilted, and the characters are not developed well enough. These contrasts are puzzling to me since these two stories are very much alike. Perhaps I've just solved my own puzzlement -- that is, having read The Da Vinci Code first, I was bored with Angels And Demons because it's essentially a much weaker version of essentially the same plot. Do yourself a favor if you haven't read The Da Vinci Code, go right out and get yourself a copy. BUT once you've read it and enjoyed it do NOT fall into the trap of wanting to read its prequel (Angels And Demons), as I did. Please learn from this reader's mistake. I'm sorry I read Angels and Demons not only because I didn't like it. But because it made me a bit uncertain about whether I want to read Dan Brown's next book -- i.e., which book is the fluke? | 0negative
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More Interesting In Concept Than In Execution--And In Dire Need Of A Blue Pencil
Born in Czarist Russia, Ayn Rand survived the Soviet revolution and, after studying philosophy and history at the University of Petrograd, emigrated to the United States in 1926. She originally sought work as a screenwriter; having only minor success in this area, she turned to other venues and in 1943 and 1957 produced the two works that established her reputation, THE FOUNTAINHEAD and ATLAS SHRUGGED. Although novels, both works exist primarily as platforms from which Rand describes the form of philosophy she developed: Objectivism.No philosophy can be condensed to a few simple statements, but at its center objectivism is characterized by the belief that man is an end to himself. In the process of making this statement, Rand takes several controversial positions, most of which revolve around the notion that an extreme of individualism is always positive; that industrialization is always positive; that the state's involvement in business is always negative; that atheism is the only rational position; and that those who are primarily motivated by altruism are intrinsically flawed and ultimately dangerous. The overall result of these thoughts is a sort of uber-capitalism in which financial success is equated with self-worth.Rand's critics point out that she is very inconsistent in the application of her ideas and that, while claiming to eschew any standard morality, actually has a tendency to conform to precisely that--and that while she claims to be proponet of capitalism it is just as easy to use her concepts to justify fascism. Rand's philosophy also has an extremely black-or-white quality; something is either entirely bad or entirely good, a stance which allows no room for shading of any kind. Although she certainly inspires a hysterical devotion among followers, Rand is not considered a philosopher by the vast majority of contemporary philosophers, and Objectivism is generally considered superficial at best.At the time she wrote ATLAS SHRUGGED, Rand had reached a point at which she construed her concept of personal individuality to mean that she should not seek any sort of editorial comment regarding her work. When advisors suggested she cut the work for readability and clarity, she refused--and the result is an extremely long book that runs to 1069 fine-print pages in paperback alone, enough to intimidate even the most determined readers. It is also a very, very repetitive book in which the characters and situations restate the same fundamental issues over and over and over. And to add a final nail in the coffin, the conclusion is profoundly ironic, for it tends to undercut Rand's philosophic stance, a fact that she seems to have missed.Reduced to its bare essentials, Rand presents us with two pivitol characters, Dagny Taggart and John Galt. Taggart is a rail road executive who finds herself beset by union demands inspired by socialist-leaning leaders in both government and society, demands which threaten to destroy both her ownership of the company and the company itself. She gradually drifts into a circle influenced by John Galt, a heroically-styled industrialist who seeks to end such situations. Galt forms a group of mighty industrialists--and brings the socialist demands to an end by having these leaders stage a strike. The irony involved, if one hasn't noticed, is that while Galt and his supporters are very anti-union (as was Rand herself), their solution to unionization is... unionization.Over the years, ATLAS SHRUGGED has been described as among the most influential books published. I find that difficult to believe and for several reasons--but most particularly because I cannot imagine that enough people have read it for it to have any great hold on the thoughts of the population at large. Certainly people have bought it; it has never been out of print and sales are consistently solid; and I myself cannot count the times that I have seen it residing in various bookcases. At the same time, however, I seldom meet any one who has actually read it from start to finish. When I do, they tend to describe the novel as "interesting" rather than inspiring or empowering.The underlying problem with ATLAS SHRUGGED is that it is a philosophical dissertation presented as a novel instead of being a novel that presents philosophical positions. The characters, settings, and situations are important only as vehicles to Rand's thoughts--and as such are as dry as dust. Even without taking into account its length and repetitive nature, ATLAS SHRUGGED is a horrifically uphill read and about as enjoyable as attempting to cross Death Valley at high noon without a drop of water.My own sentiment: if you are interested in Rand's philosophy, read THE FOUNTAINHEAD, which encompasses the same ideas but actually works as a novel (and a gutsy and exciting one too) or simply go with an abstract of the main concepts of objectivism--which will run considerably less than a hundred pages.GFT, Amazon Reviewer | 0negative
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Tom Saywer is BORING
This book is very dull and boring which can put the reader to sleep. Tis is because reading these events would take up pages and the evens just happen at a snails pace. If you love reading or easily entertained, I recommend this book to you. If you like action, this book might be for you because even though its boring, it still has it's exciting parts. But for teenagerslike myself, DON'T READ IT, YOU WILL REGRET IT. | 0negative
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Even better than Wizard's First Rule
I though Stone of Tears was an amazing sequel to Wizard's First Rule and was more interesting. The plot line and new characters kept me guessing with the interesting background stories and revealed identities or connections. I also enjoyed how background information not revealed in Wizard's First Rule was brought to light in Stone of Tears for an added punch. Overall the plot moved quickly with never a dull moment. The issue I had with the first book, where the content (torture) didn't match the writing style (shallow/not complex), was mostly eliminated in Stone of Tears. The content was still very adult, with the addition of rape. However, the writing level upped to be less childish and was more on par with the content than in Wizard's First Rule. | 1positive
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Bored to Tears
The only people who should read this book are the stuffy academics the main character belittles, as this reads more like a lecture than a piece of interesting prose. There is little sense of suspense or danger in his fight scenes. Donohues' martial technique descriptions don't live up to his reputation as someone well-versed in a variety of Asian martial arts. Save for his relationships to master and his brother, there is very little in the way of interesting character interactions, and the conclusion is anti-climactic at best. Even the detective aspect to the story barely held my attention. If you're someone looking for a story rich with martial arts content this book will disappoint you. | 0negative
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May Swifter Editorial Minds Prevail. Soon.
Having grown up in the Bahamas, and then later visiting the Sea Islands off the coasts of Georgia, Florida and South Carolina, I marvelled at the similarity of the spoken dialect. The intact African culture on Daufuskie and St. Helena was amazing to witness, given its proximity to the U.S. mainland via Beaufort, S.C. I have since made many friends in the area, and have watched as the local Gullah coalition has worked hard to maintain the purity and non-commercialism of their legacy.Having said that, though, I don't honestly think that we'll have to worry about 'Gullah Mailman' being worked into the annals of classic Gullah literature. The book is so amateurishly bad that it begs gut-wrenching laughter. Non-linguist white people should not be encouraged to bastardize dialects under the guise of being quaint. [Disclaimer: I am a white person.] I could not stop laughing at his abysmal breakdown of the dialect, and had a hard time believing that the locals to whom he directed this farcical take on their language could keep a straight face either.All in all, I'd stick with 'Legacy of Ibo Landing.' | 0negative
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Great way to learn about Lord Byron and his world
I will confess, I am a fan of all things Italian, but did not know much about the talented and exotic Lord Byron before reading this book. It really made an impression on me - through his letters and his diaries, one gets a very clear sense of who he was and of the times he lived in. I wanted to read it because the story of Byron and Teresa begins in Ravenna, one of my favorite places in Italy but continues across Italy, the rest of Europe and on to its sad conclusion in Greece. I would recommend it for anyone who wants to wade into Byron, or to feel thoroughly immersed in early 18th century Europe. | 1positive
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The stone angel was porly written
This was a poor attempt at any kind of writting. I was upset that they used the same title as the great margaret lawarance. it made me quite upset. the book was overly poor and i was quite disappointed. | 0negative
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Things Uncle Tom's Cabin teaches us
1. SLAVERY WASN'T SO BAD AFTER ALL. I was surprised to find out that this book supported slavery. Of course, you have to wade through the melodrama and Christian speechifying -- about 95% of the book -- to get at Ms Stowe's thesis, but once you do it becomes clear. To Ms Stowe, slavery and capitalism are just different manifestations of evil human greed (St. Claire's speech, pp 239-241 in my edition). Old slavers who whipped their charges to death must be smiling now, knowing that they're being compared to the Rockefellers, Carnegies, and Bill Gates.Ms Stowe deems many factors that separate capitalism and slavery to be irrelevant. The fact that under capitalism families weren't separated is irrelevant. The fact that people could emigrate freely is also irrelevant. The fact that people were not forced off their farms and into the cities is irrelevant. The fact that proletariat, even in Ms Stowe's day, were protected by labor laws is irrelevant. The fact that life expectancy for the proletariat increased vis à vis farmers is irrelevant. The fact that the proletariat were not chosen for racist reasons is irrelevant. The fact that a worker could become an entrepreneur and eventually a capitalist is also irrelevant.2. CHRISTIANITY DOESN'T CONDEMN SLAVERY. Ms Stowe does a fine job (inadvertently) of showing that Christianity contains doctrine that supports slavery, and no doctrine that outright condemns it.3. AMERICA IS FOR AMERICAN INDIANS. Ms Stowe states at the end of chapter 43 that Topsy, after receiving a decent Christian upbringing, became a teacher in "her own country" -- Africa. Ms Stowe believes that Africa is Topsy's country because she is descended from Africans, and conversely that the United States is not Topsy's country. Of course, if one were to apply the same logic to everyone in the U.S., only native Americans would pass the test. Pack your bags everyone! | 0negative
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Readers will find it an outstanding, diverse selection
It's rare that a review turns to a book that's been on the market for several years, but deserving of repeated, ongoing recommendation is Nelson Bond's Other Worlds Than Ours. It provides a collection of previously uncollected science fiction stories from the 1940s, includes a complete novel, and covers universe to time travel. Readers will find it an outstanding, diverse selection and libraries will find repeat interest in its concepts! | 1positive
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What can I say Neil Adams is a Giant
Neil Adams is one of the best and most talented art in comics of all time. He brought a realism to comics that wasjust not there till he start in the industry. The action and power of his work is amazing. Just wish it would have had more examples of his work | 1positive
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A "must-read" for all Christians and skeptics
This powerful book transports the reader to Jesus' last week on earth. Wangerin pulls the reader into the emotion and reality of the crucifixion and the events leading up to it. I felt convicted and moved by the sacrifice made on my behalf in a new way. Highly recommended! | 1positive
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Misses the Point
Stan Allen is one of the self-styled theorists who see architecture and urbanism as an abstract set of geometries, Allen fails to understand that most cities are living organisms and that relationships and form are pointless without comprehending the viltal, human function. Anyone who has experienced the great urban spaces of Italy or Paris will know that urban design is not a graphic exercise. Allen's lacks the mental facility to adress this component of design and his diagrams are more ignorant that one can imagine. This book is rubbish of the very worst sort. - Recommend you read Jane Jacobs 'Life and Death of Great American Cities' instead. | 0negative
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Disappointingly Generic
I loved Tervalon's first two books ("Living for the City" and "Understand This"), so I thought I should give this a try despite the rather soap opera sounding story. Set in post-WWII New Orleans, with one extended flashback to the early '30s, the book focuses on a reasonably prosperous creole family. The story is told from the perspective of Lita, a beautiful girl about to graduate from Catholic school who spends most of her free time taking care of her two young sisters or tending the family bar. Her sister Adele is the catalyst for the plot, as she gets involved with a notorious pimp. This brings Adele into conflict with their mother Helen, who has some very definite views on the pimp and eventually reveals the reason for her strong feelings.As I feared, the story is pretty soap operaish, as Adele cats around and Lita tries to keep the peace between her and her mother. Meanwhile, we meet the rest of Lita's family, including her nasty drunk father, her incredibly nasty aunt, abused cousins, and young sisters. The mother comes across as a classic strong woman who works herself to death for her family, only to be abused or scorned by the good-for-nothing father. Unfortunately, the plot doesn't have nearly the twists and turns of a good soap opera to keep one engaged, as the drama between Adele, the mother, and the pimp plays out predictably. There are bits and pieces of local color, including Jim Crow laws, and Lita's ability to "pass" as white, as well as an extended foray into voodoo medicine, but the story never really gathers any momentum. Overall, this is a disappointingly generic book from a writer whose earlier work exhibits a much stronger voice. For those that are interested, a sequel ("Lita: A Novel") picks up the family story ten years after the end of this book. | 0negative
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No. Just....no.
My disappointment in this album is enormous. I so wanted to get a "School Years" book for my children like I had as a child. My mother found this one, had it shipped to us, and we just received it today. I can't believe how ugly it is. It's simply a spiral-bound collection of photocopied forms (some are even crooked). It looks like it was made by someone without a creative bone in their body.Other reviews have mentioned loving the ability to record their child's milestones throughout their school career. Yes, it's true that you can do that in this book. But I'm telling you, there must be a thousand prettier and more creative ways to do so.If I can't find the same type of "School Years" book I had as a child, I'm going to get one of those scrapbook-making kits and just do one myself. (I'll let you know when they're for sale.) ;) | 0negative
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Disappointed for the first time with Nora Roberts
While normally a fan of Nora Roberts, I was disappointed in the pace and the weak personality of her 'heroine' as opposed to the unrealistic persona of her 'hero. Dr Jones is given a lot of good credentials but no common sense. Ryan Boldari is given smoldering sexuality but the manners of a suave caveman. The storytelling was not up to its usual flew-through-the-pages mode. It could have been better. | 0negative
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Statistics for everyone
This is a fine book on statistical methods. By reading it you will economically learn how to use statistics and the reasons why the methods work. Like I said , economically. It explains in a few pages what take other books chapters to explain and does it better. The examples are from physics. However they are not complicated so that a person reading this book can aplly its methods to any other science | 1positive
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Classic commentary of evolutional proportions
The concept of looking at ourselves as an animal in the zoo is a fascinating one. While Desmond Morris takes a look at humans through a zoologist's goggles, coming to terms with this idea is half the fun while reading this book. The title and introduction of the book help create the detachment so the reader can play along. This 1960's classic reads more like a commentary of an intellectual with a fertile mind than the thesis of a scientist who has dedicated his life to studying the human species. Read it with that expectation and you will not go dissatisfied. However, if you are expecting anotherThe Origin of Speciesby Charles Darwin, The Naked Ape will not cut it.The book characterizes the naked ape's tedency to procreate, raise children, explore, fight, feed, live and communicate in evolutionary terms. My favorite part is where the act of sexual intercourse is put under the microscope and studied from a zoological perspective. It is like taking notes while watching a porn movie.As with any stimulating commentary, it has opinions that may force your mind to demand substantiation. For example, throughout the book Morris' is morbidly fixated upon the problem of population explosion and that it would become the single-most important cause of destruction of our species as well as the planet. It plays such an important role in his mind, that his last words in the book are a warning sign against this phenomenon. His fear and his suggested solutions are radical. In general, he calls for sophistication of "birth control" at least to the same extent as "death control".At the time of writing the book, the population was 3 billion growing at the rate of 150,000 per day (1.82%). If this growth continues, which Morris resigns is "highly unlikely", the book projects 400 billion naked apes in 260 years. Let's review this projection at the time of reviewing this book 40 years later. We are 6.6 billion growing at the rate of 211,000 per day (1.17%). At this rate, in another 220 years, we would be 80 billion which too, may I add, is "highly unlikely" and highly undesirable.A commentary of evoluational proportions spans millions of years, and the selection of information to be presented is a task of astronomical proportions. Being mindful of the complexity of this problem, Desmond Morris seems to have done a fine job of selection and generally speaking, the theories are very agreeable. This is certainly one for the shelves. | 1positive
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The Giver-Ending?What Ending?
The Giver was a good book. When Jonas became Receiver, and everything leading up to it, it was good. Getting the memories-wonderful description. The great escape- a wonderful plot thickening twist. But when the ending came, I was so dissapointed, I could have thrown up. The ending left more questions unanswered than Full Disclosure. I hope that others can figure out what happens in the ending better than I can, because I want the satisfaction of closure over having to figure out (if it's possible) wha happens to our main character. | 1positive
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Handbook of Ancient Greek & Roman Coins
A must book for beginners. Great broad outline and photos from 680 BC to 476 AD. An excellent cornerstone; to build on. | 1positive
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A Children's Classic for Good Reason
Winnie-the-Pooh has been beloved by several generations because of the wonderful way Milne captures the imaginative play of children. In this book, he introduces the characters of Christopher Robin, Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga, and Roo, and their adventures commence. These are the sort of pretend adventures a child might enact alone with their stuffed toys, but they are written with the sophisticated and original perspective of an adult who develops each toy as a unique character, and this takes the simple stories to a higher level.Milne's excellent writing, wonderful use of language, subtle and silly sense of humor, and the unforgettable eccentricities of his characters make the world of Pooh a delightful place. Like other classic children's stories, Winnie-the-Pooh may not appeal to every reader, but every child ought to have a chance to experience it. If it is enjoyed at first, successive readings will provide even greater appreciation as the children grasp more of the story's subtleties. Since much of the humor hinges on dialogue, such as Rabbit's "Oh, must you?" when his greedy guest announces his departure, younger children may need adult help understanding some of the story events.Winnie-the-Pooh will appeal best to children are old enough to engage in imaginative play. It's a good read-aloud for the 4-8 crowd, but the 8-12 age group will also enjoy it as a read-alone. | 1positive
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Atlas died of boredom
and you may very well die of boredom too after you wade through this hyperverbous book.It was such a disappointment. Having read the Fountain Head, I had expectations of a good story and solid characters, instead it was one loopty loop after another and boring from the get-go to the long, long awaited end.If you are a fan of politics and boring books, this is the one for you. | 0negative
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Critically Important Book for Investors
This is an unusual book on investing, as it provides neither advice on investing nor investment strategies. Instead it focuses solely on explaining the negative impact of specific investor emotional traits on investment performance. It is written in an easy-to-understand, friendly, conversational style.Specifically, Fertig covers seven psychological factors that result in causing investors to perform poorly. These factors include: envy, pride, lust, greed, anger, gluttony and sloth. He covers these topics one at a time, and includes interesting personal stories and examples that clearly illustrate his key points.From my own investment experience spanning 49 years, I can attest to the critical importance of keeping your emotional behavior and psychological weaknesses in check, otherwise investment results suffer. Too many investors buy at the top and sell at the bottom, because they were never strong enough to overcome their weaknesses. Hopefully, by reading this enjoyable book and thinking about their own situations and need for discipline, and taking corrective ACTION, the reader will improve his/her investment performance.We live in an age of instant gratification, instant messaging, and an overabundance of stock market commentary from the TV talking heads and media outlets. All this extraneous information (not knowledge) negatively impacts investors thought processes. Investing is not a game and should be considered a place to have fun. Investors need to get control of their internal weaknesses and realize what factors need to be overcome to be successful. This book fills that need very well. Along with books on charting and stock market strategies, this book is part of the trilogy of books that potential investors need to read to become successful. | 1positive
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An axe to grind
This otherwise thorough history of the NSA is tainted by several major flaws. The book covers fascinating bits of history from the USS Pueblo and USS Liberty incidents to stories of electronic espionage from the arctic to central Africa.One of the problems is focus. Bamford often digresses, for example, he writes profusely about the betrayal of the bay of pigs and the cuban missile crises and when he does this, he is diverging far from subject matter of the NSA and cryptology.The quality of writing and style is most inconsistent and makes me wonder if an initially broadly researched topic was rushed towards the end of the writing process.Overall, I would only recommend Body of Secrets to those especially interested in espionage history and technology. There are amazing facts to be gleaned after sorting through the chaff.. Never thought there were so many divisions. Bamford takes the reader from the beginnings of NSA during the early cold war, through the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War, to the sophisticated developments in information technology taking place within NSA today in the final chapter.The various directors are studied. Bobby Inmann from Texas is an interesting and odd story. Only 2 women have been deputy directors. Bamford appears to alert us as to when lying by public officials began. He tells of President Eisenhower's decision to lie to the public in order to protect a national-security secret, but he takes the story a step farther and shows how Eisenhower "went so far as to order his Cabinet officers to hide his involvement in the scandal even while under oath. At least one Cabinet member directly lied to the committee, a fact known to Eisenhower." Was this a first?One more from the Kennedy years: "The Joint Chiefs of Staff drew up and approved plans for what may be the most corrupt plan ever created by the U.S. government. In the name of anticommunism, they proposed launching a secret and bloody war of terrorism against their own country in order to trick the American public into supporting an ill-conceived war they intended to launch against Cuba." This one is truly scary. Says a lot about power.Bamford tells of the headquarters, known as "Crypto City," which has its own totally self-contained community. They are complete unto themselves. A fiefdom.What NSA is capable of certainly makes me uneasy: more and more sophisticated surveillance techniques can enfringe upon the basic rights of individual privacy. In a computer system that can store five trillion pages of text, anyone and everyone can be monitored. It brings up the unspoken question: Should we do this just because we are able to?The NSA is the largest, most secretive, and most powerful intelligence agency in the world, but even it had its moment of breakdown. Not 2 weeks after NSA had survived Y2K, the complete computer system went down for 3 days. Talk about a secret! But how did Bramford find out? That is a story in itself.I would think that Body of Secrets is a must-read for people fascinated by the intrigues of a shadowy underworld, actually all U.S. citizens. Orwell's Big Brother has arrived. | 0negative
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Two but only barely
There are certain books that you wish would never end. For me, this was one of them....Because the ending of this book made me wish that I hadn't wasted my time. I won't give away the ending, but sufficeth to say, I have not been so disappointed in the summation of a beautiful novel in a long time.I was hooked from the first page of Roy's work. Her prose is glorious. Her characters are beautiful and tragic, even those hideous to the core shine under Roy's pen. The subtle yet persistent (and sometimes not so subtle) observations of a destructive culture were dead-on. Even slight problems that I had with the rhythm and motion of the prose and plot drifted away as I read.Then the ending came and blew it all away. I have no qualms over what happened; I've read far more "disturbing" things in novels. What I did mind was the utter unbelievable nature of the final few pages. Out of nowhere. Blindsided, like a bad surprise ending where you find out the entire story has been a lie. Completely contrary to the characters, their motivations as presented by the author, and the environment that they had been portrayed in. It couldn't even be described as an "escape" or even "desperate" action. It just looked like another book had been pasted on to the end of this one.In short, I've never seen a novel so beautiful be so completely undone by a mere few paragraphs. Sure, read it, but then drop it before you finish. Don't let a few bad pages spoil you to Roy's gift. Hopefully, her next work won't fall victim to the same problem. I'm hopeful but extremely wary. | 0negative
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Yep, It's a Snooze but JDC Has Written Worse
I can see why someone might be bored by this book. It has a very slow beginning. The impoverished Jeffrey Wynne is returning a young lady from France to her uncle, Sir Mortimer. Their way lies across London Bridge, but they discover that a military guard has been set on the bridge. The houses that line both sides of the bridge from time out of mind are to be torn down to allow more room for vehicular traffic. The guard has been set to prevent those who had lived there, by that time the very poor, from creeping back into their homes. After some rather puzzling noodling around Jeffrey and Peg end up back at a house on London Bridge at the sign of the Magic Pen where a locked room mystery of a sort is waiting for them.Carr's writing is a fair copy of mediocre mid 18th century prose. He has done his homework because he tells the reader more about the minituae of 18th century life than the reader probably wants to know. The reader is also introduced to John Fielding, Magistrate of Bow Street (better known from Bruce Alexander's more recent mystery series) and Laurence Stern (libidinous parson and author of Tristam Shandy among other works).I ended up wanting to shake both the heroine and the hero. The heroine keeps running headlong into danger in the TSTL (Too Stupid to Live)fashion of heroines in older historicals and the hero isn't particularly nice. The fight scenes are so precisely described that the reader will have to stop and picture what they are doing, which slows the pace even more.You might want to avoid this book if you are not a fan of JDC or the mid 18th century. | 0negative
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another poor one
Another very ordinary 'Poirot'. The Belgian sleuth is travelling in the middle east with a group which includes a horrible American matriarch.This horrible bit of goods gets the chop and because she's such a nasty piece of work she deserved it.Its very hard to get involved in the story when there is absolutely no sympathy for the victim.Anyway, Poirot sets out to solve the murder and he does but with one of the real cheat endings of Christie's career . The reader should at least have an outside chance of solving the murder but this one gives you no hope. Not great. (1938) | 0negative
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